How to Stay Focused When You Feel Burnt Out
The harder you work and the more motivated you are, the more likely it is that you’ll experience burnout at some point in your career. Burnout is a type of exhaustion caused by intense and prolonged stress. Small business owners are particularly prone to it because they tend to be extremely passionate about the work they’re doing.
You might be heading toward burnout if you notice that you are tired all the time, feel overwhelmed, or are regularly lashing out at your staff. You might also be experiencing problems focusing and could be making more mistakes than usual.
Fighting burnout and staying focused doesn’t mean giving up on your dream or your small business. You can get back on track and avoid burnout by practicing a little self-care. Keep reading to learn four tips for staying focused and overcoming burnout.
1. Unplug
It’s easier than ever to stay connected to your small business around the clock. Just because you’ve left the office for the day doesn’t mean you stopped working because you can still access your email, text your employees, or answer phone calls. If you make yourself available to your staff, vendors, and customers 24/7, you’ll likely have a hard time relaxing and separating yourself from work.
Unplug from your business occasionally. You might not be able to unplug every day or every weekend, so start small. Choose one night a week to turn off your phone. You’ll remove yourself from work for a few hours, which might be just what you need to refocus. If you find that you’re still thinking about work, schedule an activity that relaxes you, like reading, going for a walk, or watching a movie.
2. Get organized
If you feel disorganized, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and not know where to focus your attention. Consider creating a to-do list every morning and determine your three most important tasks for the day. Your to-do list will help you stay focused because you’re less likely to be distracted by things that pop up throughout the day. By prioritizing your tasks, you’ll know what you need to do and what you can delegate to your employees. Your workload will seem more manageable, and you’ll be able to focus on growing your business. Learn more about why and how to delegate some of your responsibilities to your staff.
3. Walk away from your desk
If you’ve been working on the same thing for hours or days, it’s easy to get tired and lose focus. When that happens, get up and walk away from your desk. Take the time to talk to your team and see how everything’s going or go for a walk around the block to clear your head. If you normally work through your lunch, consider getting out of the office for lunch. Sometimes, you just need a change of scenery to get back on track.
4. Remember the “why”
When you start to feel burnt out, it can be difficult to remember why you started your business in the first place. To remind yourself why you’re working so hard to build your company, take some time to remember what your goals are. If you feel like your business isn’t growing, then take a look at everything you’ve already accomplished. That sense of accomplishment might be just what you need to get over the hump and refocus.
