Guest Blog: Keep the Burnout at Bay - Part 3
by Nutritionist Jo Burban
Here at BFA we work closely with Jo – she is a regular in our office providing advice and support to our team. We know burnout impacts many of us at different times, so we asked Jo if she would be willing to share some strategies on how to stay healthy which is a huge component of preventing burnout. She did one better and provided us with a three part series! In part one (HERE), Jo took a look at how nutrition plays a huge part in our overall wellbeing, and what ‘good’ nutrition looks like. In part two (HERE) she unpacked the nutrition and lifestyle mistakes that make burnout worse, and what to do instead, and in part 3 she takes a closer look at the overwhelmed small business owner.
A big thank you to Jo from the BFA team for sharing your insight and wisdom!
Running a small business can seem like a romantic dream but can easily lead to burnout. The long hours, financial pressure, and the inability to switch off, combined with all the different “hats" you have to wear: strategist, accountant, customer service manager, staff psychologist, building maintenance coordinator, advertiser, promotion planner, and sales person. The many tabs open in your head leads to exhaustion, and always being “on” can deplete the most savvy of business owners. Life starts to feel like just one long “to do” list that never ends, and a constant grind of trying to earn enough money to get ahead. If you’re feeling like that classic line from that Robbie Williams song: “I don’t wanna die, but I ain’t keen on living either…” you might be suffering from burnout.
Firstly what does overwhelm look and feel like:
Starting the day with so many “things to do” you feel overwhelmed the minute you wake up (usually after a rubbish night’s sleep!).
Opening your email to find 100s of new tasks.
Avoiding decisions because they feel too big.
No energy to even respond to simple things like text messages.
Brain fog or difficulty concentrating.
Struggling to find compassion or empathy for others.
Increased irritability.
Feeling guilty or finding it hard to take time off. The list goes on…..
How do we get back in the groove and find joy in the work you used to love?
It doesn’t happen overnight, but small sustainable changes need to happen to first protect your mental health. Here are a few tips to get started. Choose 2, master them, then choose 2 more. Bite size wellness:
Learn to delegate. Start with the jobs you dislike the most and keep the jobs you enjoy and do well. This is smart time usage!
Learn to be ok with someone doing the job only 80% as well as you.
Incorporate bites of rest: stop for lunch away form your work, and make it a nutritious lunch! Sit outside for one of your breaks, take a 5 minute walk, schedule a day off in advance.
Set boundaries around your availability. Eg no doing work with your coffee the second you wake up! Set up automatic email responses giving you a decent amount of time to get back to someone, allocate only 2 times a day to check emails, even consider having a separate phone number for work (with the work phone off after hours). Create clear times for these sorts of things things to avoid work merging into everything. One thing I have found helpful is to take a day every fortnight for business administration jobs. You need to factor this into your hourly rate though!
It’s easy to feel as though rest is unproductive and you that don’t have time. Shift this mindset as regular breaks will give you energy and motivation again. Plan non productive activities that are purely for fun. Regularly.
Finally, redefine what success looks like for you. So many small business owners chase work for their sense of self worth and a feeling of achievement. Remind yourself that this can come from other areas in your life (arguably the more important ones!) such as your family, relationships, and health. Don’t wait to lose those things before addressing burnout. They are the juice of life.
If you would be interested in attending a breakfast session covering burnout please get in touch info@bfa.co.nz
About Jo
Jo Burban, BCApSc, BSc.
Jo is a Clinical Nutritionist based in Taupo. With a strong academic foundation Jo specializes in evidence based nutrition and helps busy professionals build practical, sustainable nutrition habits that support energy, focus and long term health.
Jo gives workshop style seminars and also consults individually with clients. She helps create tailored nutrition protocols that align with blood test results and/or medical conditions, hormonal changes, family commitments, budget, stage of life and age, and lifestyle.
Jo cuts through diet myths and fads, delivering simple and easy to implement strategies that support long term health and wellness.
Her philosophy is simple: Fuel intelligently for life, and be your best self, physically and mentally.