Franchise owners put a lot into their business — time, resources, and energy. At the end of the day, they are accountable for every decision and every employee. And that can be a heavy responsibility to shoulder. Owners might also be heavily involved in the day-to-day operations of their business, training new clients and managing expenses.
Ultimately, the responsibilities of owning a small business can lead to burnout. Burnout is when your stress level hits a critical high and your energy and mental health hit a critical low. It can be triggered by working too hard, multitasking too much, or not sleeping enough. For business owners, it is usually a combination of task overload, work-related stress, and lack of self-care.
But this feeling isn't unique to small business owners; it can happen to anyone when they become exhausted by stress. Luckily, there are ways to proactively prevent burnout so that you can continue to lead your company and find success.
Symptoms of Burnout
Burnout can manifest itself in many different ways. Here are some of the most common signs of burnout.
- Mental, physical, or emotional exhaustion
- Alienation from work or self-isolation
- Reduced efficiency
- Anxiety and paranoia
- Inattentiveness and forgetfulness
- Headaches and frequent illness
- Apathy and/or emotional outbursts
- Days blurring together
- Fatalistic thoughts
- Withdrawing from any responsibility at work or home
- Coping with food or substances
- Desire to skip work or leave early
- Uncharacteristic depression
If you experience multiple symptoms, then it's likely that you are burned out or close to it. This is especially true if the symptoms started in correlation with a work-related event.
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Tips to Avoid Burnout
If you are experiencing some symptoms of burnout — or even if you feel great right now — there are steps you can take to reduce the risk of burnout. Even if you are experiencing burnout itself, these tips can help you relieve some of the exhaustion you're feeling.
Delegate to Avoid Work Overload
Delegation means passing on responsibilities to others who you can trust to complete tasks. You need to be able to relax, knowing the tasks will be completed. If you're looking over shoulders and re-doing work after its finished, try again at your delegation strategy.
Here are some basic pointers when it comes to delegation:
- Hire trustworthy and capable people: For starters, hire people you can trust to get the job done. Choose your managers and team leaders wisely and get to know new people, so you can learn to trust in their work. The more you trust your team, the more you can relax when they're on the job.
- Delegate tasks to managers and team leaders: Give tasks that don't need to be on your plate to your managers. Then, trust them to complete those tasks. Assign them to supervise teams, handle inventory, take care of invoices, and other essential tasks that franchise owners often take onto themselves. Determine what your personal task-list should be and let your team take care of the rest.
- Outsource when necessary: If your team needs a department or specialist you don't have on-staff, outsource! Often, outsourcing can be more efficient for a small business than hiring specialty team members or creating a new department. Outsourcing gets you all the small business support you need, often at less hassle and a lower price. And if an essential team member gives notice before you can hire their replacement, temporary outsourcing can often cover the gap.
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Manage Your Time and Tasks
Business owners tend to put in long working hours and still feel like they didn't get everything done. These long hours can really take a toll on work-life balance and lead to burnout. But organizing your schedule, setting time boundaries, and prioritizing your workload can help.
- Get organized and stay organized: Make is list of everything you need to get done and figure out the time you have to work on it. (Delegate what can!) Schedule time for yourself to work on your to-do list, and stick to it!
- Embrace time-management methods: Time management can help you make the most of your work hours. Try tackling the most difficult tasks first. You can also try setting "do not disturb" hours on your calendar so your staff know not to bother you.
- Take breaks: There's a reason why employees are required to have breaks every day. Breaks help you avoid stress, burnout, and self-neglect. So treat yourself and your mental health with the same respect as you give your employees by taking your breaks.
Take Care of Yourself
Finally, take some time for self-care. Many entrepreneurs stop focusing on their own needs as they work hard in their business. But if your physical health fails, your energy and mood will plummet, which makes burnout much more likely. Treat yourself right and you'll have more energy and enthusiasm to take on your business owner responsibilities each day.
- Get enough quality sleep: Most adults need around 8 hours of sleep a night. Chances are, if you feel at risk of burnout, you are either getting not enough sleep or you are sleeping poorly. Long-term sleep deprivation can have negative health effects — not just lead to burnout. Try to get the appropriate amount of sleep, and make sure that sleep is quality.
- Eat well and stay hydrated: Eat foods that energize you without making you feel weighed-down or sleepy after. For example, start your day with whole grains and protein. Eat something balanced for lunch. Give your body the nutrients you need to keep going without the added challenge of processing heavy foods.
- Exercise regularly: Do something physical each day.Go for a brisk walk. Dance around in your living room. Do pushups in your office. Just get your heart rate up with some movement to achieve more energy and better focus.
- Do something you love: You deserve to treat yourself to something that you love. Take a day off — or even a week — to decompress. Go to the beach, hit the golf course, or just watch movies at home. Doing things you enjoy can help reduce job burnout and keep you from feeling overwhelmed.
Don't let burnout bring down the rising star of your franchise. You owe it to yourself, your clients, your team, and your family members to be happy and satisfied. Learn how to delegate, manage your time, and fit in some self-care.
For more valuable insights for franchise owners and teams, or to explore starting your own franchise, contact us today!
