I know you want to have it all… and you can! Just not all at once!
Your drive and dedication are the reasons you’ve gotten to where you are today. I have bad news, though. Continued hustle won’t take you to the next level online. We all know people can smell desperation from a mile away. They can smell burnout, too. Unlike in the corporate world, the only badge of honor you’ll receive is constant overwhelm and fewer clients.
Here’s the good news. From your years of experience, you already have all of the knowledge needed to grow your online business. With just a few small tweaks, you can build a flourishing brand without feeling anxious, and dare I say it, you may even have a little bit of fun!
Here are my top 5 tips to prevent burnout:
1.) Seek mentorship – right away
Overwhelm comes from a lack of clarity. There are people who have already been there and done that. You needed mentors in your corporate life and starting your business is no different. Lean on others’ expertise like you have for years to give you the exact blueprint and success strategy. It’s that simple.
2.) Keep the main thing the main thing
Prioritize quarterly. At work, you likely have 2-3 key initiatives that you’re focused on each quarter. Do the exact same thing in your side hustle by putting blinders and saying ‘no,’ to everything else. The women I work with are always multi-passionate, full of ideas, and cannot sit still.
These are wonderful qualities, but throwing everything, including the kitchen sink, at a problem will only yield results in the short term, and is not sustainable or scalable. Master the one or two activities that yield the results you want with the least amount of time and energy, and focus on those key activities for a quarter. Next quarter, pick 1 or 2 new tasks.
3.) Know which time of day that you’re most productive
Are you someone who is full of energy first thing in the morning but can barely cook dinner by the time you get home from work? Note this and schedule in your business-building tasks around the time of day where you are most energized. These should be new tasks and require a little more brainpower, at first. Until they become second nature, like checking email, you’ll want to attack them when you’re vibing high!
4.) Schedule in fun!
There’s probably nothing more type A than adding, “fun,” to a block of time on your calendar, but it is necessary. All work and no play will leave you drained and less productive in the long-term. Do yourself a favor from the very beginning and schedule in phone-free Saturdays and sip tea, or kombucha with your grandma on Sundays. You’ll thank yourself.
5.) Outsource everything before you’re ready
You don’t have the time to mess around with items that you hate and drain your energy. Outsource your groceries, technical bits, and other things that will make your head spin. This is not a weakness, this is you being a busy corporate powerhouse who believes in prioritization and delegation.
There you have it. Take these 5 pro-tips and conquer the world… or at least your niche! Head over to my Facebook page and let me know if these tips helped!
Cara Barone – Business Coach & Strategist