Most of you may think being an Entrepreneur is all about the hustle, and you are right to an extent. However, sometimes you need to take a step back not just for your startup, but for yourself. You see, this startup will be a success only if one’s mindset is somewhat working towards peace. In a way, you are projecting onto the startup itself. What you feel or do, will reflect in the startup. I can tell you ways to manage your time and how to work effectively and efficiently, but that is far away from the main focus of the topic in question. This is the guide to being a less burnt out entrepreneur.
1. Be clear and consistent
As an up and coming entrepreneur, you may feel this constant rush of adrenaline through your body. You’re excited for the change you’ll make, and most importantly you are doing everything you can to achieve greatness. You may also feel the need to please people along your journey. And that is where you should draw boundaries. As an entrepreneur, your job isn’t comforting those around you, maybe it is if that were your startup concept. However, in order to not waste your time in going back and forth with something that is not majorly impactful, every entrepreneur should be up front with their needs. Be clear and consistent. The reason why you should be clear and consistent isn’t just for the sake of saving time and energy, but you’ll eventually develop a strong character. Those who work with you or for you will know that you are ”that person who knows exactly what he/she wants and needs”. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with being that person.
2. Take a break
One of the most challenging things about this whole process is not knowing when to stop everything and breathe. The hustle and bustle of entrepreneurship as a whole is quite stressful and time consuming. Yet, many people still struggle with taking time off and away from it all. I’m not telling you to take breaks every two minutes, but taking weekly or monthly breaks helps. You are the decider of how long you think breaks should be whether that’s a few minutes, hours, days, or weeks. Depending on your startups needs, you need to schedule your time “off” accordingly. In other cases, some people take time off spontaneously depending on their need to cool off, regenerate, think peacefully, etc. This break will be used to relax, brainstorm, spend time with loved ones, spend time with yourself, and spend time living in general. The reason why I say this is because you’ll find an impact on yourself after each kind of break spent. An entrepreneur has a right to say enough when they’ve had enough. Mental health is extremely important for anyone running that extra mile for their startup.
3. Schedule nap times
You might be wondering why on Earth an entrepreneur would schedule nap times. It’s odd, I know. We all used to take naps as kids, but is that okay for nowadays? Healthwise, naps are beneficial for brain activity. When you start feeling overworked in the beginning of the day, schedule a nap in the middle of the day to just unplug from your hectic lifestyle. These naps could range from 20-50 minutes, just enough to refresh your mind. Also, by having 20-50 minute naps, you are not going into a full cycle of sleep, therefore you will not feel cranky or tired waking up.
Remember that this isn’t only your startup’s journey, but your own as well. Piece by piece you’ll finish the puzzle of truly understanding what kind of entrepreneur you are.