Episode 176: Avoiding Burnout as a Creative Entrepreneur

The last year took a mental, emotional, and physical toll on us all. The things you experienced in your life and business are validated and real. It’s likely that you’ve experienced, are experiencing, or are even approaching burnout as an entrepreneur. I want to share a few principles you should consider to avoid that burnout as a creative. A Few Simple Steps to Avoiding Burnout Start Every Day with Intention What’s the first thing you’re doing in the morning? Are you opening your life to everyone else’s energy and thoughts and what they need from you? Stop opening email or texts first thing in the morning. Help yourself start a morning ritual that is easy for you, but also removes any distractions from your life. You can find another way to start your day by creating a simple morning routine. Your morning routine is yours. No on knows you like you know you—so customize it to you. It could include things like meditation, journaling pages, hydration, etc. Simply set aside time for things you enjoy that get your day started the way you prefer. Identify Your Daily Priorities Every day, I approach my day by identifying my top 3 priorities. When you determine what is most important to accomplish in your business, you’ll know where you need to focus your energy. “Where Your Energy Goes is Where Your Mind Goes” Stop Focusing on Problems and Focus on Solutions If you’re in a busy season and you don’t know how you’ll get it done, take a moment to just focus on a solution to completing the tasks. Stop asking the questions that aren’t create a solution. Rather than asking, “How do I generate X clients?,” ask instead, “What do I need to do to generate X clients?” Keeping your questions action based helps your mind create a solution versus focusing on the todo list and getting overwhelmed. Be Kind to Yourself Mindset The way you think about things carries a lot of weight that you may not realize. For example, if you are in a season of overwork and overwhelm, telling yourself how hard it is, you will believe that is true all the time. In any situation where you become overwhelmed, ask yourself:How do I want to show up?Who do I want to be?How do I want to feel about myself in this? Cut out any belief that is negative in your mindset. When you’re in a season of burnout and believing things are tough, it’s challenging to feel that this narrative will ever change. When you begin to shift your mindset, your perspective will shift, along with your outlook on the current and future state of your business. No Is A Complete Sentence You do not have to say yes to every opportunity that comes your way. Be thoughtful in what you’re saying yes to, because you may be missing out on the projects you really want to take. You’re in this business for you—so make sure you’re serving yourself well. RESOURCES MENTIONED Bisforbonniedesign.com/training FOLLOW ALONG Brand Strategy Podcast