Is burnout all about over-working?

Think about burnout, and you’ll think about someone burning the candle at both ends, working flat-out, cramming in a huge amount of activities, and having little to no downtime.

And you’d be right – it’s precisely what you’d observe. And when someone is operating at that relentless pace, the energy reserves diminish fast, leaving them exhausted and far less than their best. That’s a big problem when business requires your consistent attention, drive and energy.

Having experienced burnout myself, supported hundreds of clients to prevent or recover from burnout, and received insights in response to my Amazon bestselling book “Have It All Without Burning Out”, I can say with certainty that overworking is a symptom rather than the root cause. Something which might come as a surprise.

What really causes burnout?

Every founder and business is unique, and so, the factors also vary. Saying that, there are some common reasons that come up repeatedly. Here’s what I’ve learned and what helps.

6 founder traits posing a burnout risk

These are all human traits – they can affect anyone – some will experience and others won’t. But the presence of them in the pressure of a startup setting can quickly lead to the perfect conditions for burnout.

Know yourself, manage these well, and get the people around you that can help.

1. Identity wholly tied to the business

It’s yours, so it all feels hugely personal, and that means you feel every bump as well as every success. And that means your mental health is on the rollercoaster with startup life.

Keeping the connection to your business whilst maintaining an independent identity is key.

2. Self-confidence tied to business performance

If your self-belief is enmeshed with the balance sheet, product launches, and customer feedback, you’re in for a challenging ride.

Self-belief even in the face of adversity is fundamental to staying well and maintaining perspective.

3. Absence of the right support structure

Starting a business can be a lonely place leaving you feeling isolated, pushing yourself, and burning the midnight oil trying to figure it all out.

Getting your people around you for emotional, professional and business guidance is crucial for keeping you well.

4. “When, then” de-prioritisation strategies

When I’ve hit this number, then I’ll take a break. Spoiler alert: there’s always a new thing to do and the break never happens. Without downtime, you will not be at your best; both you and the business suffer.

Structure your days and weeks in whatever you can to allow for some off time, fun time, whatever helps you feel great.

5. Tendency for perfectionism and people pleasing

If these are present, they need keeping in check, or you’ll undoubtedly be working all hours serving needs and standards that aren’t required.

Know your priorities, know what needs to be 100% and what can be ‘good enough’ and stick to your guns.

6. Non-existent boundaries

When all that exists is work, everything else gets sacrificed. And whilst that might be OK as a short term strategy; anything longer puts you on the path to burnout and mental health suffering.

Know your boundaries and be ruthless about prioritising them.

Top tip: The above might not be easy to address, but picking the one that resonates and addressing that means you’re already in a better position.

Getting to the core – it’s important to get to the core of what’s really driving the behaviours that end up taking you down the path to burnout. Ask the tough questions, work through the responses, and take the action you need to stay well in a pressured environment.

Your business needs you at your best.

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