Afraid to start my 3rd business after a burnout - how not to overdo it next time??

[neens]

I read The Millionaire Fastlane while on holiday last year and loved it - I was especially inspired by the idea of a starting a scaleable business which has true potential for great earnings. I started my first business 7 years ago and the sold it to start a new venture in fashion retail (a childhood dream). I then sold that business due to ill health - I was over enthusiastic, took WAY too much on my plate and ended up with an extremely severe burnout. It took 3 months of therapy and taking it easy for 18 months until I've now reached the stage where I'm getting enthusiastic about a new niche fashion idea. By the way I've been freelancing as an internet marketer during that time, which pays well but frustrates me because I'm growing other people's businesses and not my own.

Does anyone have advice on how to cope with being an over enthusiastic, invincible, workaholic entrepreneur? I used to work all hours and didn't notice I was putting such pressure on my health because, well, being an entrepreneur is such a buzz. I became over obsessive, single-minded and razor focused on my business. And I forgot about me. I guess this sounds familiar to a lot of you, but how do you stop short of making yourself really ill?

 

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[Option]

Things that might help:
- Start the day with walking try to bring all your attention to you walking, and your surroundings
- Before you go to sleep read fiction to calm your mind
- Have a day off work and don't allow yourself to think about work (creative ideas get written down and move on)
- Sports, good foods, a hobby that stops the thinking and forces you in the body (I picked up watchmaking some time ago and I do sports everyday except my day off, this for me works as a 'meditation')
- Having everything written off your mind, have you financials worked out, have set times to worry about them.
- Have enough sleep, pref. even take a 20 min. nap after lunch.

Overwork is addictive. Your body gets addicted to the constant strain of cortisol and adrenaline. If you keep pushing your mind and body you will start to have problems to wind down.

Read "The Power of Full Engagement" by Jim Loehr about managing energy instead of time as a key to high performance. Holds a treasure of great information.

Hope this is of any value to you, goodluck with your endeavors!

 

[PHowey]

This is a tough one. As entrepreneurs, we are expected to give our ventures our all but not kill ourselves in the process. Generally, by the time we realize we are hurting ourselves, it is usually too late. At one point, I was splitting my time between 3 different venture, all of which were successful. As each venture continued to gain traction, the time needed from me continued to increase.

It actually got to a point where I became physically ill. I remember one night feeling as if I had the flu, so I went and laid down. 13 hours later I woke up. I never sleep more than 4-6 hours a day. My body literally "crashed".

That was the sign for me that something needed to change. While my ventures were important and the success I was seeing was almost intoxicating, I didn't want to have a heart attack at 30 years old.

So I have a rule that I try to follow as much as possible. I Don't work on Sundays and I don't work after 11pm during my work week. By making this one change to my work schedule, I immediately saw a difference in how I felt and I was spending more time with my family.

To be perfectly honest, the slight decrease in my work schedule made nearly no difference in the progress of my ventures.

Today, I am one of the owners of a successful, scaleable company (talkroute) and I continue to follow my "rule".

Best of luck to you!

 

[neens]

PHowey that's good advice - I do not allow myself to work evenings/weekends at all anymore unless it's absolutely urgent. I received counselling after my burnout and was advised to introduce some personal boundaries, because I didn't have any at all!

Option, thanks for your advice. I have ordered the book "The Power of Full Engagement" by Jim Loehr and will definitely follow some of your suggestions.

 

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[mentalic]

biteme you sound too emotional on what you are doing. However my personal suggestions:
- Pay attention to your health. What you eat and what you do (sports).
- Find a rythm that works for you. For example for me it is normal to work 12-14 hours one day as long as you rest a little bit more the next day
- Have a friend or relative pay attention to you

 

[throttleforward]

I'd also do an honest self assessment on how much you could/should have delegated, outsourced, or automated, and as you build your next business constantly think about how to move from where you are at that moment to a solution that doesn't require your direct attention/time in order to operate. Not only will you have more of a personal life, but you'll be able to step away from the tactical day-to-day and devote some time to strategic planning and thinking, which at the end of the day is probably what's going to get you ahead.

 

[charmine]

I am an entrepreneur. I will list down the task I need to do each day. Once I completed the task I will do some reading. We have to balance our lives. It is what I learn when I backpacked to India. Balance our mind so we have energy to keep moving forward.

List down the task you want to do each day and put in schedule. It is pointless you be richer outside but health is deteriorating. If you have a healthy life you will have everything.

Also, outsource your weakness to others. So, your task will be reduced.

 

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