Entrepreneurs are driven to succeed, yet this focus often leads to stress. How can coaching help, asks Bethany Ainsley

 

Entrepreneurship offers an exciting path, but it also presents numerous hurdles. Among these challenges, burnout stands out as a significant threat – a state of complete physical, mental and emotional exhaustion.

This article delves into the crucial role coaching can play in supporting entrepreneurs to evade burnout and foster overall wellbeing. Entrepreneurs often invest extensive hours in pursuing their dreams, surpassing what they would typically dedicate as employees. The demanding nature of entrepreneurship, characterised by long working hours and constant pressure for tangible results, can strain even the most resilient business owners.

Achieving balance is paramount for busy, driven entrepreneurs seeking success in all aspects of life. However, finding this equilibrium proves to be one of their greatest challenges. Modern society has normalised a busy and fast-paced lifestyle, causing many individuals to work at an unsustainable pace. In the process, they may prioritise helping others over self-care, exhaust themselves from over-exertion, or fall into the trap of attempting to tackle all fronts simultaneously. These circumstances serve as triggers that propel entrepreneurs down the path towards burnout.

 

Understanding burnout

Being an entrepreneur involves managing numerous responsibilities, navigating uncertainty and enduring immense pressure. These factors can contribute to burnout, which can manifest as ongoing fatigue, a negative outlook and a diminished sense of achievement. Understanding the unique challenges faced by entrepreneurs enables us to address and prevent burnout more effectively. As a corporate wellbeing specialist and coach, many entrepreneurs approach me feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or burnt out. Others seek a better approach to doing business, one that yields remarkable results without compromising their health, wellbeing, and personal lives.

Unfortunately, many business owners hesitate to take time away from work to recharge due to the fear that their businesses will suffer in their absence.

It’s crucial to remember – and to remind clients – that fatigue can impair decision-making, lower mood, trigger irritability, and lead to illness, ultimately impacting both work and personal life.
Burnout can have detrimental effects on health, career, and relationships. In the 1970s, Herbert Freudenberger described burnout as an extreme stress condition resulting in profound physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion. It leaves individuals feeling depleted, joyless, and unable to cope with their usual daily challenges. Tasks that were once easily managed can now seem insurmountable or unattainable. Burnout often brings feelings of fatigue, pessimism, isolation, and hopelessness. If left unaddressed, burnout can lead to severe physical and psychological conditions such as depression, anxiety, heart disease, and diabetes. Hence, it’s essential to recognise the early signs of burnout before it escalates into serious consequences. Although burnout and stress share similar symptoms, burnout is a chronic state resulting from poorly managed and persistent stress. Unlike stress, burnout doesn’t come and go; it often necessitates professional intervention.

The role of coaching
Coaching can offer entrepreneurs invaluable guidance and support in navigating their entrepreneurial journey with success. It enables entrepreneurs to cultivate self-awareness, attain clarity regarding their goals and values, and foster a harmonious work-life balance. As coaches, we can empower entrepreneurs to effectively handle stress, improve their decision-making ability, and nurture a positive mindset.

Exploring the following five key areas can significantly assist entrepreneurs in preventing burnout:

Stress management

Fatal flaw
Missing the early signs of burnout, and failing to take action once the signs have been spotted

Make it work
A skilled coach can assist entrepreneurs in navigating stressors with greater ease and identifying early signs of stress.

By empowering entrepreneurs to take proactive measures in managing stress, coaches help prevent it from escalating into burnout. Coaching can build entrepreneurs’ ability to cope with overwhelming situations and emotional pressures, helping them find healthy and sustainable ways to handle stress.

Daily routines
Encourage the entrepreneur to incorporate stress management techniques like mindfulness, meditation, and deep breathing exercises into their daily routine to help them foster a sense of calm and balance amidst the demanding nature of entrepreneurship.

 

Goal setting and prioritisation
Coaching can help entrepreneurs establish realistic and purposeful goals with clear prioritisation.

Fatal flaw
Failing to identify purpose and to prioritise what’s important

Make it work
Support entrepreneurs to break down their goals into manageable tasks and to develop strategies for efficient time management. By leveraging these techniques and directing their attention towards essential tasks, entrepreneurs can effectively mitigate the risk of burnout, ensuring a healthier and more sustainable approach to their entrepreneurial endeavours.

 

Self-care and work-life balance
Coaching for entrepreneurs should place a strong emphasis on the importance of self-care as a means to prevent burnout.

Fatal flaw
Focusing on looking after others at the expense of oneself

Make it work
In addition to helping entrepreneurs prioritise their wellbeing by integrating self-care practices into their daily routines, support entrepreneurs to achieve better
work-life balance, for example through setting boundaries and fostering a harmonious balance between their personal and professional lives.

 

A support network
A strong support system holds tremendous importance and provides invaluable benefits for entrepreneur.

Fatal flaw
Trying to do it all alone

Make it work
Play a pivotal role in helping entrepreneurs identify and cultivate relationships with mentors, peers, and fellow entrepreneurs. By actively engaging in entrepreneurial communities and networks, entrepreneurs gain access to valuable insights, support and encouragement, which significantly reduces feelings of isolation and burnout.

This supportive network provides a sense of camaraderie and the opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences, fostering a more resilient and connected entrepreneurial journey.

 

Long-term strategies
Coaching for entrepreneurs needs to place a strong emphasis on cultivating sustainable entrepreneurial practices.

Fatal flaws
Missing learning and reflection opportunities, and thinking short-term only

Make it work
Encourage entrepreneurs to embrace continuous learning, foster personal growth and adapt to the ever-changing business landscape. Underscore the significance of self-reflection and regular check-ins, ensuring entrepreneurs prioritise their wellbeing and learning in the moment while pursuing long-term success.

By nurturing these essential aspects, coaching can equip entrepreneurs with the tools to thrive, evolve, and maintain a healthy balance as they navigate their entrepreneurial journey in the ever-evolving world of business.

 

Conclusion
Embarking on an entrepreneurial journey is exhilarating, but it also comes with its fair share of challenges. Striking a balance becomes a considerable challenge for ambitious entrepreneurs as societal norms push for unsustainable work patterns, often prioritising the needs of others over self-care and attempting to handle multiple responsibilities simultaneously.

These circumstances serve as triggers, propelling entrepreneurs towards the brink of burnout. Coaching for entrepreneurs needs to place a strong emphasis on nurturing self-care, fostering work-life balance, and implementing effective stress management techniques, setting realistic goals, establishing priorities, managing time efficiently, and cultivating a supportive network.

 

Case study
Laura, a renowned company CEO, was known for her tireless dedication and commitment to success. However, her drive began to exact a toll on her mental and physical health. Long work hours, sleep deprivation, and self-imposed pressure left her exhausted, irritable, and unable to focus on her responsibilities.

Realising the severity of her burnout, Laura decided to take control of her wellbeing. Through professional support, she was able to identify the root causes, including negative self-talk and perfectionism. Laura pursued strategies like exercise, meditation, and personal time to prioritise her mental and physical health, gradually regaining energy and resilience. Recognising the importance of support, she also reached out to trusted colleagues, discovering shared experiences and forming a network that provided encouragement and tips for work-life balance.

Laura established clear boundaries by delegating tasks, lightening her workload, fostering collaboration and shared accountability. Through managing stress and negative self-talk, Laura regained her passion, achieving a healthier work-life balance. Her transformation positively impacted her happiness and leadership, emphasising the significance of prioritising wellbeing for long-term success.

 

About the author

  • Bethany Ainsley is a corporate wellbeing specialist, coach and entrepreneur. She is CEO of OptiMe and author of Don’t Burn Out, Stand Out. For over a decade, Bethany and her team have provided award-winning services that have helped thousands improve their health and wellbeing. Their efforts were recognised in 2015 with The David Goldman Prize for Innovation for work in behaviour change. Recently Ainsley was presented with a Director of the Year Award from the Institute of Directors This month (September) she’s launching a new coaching programme, Success without Sacrifice: https://bethanyainsley.com/coaching/