Overcoming Burnout: Automate, Prioritize, and Lead with Purpose
I want to share a little bit about my journey from being a one-woman C-suite at Social Intelligence to where I am today, coaching small business owners on how to free themselves from burnout and overwhelm. After successfully leading and selling my company in 2023, I now spend my time helping others unlock their executive leadership potential through automation and prioritization.
One thing I hear from a lot of business owners is, “How can I keep my passion alive when I’m feeling burnt out?” If you’ve been running a company for a few years, you’ve probably felt this way. You start with enthusiasm, but after a while, the daily grind of managing employees, clients, and operational tasks wears on you.
Believe me, I’ve been there. While building Social Intelligence, I balanced the emotional toll of being the boss with personal challenges like raising two kids and losing a parent. It’s easy to feel like there’s always more to do, and that it’s never enough. Whether you're running a small business or a huge company, this pressure never really goes away. So how do you deal with it?
Step One: Get Help—A Therapist or Coach (or Both)
First, let me say this: get help. Whether it’s a therapist or an executive coach, or preferably both, you need someone to unload the mental and emotional burdens that come with running a business. Therapy can help you work through personal stressors, and an executive coach can help you navigate the challenges unique to entrepreneurship. One of the biggest game-changers for me was working with a coach who understood the emotional toll of being responsible for the success of a company.
Your coach will also help you do something crucial: identify what’s a priority and what isn’t. This is where relentless prioritization comes in.
Step Two: Relentless Prioritization—For Yourself and Your Business
The main reason we feel overwhelmed and procrastinate on important tasks is usually one of two things: they either aren’t truly important, or we hate doing them. It’s essential to figure out what really matters and to stop spending your time on tasks that can be delegated or eliminated.
One of the most effective exercises I use with clients is creating a business roadmap. Start by making a comprehensive list of everything your company is doing and everything you wish you could do. You’ll work with your team (or on your own if you’re a solopreneur) to categorize these tasks into three simple categories: high, medium, and low priority.
Here’s the key: don’t just think about what you want to do—consider what’s driving revenue and growth right now. Once you've sorted everything, you’ll also look at whether you have the resources to complete those high-priority tasks. This helps you create a realistic timeline for execution. You can’t do everything at once, but you can start prioritizing the most impactful tasks.
Step Three: Build a Sustainable Growth Strategy
After you prioritize, the next step is building a sustainable strategy. Sometimes, when you’re in the weeds, you can’t see the big picture. This is why you need help—whether that’s from your team, a coach, or a facilitator. You’re creating a roadmap, not just for your business, but for yourself.
Relentless prioritization doesn’t just apply to business. It’s about how you manage your time as a leader. If you’re burned out, it’s often because you’re trying to do everything yourself. You’ll never have the mental space you need for high-level decisions if you’re bogged down in operational details. Start by offloading tasks that don’t require your direct input, and focus your energy on what only you can do.
Keep Going—Even When It’s Hard
There’s no magic solution to burnout. You might take a vacation, but when you come back, the same issues will still be waiting for you. The only way to truly move past burnout is to create systems that prevent it from happening in the first place. That means relentlessly prioritizing both your business projects and your personal time.
You might be in a tough patch right now, but remember: this is an opportunity to level up. Your business has the potential to thrive, but only if you take control of your time and energy. Don’t give up. With the right systems and support in place, you can reignite your passion and grow your company in a sustainable way.
Thanks for joining me in this week’s session of Inbox Zero. Let’s work together to unclog those business decisions that are clogging up your mental bandwidth.
I’ll see you next week!
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