The first step to cope with stress and burnout is to identify the sources of stress in your outside sales role. These could be internal or external factors, such as unrealistic quotas, lack of support, difficult customers, long hours, travel, or personal issues. Once you know what causes you stress, you can prioritize your tasks, set boundaries, communicate your needs, and seek help when necessary.
Your calendar and routine will play a huge role in your success. Blocking time for contacts and communicating that time with your team should create a healthy understanding and with boundaries. If you are tasked with growing sales, but the times you block off is not respected, that is a red flag. At the end of the day, we are working with people who are also trying to get through their day. If the solution we are offering is quality, and we target the right people, there will at least be a willingness to hear us out if we communicate things the right way.
I am currently applying these boundaries, and I've been experiencing positive effects on my mental health, physical health, financial health , etc.
The second step to cope with stress and burnout is to develop healthy habits that support your physical and mental health. This includes eating well, sleeping enough, exercising regularly, drinking water, and avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine. These habits can help you boost your energy, mood, immunity, and resilience. You can also practice relaxation techniques, such as breathing exercises, meditation, yoga, or massage, to reduce tension and anxiety.
Talk to your company about benefits, some cover therapeutic massage, mental health therapy as well as medication that may help with added stressors. This helps with the financial stress of trying to deal with burn out.
I committed to going to the gym seven days a week instead of my initial four days a week. Some people may say it's excessive but it feels great. I adjust based on how my body is feeling and I never feel bad after I am done.
I just published a podcast on how vital your routine is to your success. Knowing when you are at your best, the right time to call or visit your target customer and being mindful of your mental state all play a role in your success. There are days that you can contact people from sun up to sundown and feel great while there are days that you might need a little more motivation. I have a colleague, who works with another company, and we debrief about our sales efforts all the time. Having an accountability partner, especially if you are not getting that internally can go a long way.
The third step to cope with stress and burnout is to balance your work and life. This means finding time for yourself, your family, your friends, and your hobbies. You can do this by scheduling breaks, setting limits, delegating tasks, and saying no when appropriate. You can also use technology to your advantage, such as using apps, calendars, reminders, and automation tools, to organize your work and streamline your processes. By balancing your work and life, you can prevent overwork, improve your relationships, and enjoy your life more.
I've recently made the decision to enact this. I feel horrible when I burnout because I am not being effective or operating at my peak.
The idea of perfect balance between work and life is interesting. When I start supporting someone new, I give them the same speech “it is my job to support you personally and professionally, but how much personal is up to you. I know your work life will impact your home life and vice versa. I don’t want to do anything at work that causes you stress at home and the hope is to minimize stress you bring from home to work. My door is open, always feel free to let me know how I can help.†I have definitely sent out emails and made phone calls on the weekend, but also have the flexibility during the week to get my head right if needed. It’s up to you to figure out what makes sense. Some weeks you’ll lean more into personal vs professional.
The fourth step to cope with stress and burnout is to learn from feedback and failures. As an outside sales professional, you will face rejection, criticism, and competition on a regular basis. Instead of taking these personally or negatively, you can use them as opportunities to grow, improve, and adapt. You can also seek constructive feedback from your manager, peers, mentors, or coaches, and use it to enhance your skills, knowledge, and strategies.
One of my friends gave me the best lessons when it comes to feedback and criticism and it was like a lightbulb went off. "You don't have to take offense, you can just leave it there."
The fifth step to cope with stress and burnout is to celebrate your achievements and rewards. As an outside sales professional, you will also experience success, recognition, and satisfaction on a regular basis. Instead of ignoring or minimizing these, you can acknowledge and appreciate them. You can also reward yourself for your hard work, such as by taking a vacation, buying something nice, or treating yourself to a meal. By celebrating your achievements and rewards, you can boost your confidence, motivation, and happiness.
This might be more specific for sales leader ship, but I had a reputation at my last job for handing out thousands of dollars in gift cards and throwing more confetti that might be healthy. There are small wins all around us and in celebrating those wins, you build others up and encourage the correct behaviors. If you are leading sales professionals, ask yourself what you have done to, and sent to find them behind the paycheck. If you are a sales, professional, treat yourself! Early in my career before children, whenever I had a great quarter my wife and I would take a day trip or enjoy a nice dinner. This is a nice way to balance out the notion that you might have to invest more into your work life when it comes to sales.
The sixth and final step to cope with stress and burnout is to seek professional help if needed. Sometimes, stress and burnout can become overwhelming, chronic, or severe, and affect your health, performance, or well-being. In these cases, you may need to consult a doctor, therapist, counselor, or coach, who can provide you with diagnosis, treatment, support, or guidance. You should not be ashamed or afraid to seek professional help if you need it, as it can help you recover, heal, and thrive.
Don’t minimize stress you feel. Don’t feel less than if you need help. I still see a stigma when it comes to mental health and sales professionals. The goal is to find a leader who is empathetic and understanding the pressure and strain that your role can bring. While you can’t always control, who you work for, you can see, come from a professional, if you feel overwhelmed. You likely have someone in your professional network who does what you do. Reach out and share how you are doing, you’ll likely find they have or are experiencing something similar. Sales can be rewarding, but they can also be tough.
When you live a life that exists beyond work, you become better at the work you do. That helps handle stress & anxiety. Selling is one of the key life skills. Also, one that touches many lives. It’s a privilege to be part of this profession. Make no mistake, exponential sales/ growth requires uncomfortable change. This change demands courage. This change brings stress. What helps? Self-awareness is a superpower. If you are not clear about what you really want, you will only be chasing ghosts. Take help of friends, peers & mentors. In time. What I’ve also seen to be of help - good sleep, getting up early, balanced diet plus a fitness routine is a great gift you give yourself.
Overthinking: this can happen if you drive hours from client to client. Hence so many outside sales people burn out or suffer depression. The brain can be a dangerous place to be! My method to combat this is communicate with colleagues in the same role, support each other, talk through sales pitches and closed deals. Learn from each other. Not only is this halting overthinking, but improving your sales techniques. The car phone is a great way to chat through the isolated hours of a long drive, covering every subject you wish, with a team member who is in the same situation. Help can be close at hand if you let it.