5 Re-frames to Prevent Burnout as an Ambitious Entrepreneur.

Being your own boss, setting your own hours, and living a freedom-focused lifestyle was "the dream" for quite some time. But just because you're an entrepreneur now, doesn't mean you're immune to burnout. It's real, it's dangerous, and it will come for you if you're not careful.

With that, let's explore some helpful strategies to prevent burnout as a first-time entrepreneur.

Reframe what it means to say "yes"

When you're new to entrepreneurship, money is a common worry. The tendency to take on every single project that comes along, for fear of money running out, is strong. We've all been there. Every project looks tempting, and your bank account is calling out for funds. What are you supposed to do?

Here's the thing:

1. Overloading yourself with work isn't just a one-way road to burnout; it's also putting your reputation and future at risk. Missed deadlines, sickness, fatigue-driven mistakes... You may never get hired again if you aren't seen as reliable.
2. Not all projects are a good fit for your brand. Work that isn't aligned with your natural abilities, strengths, and interests requires 10x more time and energy. Not only is this extra effort unpaid, you have to delay starting new projects while you recover, making the payoff even less worthwhile.

As you can see, burnout doesn't just come from doing too much—it comes from doing things that drain you, without enough recovery time. And when you over-work, you aren't just making short-term sacrifices to your health to get paid a little quicker; you're also sabotaging your future self and earnings.

Think very carefully about what you say "yes" to. Know that every "yes" is a "no" to something else (that you could enjoy and profit from 10x more, while thriving instead of drowning in deadlines). Cultivate an abundance mindset. Document what drains you, what energizes you, what you love, and what's most profitable. Always consider the bigger picture before committing to things, and don't rush into any big decisions without having a chance to properly think them through first.

Be realistic about your time/money exchange

A common reason why first-time entrepreneurs experience burnout is because they aren't charging appropriately for their services. They're scared that no-one will accept their quote/proposal, so either quote far too high (knowing they'll get rejected, which provides short-term relief and long-term anger and frustration) or far too low (meaning they have to work 10x more to earn the same money as their self-assured peers).

Here's a re-frame:

1. There are only 24 hours in a day, most of which are spent doing non-work tasks like eating, sleeping, running errands, and household chores. When you boil down your actual working hours, they are few and far between. So you absolutely must be compensated well for them. In other words, time is money.
2. Most entrepreneurs haven't actually defined how much they need to earn on a consistent basis in order to keep their business afloat and themselves out of debt. The result? Perpetuation of the lack mentality we discussed earlier. Set a financial target each month and work backwards from that, based on how many productive hours you have each day, to determine project quotes.

Whenever you are exchanging time for money, or money for time, pay close attention to how you're feeling, how you instinctively react or respond to opportunities/items, and what the little voice in your head says about pricing. When in doubt, defer to pre-defined financial targets and budgets so that you can remain objective when handling these types of situations.

If you have any resistance surrounding getting paid to be you, get some coaching/support pronto because it's going to hold you back and lead to burnout if left unaddressed. If this statement gets you riled up or makes you feel uncomfortable, you'd benefit from business/money mindset coaching: "being more efficient at carrying out a project should make it more profitable; not less."

Have a reasonable number of boundaries

As a freelancer or solopreneur, it's so easy for your work and personal life to blend together to the point where they're completely indistinguishable from each other. While this is a great thing when your workload is aligned and manageable (because work never feels like work), it's a big problem when you're overcommitted and burning out constantly.

Here's a new perspective:

1. Not maintaining clear boundaries with clients, family, and friends makes you extremely vulnerable to burnout. Everyone has their own agenda, and being pushed and pulled in different directions is utterly exhausting. Take time to define what an ideal work-life balance looks like for you and create some rules around how you'll create and maintain that. It's well worth the effort.
2. Having too many boundaries or deal-breakers isn't a good idea either. Clients will find it too difficult, or even impossible, to work with you and you'll end up struggling to secure enough work to keep stress at bay. Pick 2-3 dealbreakers that will cause you to walk away from an opportunity if not adhered to, and keep everything else open for negotiation/discussion.

The aim of entrepreneurship is never to be working non-stop without adequate breaks, hobbies, or vacation time—it's supposed to be freeing and enhance your life; not limit and burden it. But you also have to make sure that any demands you make are reasonable so as not to burn important bridges or make life too difficult for yourself. Become a boundaries expert and you'll go far in life.

Don't attempt to do it all alone

Even if you don't want to hire anyone in your business, or it's too soon to build out a team, it's never a good idea to try and do everything alone. While friends and partners often try to be emotionally and/or financially supportive, they really have no idea what it's like to be in your shoes and there's a limit to what they can do.

Here's another re-frame:

1. You can't beat a bit of industry-specific support. Whether it's training, advice, encouragement, feedback, or collaborative opportunities, there are plenty of ways to reduce the overwhelm that can sneak up on first-time entrepreneurs. You don't have to do it all yourself, and you shouldn't because you'll burn out.
2. Launching a business without a coach is like baking a cake without a recipe. You spend ages experimenting, wasting ingredients (and energy!), only to end up with a dry, flavourless mess. A great coach or suite of coaches will give you a tried and tested recipe for success that you can tailor to suit your individual preferences, resulting in a culinary masterpiece that's both delicious (fulfilling) and beautifully textured (well-balanced). Bye bye, burnout!

A community of like-minded entrepreneurs is already out there waiting for you—some at the same stage as you who can relate to all that you're experiencing, and others who have already overcome the challenges you currently face and can share their wisdom.

Whether you choose to join an existing group who you vibe with, or create one of your own the old fashioned way (or via LinkedIn!), it's well worth investing in community to feel fully supported, excited, and inspired. Not only will it make launching and growing your business more enjoyable and seamless, it will eradicate a significant amount of fear and worry to help keep burnout at bay.

If you're lacking confidence in business, check out this expert interview clip from Prospology's YouTube channel:

Create recharging rituals that work

In day-to-day life, many first-time entrepreneurs wear burnout like a badge of honour across their chest: "Look at me—I'm so busy!" In reality, there's no honour in burnout, sickness, exhaustion, and mental breakdowns (I know only too well).

Here's a fresh perspective:

1. Breaks aren't the enemy; they're actually your secret weapon. Think of your brain like a phone battery. Constant use drains it, making it sluggish and prone to overheating. Taking short breaks allows your mind to recharge and process information more effectively. It's like hitting a "refresh" button—you come back feeling re-energized and with a newfound clarity.
2. It's possible to identify signs and symptoms early in order to pivot before things get too out of hand. While burnout can be a slippery slope, it is possible to get back up when you have proper climbing gear on and top-of-the-range ropes. Take note of early signs of burnout so you can combat them head on. For me, it's scheduling swim time from 12-2pm thrice a week—bliss.

Your body will always tell you what's wrong and what it needs. To truly avoid burnout, all you need to do is get in tune with it. Have a go-to list of things to do when you're getting stressed out or everything feels like too much to deal with. And don't be afraid to ask for help from your community/network in times of need.

Remember: there is only one you. Be kind to yourself; not just to avoid burnout but also to give your business the right conditions for it to thrive, as well as make sure you're around for long enough to enjoy the fruits of your labour! Entrepreneurship is a marathon; not a sprint. If you can't enjoy the journey, you may as well quit now.

Do you know a freedom-focused entrepreneur who'd benefit from reading this article? Give it a share! And make sure you're subscribed for future editions. ??

This newsletter edition was co-authored by Manisha Jalan , a freelance medical writer based in Ontario.