Are you building your business after burnout?

For me, burnout hit hard at the age of 27. At the time I was working in a corporate job in London, but physically and emotionally I wasn't in a good place. I remember feeling that frustration of 'if only my body could keep pace with the life I want to have!'

I had earned a first class bachelors degree and a Masters degree with distinction. And I loved working in project management. I got promoted within my team, and I had an array of career development opportunities in front of me.

But my energy levels were low. I found commuting to and from work everyday physically exhausting. I developed severe irritable bowel syndrome and was underweight. I couldn't sleep. And I was stressed and anxious all the time, feeling the strain of not being able to cope with what it seemed everyone around me did every day without the issues I was experiencing.

At the time, I didn't know how to describe what was happening to me. I didn't realise I was suffering with anxiety and I had never heard the word 'burnout'.

And when burnout finally hit me in 2010, I wasn't one of those people who needed a few weeks off and a phased return to work. I could barely get out of bed for 7 months, and at the time I didn't see a way I could ever work again.

Recovery was slow, but a straightforward part-time admin job helped me get my confidence back. At first, even working a full day away from home felt like more than I could cope with, but little by little I realised that I was getting better and I was ready for more.

I got a part-time position at a start-up consultancy firm, and within 12 months I was running the business. It gave me a taste of 'doing work' differently, and I've never looked back. 4 years later I set up my own business and I've worked by my own rulebook ever since.

It's nearly 10 years since I went through burnout, and one of the things that I've wondered most often has been 'could I have done things differently to avoid burning out in the first place?'

One of the hardest parts was knowing, before it happened, that I wasn't ok, and that I was running out of ways to manage my growing health issues. I found it hard to talk to my employer because I didn't have an explanation for what was happening to me. I didn't know what would help me, because I didn't fully understand why I was feeling the way I was.

It's #mentalhealthawarenessweek and what I would want to say to anyone who feels like I did back in 2010 is don't ignore the warning signs that you aren't coping. There is always a solution. It might not be the path you'd choose, but finding a way to do life that doesn't deplete you makes all the difference.

And if you're building a business having gone through burnout yourself, know that you can achieve great things on your own terms. Success isn't just reached through a corporate career, and if you haven't already, getting to the day where you out-earn what you did in your corporate job will feel all the sweeter because you're doing it according to YOUR rules.

I'm running a free masterclass available from 21st May, called How To Work Less and Earn More in your business. I'll be sharing more of my burnout story and the 4 ways to earn more income from your business without increasing your workload. Sign up here!