A Quick Guide to Remaining Sane During Turbulent Times at Work
Starting a business from scratch is what freedom is all about. It’s a major professional turning point and is one of the most exciting times in the life of an entrepreneur. But, as liberating as launching a startup is, it can make you a prisoner in many ways.
Building a company from the ground up is far from an 9 to 5 gig. Prepare yourself for a number of sleepless nights and the feeling of being married to your work. Once the “honeymoon” stage over, it won’t take long for the mental and physical strains to take hold.
Like many other things in life, the name of the game is finding a perfect balance. If you’ve sunken your life-savings into this startup, this process can potentially wreak havoc on your overall sanity. As tough as the early stages of business development are, there are many strategies for keeping a level head. Let’s talk about several of the big ones.
Set Boundaries
Every startup comes with its own chaotic routine. The founder(s) are expected to be working nonstop to hit goals. While some are better equipped for the endless workflow than others, there always needs to a firm knowledge of the “off switch,” and when to use it.
Even though your startup may be your biggest passion, it’s critical to have a source of escape after putting in a good 10 to 15-hour day.
“A practical step you can take is to have an email blackout period – a time period in which it is understood that you will not be reading or sending emails,” says Holger Arians, CEO of Dominent Digital Corporation.
Failing to disconnect from your startup can have many unintended consequences, especially if you have a family. If you’re spending every waking minute with your business, it’s easy to miss out on life’s precious moments. Children need parents during their formative years. You DON’T want to look back and wish you had made more time with them.
Start by organizing your goals and priorities with apps like Wunderlist or Any.do. Be sure they are attainable in a given day. Once you have completed all the necessary items, shut down your devices and call it quits until tomorrow.
Bottom line, regardless of how hectic things get with your business, ALWAYS make time for family or anything else to give you a bit of separation from your work. This will help keep you focused and avoid burnout.
Implement a Task Management System Early On
If you think the stress involved in the early stages of a startup is tough, just wait until rapid growth. While reaching this stage is a good indicator of future success, if you are not prepared to handle the big changes, your business will crumble along with your mental health.
There is so much going on during this part of the company’s development. As an owner, you are going to be faced with important tasks like:
- Managing an expanding client base
- Bringing people on board
- Forming a company culture
- Bringing new, innovative ideas to the table
The sooner you set up a reliable system for completing tasks, the better off you (and everyone else) will be. Remember, once your business starts to grow, you are not just looking out for your own mental health, you will be responsible for your employees’ as well.
Luckily, there are project management resources available today that entrepreneurs could only dream of 20-30 years ago. Workzone for example, is a program carefully designed to fit the day-to-day needs of tiny startups all the way to giant enterprises – with individual workload views, team calendars, and approval workflows. When it comes to task scheduling and management, don’t take risks. Stick to a software proven to help businesses succeed.
Lack of organization can spell death for any company. Once important tasks begin slipping through the cracks, everyone’s sanity will soon follow. When this is the case, your days are numbered. Your priority is to find a dependable workflow early on to last the entire span of your business.
Always be on the Lookout for Warning Signs
Throughout all the hustle and bustle involved in a startup, the early signs of deteriorating health can be hard to identify. While it’s true you will most likely experience a great deal of personal and professional changes throughout your journey, it’s crucial to take frequent steps back to assess your state of mind.
Mental health issues do more than just affect how you feel emotionally. They can have a significant impact on your outward behavior.
A recent survey conducted by Dr. Michael Freeman, a clinical professor at UCSF, found that 72 percent of entrepreneurs claimed to experience mental health problems – significantly higher than the general population.
It can always be easy to say “This can’t happen to me.” However, by the time you finally realize your health is deteriorating, it might be too late. This is why you NEED to be able to notice the early signs and adjust your approach accordingly. If you are becoming increasingly short with people, getting into arguments left and right, or your sleeping and eating habits are changing, these are indicators of a developing problem.
Don’t waste any time in getting the help you need. No business venture or amount of money is worth sacrificing your well-being.
Wrapping Up
The process of turning ideas into business realities is a grind like nothing else. There’s no hiding from the fact that each scenario comes with its own set of hardships. As an entrepreneur and business owner, a big part of your job is keeping a steady head on your shoulders. Once more people begin to join your company, you’ll notice that sanity tends to start at the top and trickle down. Even though your new venture is one of the most important parts of your life, you don’t live to work 24/7.
