126 | 5 Tips to Build a Successful Business Without Experiencing Burnout

Bring a pencil and paper for today’s episode! Danielle has had a very real experience with burnout, and is sharing five concrete and actionable tips you can apply TODAY to have a sustainable business without burnout.

LISTEN TO THE EPISODE HERE:

In this podcast episode, we delve into the topic of building a successful business without burning out. Danielle shares personal experiences and provides valuable insights to help entrepreneurs create a business that aligns with their goals, values, and desired lifestyle. Learn how to prioritize your well-being, set boundaries, streamline processes, and delegate effectively. Let's explore Danielle’s five essential tips to avoiding burnout!

  1. Embrace Your Unique Journey:

    One of the most important tips emphasized in this episode is to avoid comparing yourself to others. Recognize that your values, priorities, and commitments are different from anyone else's. Instead of dwelling on comparison and jealousy, celebrate the success of others while focusing on your own path. Remember, you are running your own race.

2. Schedule Rest and Rejuvenation Time:

As a business owner, it's easy to fall into the trap of constant hustle. However, taking time for relaxation and rejuvenation is vital for both your physical and mental well-being. Prioritize self-care by scheduling designated rest periods in your calendar. Treat this time as important as any other business commitment, allowing yourself to recharge and gain a fresh perspective. Whether it's evenings, weekends, or longer breaks, find a schedule that works for you.

3. Set Boundaries Around Work and Personal Life:

Achieving a healthy work-life balance requires setting boundaries. Schedule dedicated work blocks and clearly communicate your availability to clients and colleagues. Equally important is making time for personal activities and relationships. By setting boundaries, you create space for both work and personal life to coexist harmoniously. Remember, it's not about balance in the traditional sense, but about finding a rhythm that works for you.

4. Streamline and Automate:

Efficiency is key to avoiding burnout. Look for opportunities to streamline and automate tasks in your business. Utilize tools like Calendly or Acuity for seamless scheduling, saving you time and eliminating the back-and-forth of arranging appointments. Consider automating email sequences to enhance customer experiences and free up your valuable time. Explore various automation and systemization tools to find what works best for your business.

5. Delegate and Seek Help:

Delegation is crucial for scaling your business and maintaining your well-being. As your workload increases, consider bringing in support to share the responsibilities. This could involve hiring team members or outsourcing certain tasks. Additionally, don't hesitate to seek help in your personal life. Whether it's household chores, childcare, or other areas, accepting assistance allows you to focus on what truly matters. Remember, accepting help is not a sign of weakness but a smart strategy for growth.

Building a successful business doesn't have to come at the expense of your well-being. By implementing these five tips, you can create a business that aligns with your values and avoids burnout. Embrace your unique journey, prioritize rest, set boundaries, streamline processes, and delegate effectively. Learn from Danielle’s experiences and take proactive steps to build a sustainable and fulfilling business that supports the life you want to create.

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TRANSCRIPT

[00:00:00] DANIELLE: Hello everyone. Welcome back to the podcast. I'm so excited that you're here and I can't believe we are so close to Christmas. I hope you're excited for this season. I am personally really excited to just unplug, spend some time with family and friends, and just enjoy this time. So in today's episode, I'm really excited.

[00:00:22] DANIELLE: We are gonna be doing end of year reflections, intentions and goal setting together. , you and I are going to just pretend that we are together in person and that we're besties because if you are listening to this podcast, then let's just call it what it is. We basically are, I'm in your earbuds to twice a week and it is so great that we get to build this relationship virtually, so.

[00:00:48] DANIELLE: So I am so excited to do this exercise with you today. I'm gonna be asking questions and prompts that I want you to reflect on yourself, and I'm gonna be sharing with you [00:01:00] my answers to these questions. So today we're about to get real, we're about to get raw and vulnerable, and I hope you're ready. So I'm really excited.

[00:01:09] DANIELLE: I hope you're excited. Let's go ahead and dive into the episode. Welcome to the Business Babes Collective podcast. I'm your host, Danielle Wiebe. In this podcast, you'll learn tangible business tips and strategies on how to grow successfully and sustainably. We'll also interview seasoned entrepreneurs so you can listen in on their stories and see behind the scenes of what it took to grow and scale their businesses.

[00:01:36] DANIELLE: Let's dive in as we discuss the wild, crazy, challenging rollercoaster ride of entrepreneurship. Welcome to another episode of the podcast. I'm so excited that you are here today. Today we're talking about how to build a successful business without burning out. So today's episode is really important to [00:02:00] me.

[00:02:00] DANIELLE: It's really something that I love talking about with entrepreneurs because this is something that I personally have really had to work on in my own life and in my own business. In this episode, we're not gonna be talking about how to get more done, although we will actually cover productivity. But it's more about how do we create a business that works with the lives that we wanna create without burning out one that is in line with our goals and one that is in line with our values.

[00:02:30] DANIELLE: So let's go ahead and jump right in. When you first start a business, it can be so easy to get swept up in this constant feeling of hustle. You feel like you need to be working around the clock to be quote unquote successful. But I want to challenge you and I want to encourage you that. Really, it's important to take a step back.

[00:02:55] DANIELLE: When you first dive into your business, you're so excited, you're so passionate, you're like, I'm [00:03:00] gonna do anything to make this business successful, which is a really good mindset to have. However, often what we do is we actually. Put our highest priorities and our highest values on the back burner because we are so focused and we're all in on our business.

[00:03:16] DANIELLE: Now, I'm not saying that growing a business does not take hard work. I don't want you to misunderstand what I'm saying here. It is absolutely necessary that you work hard and you put the time in to put the effort in, in order to grow your business. And there will be a time where yes, you might be busier, you might have more on your.

[00:03:38] DANIELLE: Especially when you are getting your business off the ground. But I want you to actually take a pause. I want you to get out a notebook in pen, and I want you to write out what is truly important to you. Like really what is important to you? What are your top priorities and values? And then take an honest look at your [00:04:00] calendar and see if the things that you said were your priorities are things that you're actually valuing and that you're actually putting as a priority that you're scheduling in.

[00:04:10] DANIELLE: I know that when I looked at this a few years back when I first started my business, , I was all in and I was, you know, really wanting to make this business work and make this community thrive. And what I realized is that I was hitting burnout and I was putting things like my health, my relationships, um, you know, rest and rejuvenation, things like that.

[00:04:33] DANIELLE: I was putting all of that on the back burner, and I was using my business as an excuse to not put those things as a priority. What I want to share here is that it's not sustainable . That is not a sustainable way to run your business. And so I'm really passionate about sharing these tips and strategies with you guys because I think that there is just a better way to be running your business.

[00:04:59] DANIELLE: [00:05:00] And if I knew these things, you know, Almost 10 years ago now, when I started my first business, I would've had such an easier time transitioning into having this business that works around my life, and that really allows me to still prioritize those things that are most important to me. . And I also wanna share too that things are not perfect, right?

[00:05:24] DANIELLE: So, uh, even though I have created a lot of these systems and I've implemented a lot of these things that really help me to be present in both my life and my business and to not experience burnout, there are times where I still push those boundaries or I'm not prioritizing the right things, and that's why.

[00:05:43] DANIELLE: It is, you know, implementing these habits and always going back to them, not just setting them and forgetting them, right? It's always going back to reminding yourself of your top priorities, reminding yourself of your values, and then putting these systems and these processes in place so that your [00:06:00] business is running smoothly without you having to work in it 24 7.

[00:06:04] DANIELLE: So let's get to the five tips that I wanted to share with you today. So number one, and this is really, I think one of the most important tips is don't compare yourself or your journey to anyone. Else's. This is so hard to do. It's one of the most important things, but it's also one of the most challenging because we are constantly seeing and hearing of other people's successes, what other people are doing within our own industry.

[00:06:34] DANIELLE: And so it's really important that we remember that we. Drastically different values and lives and priorities and commitments than someone else. And so to compare yourself to someone else, really that is just harming you. There's no benefit to comparison. So instead of comparing and instead of getting jealous or [00:07:00] thinking, why haven't I achieved that?

[00:07:02] DANIELLE: Or I'm never going to achieve that, whatever that looks like, instead of doing that, Let's switch the conversation in our heads and let's actually celebrate them. Let's be excited for them, and let's be inspired while still running your own race. Okay, number two is schedule in rest time. When you're a business owner, it can be so easy to just go, go, go, and never give yourself time to just relax and rejuvenate.

[00:07:29] DANIELLE: But this is so incredibly important, and not only for your physical and your mental health. But also for your productivity. A lot of people think that they can just go, go, go plow through, not give themselves the time to rest and rejuvenate, and that they're gonna be able to be productive. But that's just honestly not true because.

[00:07:52] DANIELLE: We need to have rest. We need to have sleep. We need to take that time. And when we do, we have such a clearer [00:08:00] and more creative mind. We're actually able to get more done in less time when we schedule that time into rest. So I know this can be super challenging, especially with those of you who have young kids.

[00:08:13] DANIELLE: But prioritizing those times and carving it out is so, so key. So carve it out in your calendar and schedule it in just like you would schedule in any other really important meeting. And also give yourself permission to take time off, whether that be taking your evenings off or your weekends off, or taking a full week off a month.

[00:08:36] DANIELLE: I know a lot of people who do that. Whatever works for your schedule. Maybe if you are like, you know what, I actually have to work evenings for whatever reason, for however you're s. Schedule is, um, situated right now. Maybe you have a full-time job and the only time you can work on your business is in the evenings will then schedule in a couple of evenings a week where you don't have that work.

[00:08:59] DANIELLE: [00:09:00] So whether that be Tuesday and Thursday, every single week, you have those actually set aside for either family time or. Time, whatever that is. And so just really make it a priority. Whatever works for your schedule. Again, it could be mornings, it could be every Friday off, whatever that is. And as you start to grow your business and as you start to dive into full-time in your business, you can really start to curate your calendar in a way that works for.

[00:09:28] DANIELLE: and I always encourage my clients too, when are you most productive? When are you most creative? When do you get the most done? Some people are extremely productive in the morning. Some people are more productive in the afternoon. So really understand yourself and your personality and really create that schedule that will work with not only your life, but also the times that you are most.

[00:09:53] DANIELLE: Okay. Number three is setting boundaries around your time with work and with life. So are you [00:10:00] actually scheduling in your work blocks? When are those times that you are working on your business? Or is it just whenever you have time and you're not actually scheduling that time in? Because making time for your business is incredibly important.

[00:10:14] DANIELLE: But then just as important or, or I would argue actually more important, is scheduling in the time for your life. When are you spending time with your spouse? When are you spending time with your friends or your family, or maybe, you know, rest time, whatever that is. What are you setting into place and how are you scheduling that?

[00:10:33] DANIELLE: And then are you setting boundaries with. The people that you work with, with your clients, and then also with the people that are close to you, your family members, your friends. Setting those boundaries on both sides is really gonna help you create that space for not only your work, but also for your personal life, and have those things in somewhat of a balance.

[00:10:55] DANIELLE: And I know a lot of people don't like the word balance. I don't know what other word to use, if you guys have a [00:11:00] better word for me to use, other than balance then. Message me, let me know. Um, but yeah, really figuring out a way to make those things, make your personal life and make your business work well together.

[00:11:14] DANIELLE: I know when you first get into business, there's this idea that we have to be available around the clock and we have to be present for our clients and customers all the time. But if we set the prep proper expectations and we share that with them upfront, you can say, Hey, I actually take my evenings off, or I'm not around on the weekends.

[00:11:35] DANIELLE: You can put an auto-responder on your email. Or you can just tell them when you set up that first initial appointment, like, Hey, these are my work blocks, these are my work hours, and these are the times when you can get in touch with me and outside of those hours I will be unavailable. Right? So setting those proper boundaries and times.

[00:11:54] DANIELLE: Because in order to provide that really great customer and client experience, [00:12:00] you are gonna have to have boundaries around your time or else again, you're gonna burn out and then you're not gonna be the best for your clients and for your customers anyways. So having those boundaries in place is super key.

[00:12:11] DANIELLE: Sticking to those boundaries and having systems in place so that you can communicate those boundaries to them as well. So number four is streamline and automate. I love this one so much. So what inside of your business can you streamline and automate so that you can get more of your time back? How can you create systems that work for you and work for your team?

[00:12:36] DANIELLE: If you have a team and look for ways that you can start to automate your tasks. So examples of this, how could you streamline your calendar using something like Calendly or Acuity to book a appointments and calls instead of going back and forth in email a hundred times to try to find the right time to meet.

[00:12:57] DANIELLE: And especially with different time zones, if you're working with people [00:13:00] remotely, it just gets so complicated. So that is like the number one way. If you're not currently doing, doing that. Do that asap. So how can you do that? How can you automate, um, potentially a welcome sequence to your emails when a new customer or a new client joins your email list?

[00:13:17] DANIELLE: And how can you give them an amazing experience of your brand automatically instead of reaching out to each person one-on-one as you grow and as you scale creating those automat. are gonna be so, so key to save you so much time. There are also so many other tools and resources for automation and for systems.

[00:13:39] DANIELLE: This is actually a bonus training that we have within our Action Takers Club program and we have a, a resource that is called our Automation Tool Cut. And this is where we outline all the tools that we currently use and how we're using them to streamline and automate our business and ones that our clients use as well.

[00:13:56] DANIELLE: So there are so many. Ways that you can save [00:14:00] yourself time by just creating these really simple systems automations and just streamlining your processes within your, within your business. Okay, number five, and the final tip that I have is to delegate. So as you grow, Bring on help, bring on people that you can work with and collaborate with that can support the vision of your business.

[00:14:25] DANIELLE: Delegation is something that is so incredibly vital in order for you to be able to scale your business to the next level. If you are currently doing everything yourself, then maybe it's time to look at. Bringing someone else on so that you can start delegating some of those tasks that you're doing on a daily or weekly basis so that you can free up more of your time to focus on the growth side of the business.

[00:14:50] DANIELLE: So gaining new clients, gaining new customers overall strategy, and stepping into that c e O role of the business instead of being really in the [00:15:00] weeds of your business. Now, what I would recommend is if you're in a place where you have. So much work and you're having to actually turn down opportunities.

[00:15:08] DANIELLE: You're having to turn down, um, clients or customers that you actually want to serve and you actually want to, that would actually help you grow your business. That is a really good sign that it is time to grow your team and time to delegate. . Now, I also wanna say that delegation could look a little bit different.

[00:15:27] DANIELLE: It could also look like getting some help within your home. So maybe that is with cleaning. Maybe once a week you have someone in to help clean your house, or maybe it's delivering your groceries or maybe it's childcare, whatever that is. I think it's so important to be able to really start to get help with.

[00:15:49] DANIELLE: Business and also inside of your personal life. And don't be afraid to ask for help. And also don't be afraid to accept help. I know this is something that I used to struggle with [00:16:00] so much. People would offer to help me and I'd be like, no, it's okay. I can do it by myself. Right? Like if that's your automatic response.

[00:16:07] DANIELLE: Spend some time reflecting, like, why is that, why is it difficult for you to accept help and really work through that? Because the more and more you can say yes to people that want to help you, the more you can actually grow and expand. And you know, people, if people offer to help, they're actually wanting to help.

[00:16:26] DANIELLE: And so you giving them that opportunity is something amazing for them and it's also gonna be amazing for you. So take the help when you can get it. Um, and don't be afraid to. Okay. So that is the five tips that I have for you today. And just something that I wanna end with is just, I want you to really learn from the mistakes that I made.

[00:16:48] DANIELLE: And you know, in my 10 years of being an entrepreneur, I have had, I've wasted so much time doing some of these things in whether it be the wrong order or I [00:17:00] wasn't asking for help, or I wasn't systemizing or. Delegating or or taking that time to rest and it really slowed down my. . And so really I want you to understand that when you don't give yourself time to rest, it actually doesn't allow you to be the best version of yourself, for your community, for your clients, for your family, and for your friends.

[00:17:24] DANIELLE: So, I think for me, I had a huge epiphany. You know, even when I, when I started working less, because after I had Rosie, I really had to cut down my work hours, and so I'm now working about 50% less than I did, especially when I started my business. However, I'm getting so much more done and I'm so much more efficient with my time and my time is going to the things that are really pushing the business forward, that are propelling it forward, and so just wanted to give you that reminder.

[00:17:55] DANIELLE: We are not robots. We are human beings. We need rest. We need [00:18:00] to rejuvenate ourselves and we need to ask for help and we need to receive help. So I hope you enjoyed this episode. I am sending you so much love for these next few days. We are ending off 2022 and starting 2023, and I hope you start the year just with a fresh perspective.

[00:18:19] DANIELLE: I hope you start the year feeling excited. Inspired for what is to come, and I hope you leave all of the past things behind you. Don't take any of that, those things that you might be telling yourself or things that people might have said to you. Don't take any of that baggage into the New Year's. Start your year fresh, start your year new, and be excited for what you can create in 2023.

[00:18:44] DANIELLE: I am personally so excited for you and I cannot wait to connect with you hopefully in the new year. And until our next episode, I hope you have an incredible rest of your day, and I will see you very soon.[00:19:00]

[00:19:00] DANIELLE: If you love this episode, make sure you screenshot, post and tag us on Instagram at business babes co. Want to know when the next episode goes live? Subscribe on your podcast app and while you're there, leave us a review. Until next time, keep dreaming big, setting goals and taking action.

Danielle Wiebe