How many times has ‘just one more email’ kept you late in the office? 

 

Or a few niggly jobs that ‘just need to be done’ had you working on a weekend? 

 

How about your lunch break… When was the last time you took your full one of those? 

 

It might only feel like a couple of minutes here and there. But, with 60% of people saying they work longer hours than they want and 1 in 4 saying they overwork by 10 hours or more a week (CIPD) it’s clear these minutes can add up quickly. 

Burnout doesn't go away on its own; and not addressing the problem can lead to much bigger problems down the line, like long term sickness, presenteeism, depression, stress and anxiety. 

 

The trouble is, when you’re in a position where you’re running your own business and maybe there aren’t the people there to hand work over to, shutting up shop just isn't an option. If this is the case, then looking out for yourself and the signs of burnout should be your top priority. 

 

Catching the signs early and alleviating some of that stress from yourself before burnout becomes a problem is the most effective way to hit the reset button before burnout begins to slow you down. 

 

So what should you be looking out for? And how do you hit that reset button? 

Being able to delegate tasks that are holding you back and draining your time and energy is no longer a luxury exclusively available to those with a huge team behind them. No matter what the size operation you run or scale of business you have, delegation is one of the most effective ways to free up some time and headspace to focus on what's most important to you. 

When you’re on the brink of burning out, your body will be sending you lots of signals telling you it’s time to slow down. It's often tempting to push these to the back of your head and hope that they will pass, but there are several warning signs you want to stay mindful of.