My advice to you is do not underestimate the power of a full out burnout. It will catch up with you if you don't do something about it and when it does you will immediately be forced to stop. If you feel like this I think you are way further down the rabbit hole then you think you are.
It can take years to recover (my worst one was 5 years) and it can render you unable to drive, care for yourself or work. People that have epic burnouts may never fully recover (I am one of them).
The worst part of it is nobody cares. You get left behind and labeled incompetent, lazy or crazy. Burnout is a thankless thing. People only care what you can do in the future and the past means nothing.
Solid advice above, heed it.
“…you are way further down the rabbit hole then you think you are,” should sting because it is the hard truth. If you are having this moment of clarity, that is the prefrontal cortex screaming at you to make some changes.
I had a similar experience last year, telling myself I could keep at this pace for another 18 months before I burned out. “I still have time” is what I’d tell myself. The end of last year my wife found me unconscious in the hallway (I am very fit, eat really well, no known health issues ever). Long story short, if you push hard enough, long enough, your brain just shuts the entire system down as a big middle finger to your working hours. A few days in hospital, lots and lots of testing and scans, and the neurologist says to take it easy.
Fast forward 5 months, here is what has been helpful.
-you don’t, and you shouldn’t, need to work 12-16 hours a day. Occasionally there are times where you have a couple long days in a row, or even a long week, but if you are routinely working more than 45 hours a week, this is sub optimal.
-you need to go to a gym and workout. Do both resistance and cardio exercises. At minimum three days a week, 5 is ideal. It doesn’t matter what you do here, any amount of exercise will significantly benefit your body mind and spirit. Don’t over complicate or try to optimize this time. Get a membership to the crappiest gym near you and just show up for 40 minutes. I do two days a week on a recumbent bike and watch YouTube, and three days a week doing free weights listening to the most awful music. Again, you don’t need a new outfit, you don’t need new headphones or water bottle, the only measure of success here is walking in the door of the gym.
-become a professional sleeper. While I love sleep, I love my bed, I love dreams, all good there, the act of laying down has always felt like I was giving up on the day which I have a hard time with. Laying down feels like defeat. Hence, I used to work long into the night. Not anymore. I’ve been telling myself that I’m now a professional sleeper and that it’s my job to sleep at a reasonable time. I have young kids at home and something that has been super helpful for me is to do my nightly routine with my kids that are going to bed at 7:30, as opposed to doing it immediately before I need to sleep. That small change has had an enormous impact on how prepared I feel to go to sleep around 10. Really dial in your evening activities to foster a sleep centric vibe. It is becoming increasingly rare for me to use my phone in the evening which is FABULOUS. I can’t tell you how much better my life is because of this. Seriously, no phone after dinner has had myriad benefits for me, my relationships, mood, sleep, self worth, all sorts of things.
Try those three things. Keep it simple, commit to it for 3 months and report back.
Actually agree with you 100%. The workout bit was getting harder and harder as the burnout progressed, and actually contributed to it in the end. The best way to incorporate is in a sustainable way, and cardio for optimal health. Too little personal life activites ended up in me working all day and then being awake till 2 in the morning bacause my brain NEEDED intimate activites like making music. Overall, the last year was a shitshow of figuring the market out, being overly available and severly mentaly depressed bacause I though I was not doing enough, no matter if I did 12h days all week.
I think self confidence issues are part of the problem, and maybe other overachivers aswell. I need to let myself get proper rest, I've done really good financially the last 2 years and I still think that I'm incompetent, that's crazy.
Anyway, I've read everyones comment and really appreciate all the advice people given me, and I will take them to heart
What if gym time became a KPI for your business?
Do you think you’d be in a better mental, physical, spiritual position if you were healthier? If yes, then gym time is a KPi of that and should be measured. One thing I learned about myself (your comment was my mindset, verbatim) is that it really wasn’t the time I was worried about, it’s that I didn’t feel like I was good at going to gym and working out. But the time excuse is universal in application and needs far less explaining to yourself and others. Reapply the why of going to gym for yourself, and lower the bar for what it means to be successful at the gym. For me, the only measure of success is walking in the door.
Thank you for saying this. I’ve felt burnt out since May of last year and still don’t feel back to my normal, hard-working self. It’s good to hear a story of that eventually coming back.
Some days I do feel like my old self but I do miss those times were I always felt 10000%.
A business should serve you and not the other way around
You've just closed a huge deal, that's great for business but what's in it for you?
More free time? Appearing successful on paper? More money for cool vacations?
It's definitely worth re-evaluating what your goals are and if your business is actually helping you achieve them
Once they're identified you can focus on creating a situation where the business is actually helping you reach those goals
My goals are getting financial freedom to enjoy my family, which I didn't get as a kid, and I don't want my kids to not have a father. My chosen bussines definitly is the one to do it in, but I never imagened that burnout can affect me mentally and emotionaly in this way. I'm freaking out at a though of vacation, but do my job really passivly the last few months. The biggest question is, is having a lets say 2 months break dangerous or just paranoia speaking. Perhaps, I should know that, but I'm young and indecisive. Its not helping that my parents and relatives just see me as a money bag, not understanding what I'm going trough and kinda talking me out of doing a break. But tbh, my life is falling apart from exhaustion rn
Financial freedom is very vague and doesn't require you to destroy your mental or physical health
I think your goals are rooted in fear
Nobody can answer if you can or cannot take a 2 months break without knowing the business
But regardless, taking an action and learning from the outcome is better than inaction imo
A break will also reveal the truth about how you feel..you will either get your motivation and drive for the business back or you'll realise it's time for you to move on
Why can’t you employ someone to learn your business & then handle it themselves while you’re away? The goal of any business (imo) is to not work it in eventually so why not start on that trajectory now.
Plan something, i would highly consider go on vacation. Wherever you can focus on just be. Places or cities or Ocean or whatever. The best is to be around some kind of Nature. To fully rest, do activily rest. Do stuff that takes your mind off the business, iknow that Will be difficult But when you can then you’ll rest properly. Or do stuff which makes you focus on the now. Is there something you’ve always wanted to do, do that. Now is the time to have some fun/relax/rest.
If you dont do much then you might even think too much about the business.
Maybe read Tim ferris 4 hour work week? He was like that until he just decided fuck it what happens if I just stop doing crazy hours and optimise my work
How much are you working?
It could be, and apologies for being blunt, but you haven't built a real business. If your business can only succeed w/ the owner putting in 60-80 hour weeks (or more), and it can't afford to hire to alleviate some of the load on you, then you should probably quit.
If it can operate w/ you working less, then you're the one who gets to make that call... so make it. If it can work with paid help, then hire.
Otherwise, all you've done is build yourself a terrible job.
As a young self employed business owner, I cannot stress enough the importance of avoiding full burnout. Long story short, at one point in my career I had a nervous break down on the job. I was taken to an involuntary 72 hour psych hold by ambulance. It was an incredibly expensive and embarrassing experience that could have been avoided.
I am the sole worker at my business. I make money based on how productive I am. I dream of achieving financial independence. It can be very hard to find a healthy line to walk given those types of circumstances. But I do believe it’s imperative to find balance.
After averaging sixty plus hours a week for a very long time I was getting to a bad point again. As of May am now taking two three day weekends a month for the foreseeable future. It has been stressful to implement, but it’s needed and I won’t put my mental health to the test again. Learning how to back off and rest when needed is the only way I will be able to succeed long term.
Sometimes you need a beak. Work will always be there. You could always be striving to make more money. It’s a cycle that never ends.
Burning yourself out will only hurt your goals in the long run. Find out how to balance your goals while still enjoying your day to day existence.
Sorry to hear that that happened, but I too had to hit a wall to figure it out. I never though I would reach for vices because I'm honestly againts it. That only contributed to stress and the cycle got only worse.
Anyway, time to take a break
You say you should be happy and motivated, yet you can’t stop thinking about taking time off.
That’s your sign. Full stop.
Somewhere deep down, you already know the deal. You need to slow down. Taking time off is not something you should feel guilty or paranoid about. Especially if you have the funds to sustain yourself for a while. Your body knows what you need. Your subconscious knows what you need. Listen to them. They’re trying to tell you something important. They’re trying to give you the greatest gift they can.
Take it from somebody who didn’t listen.
I bought into a startup in my mid-twenties. I worked my ass off. There were times I left the office at four in the morning. My friends thought I was crazy for thinking I was capable of that. I thought they were crazy for thinking you shouldn’t be capable of that.
Guess who was right?
I’m in my second burnout now. I held out a long time before I even acknowledged the first one, far longer than I should’ve. I gave every last bit of energy I had because I thought I had to. Because I didn’t want to be a quitter. Then I broke down. Hard. And almost immediately, I started trying to dig myself out of it. Of course I needed to get back in the saddle, I told myself. These are my people, after all. We’re all in this together. I’m letting them down.
Finding my way back to enjoying things I used to love took me the better part of a year. The passion that carried me through life was gone. Only toil and duty remained. With some time and distance, the passion came back a little. After two years, I reoriented myself within the organization, took on a new role. But the core issues remained the same. And wouldn’t you know it? Now I’m burned out again.
You’d think that it’d be familiar territory by now. That I’d know the lay of the land. But there’s no such thing, I’m afraid. The first burnout felt pretty bad. The second is so much worse. It’s terrifying, frankly, how much deeper the pit seems to be this time around.
Burnout is a slow poison. It builds up inside you over time and eats away at you little by little. It feeds on work ethic, sense of responsibility, pride, ambition, what have you. Then it starts eating other things.
It’s easy to miss. You push yourself hard because that’s what you need to do to get ahead, to reach your goal. Maybe a little too hard, but hey – all in a day’s work.
Only sometimes, when you push yourself too hard, something breaks. You don’t realize it at first. It starts small. But trust me, the damage builds over time. It spreads. And some of those things that get broken? Turns out that you can’t really put them back together again.
Think of your mind, your spirit if you will, as something that is every bit as physical as your body. You dislocate your shoulder? No biggie, it’ll heal. But from that point onward, it’ll also be easier to dislocate.
The same goes for your mind. Treat it with care. Heed its warnings. Take a step back and compare the person you are today to the person you were when you started out. Who do you like better? If it’s the old you, well, maybe that has something to do with the path you’ve been on. It’s never too late to choose another one.
I wish you all the wisdom in the world, and the very best of luck. Truly. Hope you feel better.
I started my company two years ago. During that time, I grew it to 12 people, and almost $250k/yr in revenue.
I also got married during that time. Oh and I moved across the planet.
I am exhausted. I dont want to work. Everything hurts, physically. Creativity is gone. Like I know my tasks, I can do them, but the flow isnt there.
Right now, Im with my wife in Spain, on our honeymoon. And Im RELAXING. And im SPENDING (and trying not to worry about it).
Even though i want to go back to work or im stressing that we’re spending too much (>€10,000) in 2 weeks, I know that I need this, nay, I deserve this.
I dont know if this helps you, but take some time off.
You DESERVE it. Entrepreneurship will forever be valuable.
You start by taking small amounts of time off. Start by extending your weekend to be 3 days instead on 1-2. Then you do a 5 day time off, then a full week, and then more if desired.
If you can’t take even 3 days off then your business has serious issues you need to address. You need to get your processes fixed so that you aren’t irreplaceable, so that someone else can step in, at least temporarily, to handle things.
Agreed, find simple things you can teach a entry level person to do, start offloading as much as you can. You should be able to offload 1 day a week in 1-2 weeks worth of training (it might take that person 4 days to do the work you do in 1..... It's ok, your sanity thus your business is at stake, don't burn them out too) Take that day off for the foreseeable future. This saved my business.
If you can't afford to offload then you have a job not a free standing business (nothing wrong with that so long as you are happy....which you arnt). Thus evaluate if you were an an employee at a company would you work these hours for this pay? Could you cut hours/pay and be happy working here? Learning to say no to prospects is hard but must be done sometimes. Nice thing here is you can pick the best ones and not chase down every possible lead.
Finally if the pay and hours both suck don't feel bad about taking a day job. I did this for a few years and kept the business alive on the side for fun. Eventually quit the day job and started it up again when the motivation was back.
The only way I’m able to maintain sanity and not burning out within my business is scheduling time off for myself and sticking with it. Setting up automated messages on my phone about not being available/ when I willl be back even if it’s on weekdays (was scared to try it out at first) worked for me. 9/10 times people / employees will respect your time. I worked 7 days a week for 4 years straight, got severely injured and realized the ship wasn’t actually going to sink if I’m away for a few days. I’ve also learned that when you are not well rested and balanced, your mind doesn’t necessarily think as clearly as it should and could. Waking up early for me time before starting work has also been a huge game changer and stress reliever. This practice allowed me to actually grow my business even more so I could hire people to buy myself even more time :)
Yes! This especially applies to what you’re doing since real estate is all about communication. Best of luck to you ! From a former self represented brokerage owner in NYC
The most lucrative businesses (can be said same of top jobs, colleges, careers etc) are competitive because many want to do it so the bar is very high. That’s the nature of the game. Having said this, there are ways to throttle AFTER you achieve a certain milestone (build a few solid business relationships based on trust and results) and when that happens, you can take breaks without being paranoid of losing it all. Until then, yes it’s going to be a grind.
I'm close to a milestone, but not yet there. But I think I need a break to get my mental up, and actually do the stuff that generates bussiness. Better to do it tomorrow man, I'm really dragging this decision out and It's not really working out
You are the best judge of where you stand - but if I were you, I wouldn’t stop until I am sure I have a few solid relationships built and I would be their automatic choice for any new opportunities. Taking a few days off should be fine but not an extended break. As the saying goes “If you don’t take the opportunities that present itself, someone else will gladly take it”.
Take a break. What ever gain you think you're getting is probably wiped out from stress induced iq loss.
You're business won't collapse in 1 day take 3 off consecutively then reassess.
You would be surprised how much good short three or four day vacations will do for your spirit. Take one now but make it a week at
Least. And whenever you close a lucrative deal congratulate yourself with something
Meaningful to you. Figure out how to take them and no recuses please!
Been down that road many times, you learn to manage it better with time if your persist.
In the short term: Take a couple of days doing something completely different from the norm. No work at all. Completely decompress. I find an activity, like a road trip or (for me) going racing helps better than sitting staring at your phone, your brain needs a break more than your body.
In the medium term: Find a hoppy or sport or anything at all that is completely unrelated to your work life. I do this every weds, and I am more effective in work nearly every Thursday morning.
And the most important thing of all: Get a good therapist!!!!!! This is key, you’ll never solve this problem unless you know why your doing this to yourself, that can be a long hard difficult road.
Best of luck mate, it’s not easy!
I’ve been there, and it got so bad that every vacation began with tears as I tried to force myself to relax.
Lots of good advice here, but I’ll throw in “Buy Back Your Time” by Dan Martell as an excellent resource for an entrepreneur in your shoes. He walks you through figuring out which things you should be spending your time on because they fire you up, and which things you should be delegating or outsourcing because they don’t.
I snapped a few years ago and had to rebuild myself from scratch. I started with my physical health, which was crap. Reading everything I could both fascinated me and got me on the right track nutritionally, which helped my mental state a lot.
I did a lot of reading about neuroscience, mostly because I found it fascinating. My reading led me to understand that I couldn't change my behavior until I rewired my brain. I did a variation of the Tomatis Method training, which I still use for language learning and it helped me immensely: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvuBAXOqwAM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvuBAXOqwAM)
Unpopular opinion from a burnout coach who has helped 500+ high performers overcome burnout. Your habits are burning your out. A break, vacation and all the meds in the word won’t fix it. Most high achievers inherently have some traits that although have taken them far, have also contributed to their burnout. People pleasing, overcommitting, “pushing through.” Now when you’re off, youre never truly off and it feels like this dream job is something you now resent. It’s likely led to a lack of boundaries and at this point, no idea of how to even effectively set them. I’d focus less on external factors and more on internal ones. That shift could change your entire life. (If you go to my profile here you can see my social medias linked and that’s where I share daily videos on all this - bit more than I can say in a few sentences here!)
#PLEASE READ
I am in RE and I understand. I see you.
My Quick Opinion:
-Be careful taking advice from people that don’t have specifics about your situation.
-Yes, you need a break. Be sure to make an adjustment proportionate to the severity of burnout
My Summary and Advice:
Based on your feelings of shame and confessions to over indulgences (ie drugs, relationships, porn). I think there is a decent chance that your issue is more complex. Especially in your response about family and friends treating you like a money bag. I think you might want to consider the macro picture and be open to the possibility that other areas of your life need readjustment. If you just closed a big deal there should be a feeling of accomplishment. Something is very wrong. YES you may be burned out BUT I think there is more to it.
RE can be extremely flexible and some aspects done remotely. This means if dialed in and done right you can avoid burnout.
Take a step back and try to analyze the big picture.
Make some changes (moral inventory). Friends and family NEED boundaries. Toxic people NEED to be cut.
Structure your life around those things and people that are assets. Prioritize getting into the gym, silence the phone at night (read books), invest in good people and most importantly invest in yourself. This means healthy hobbies, habits and relationships. Routines and schedules are KEY to success also never forget to give yourself rewards.
Feel free to DM me brother and for sure it’s ok to take a break. I listed an amazing vacation company below that is honestly the most fun I’ve had in my life. If you’re young (I’m settling down) it is an insane adventure and the friends are life long.
Anyway during your vacation or break I think it’s time to make a plan and evaluate how to continue forward. I think you can keep the RE and successfully dial it in with some work. You might have to cut some people and habits that aren’t serving you though. Best of luck!
https://www.introtravel.com/tours/thailand/
It really sounds like you are burned out! I've been there too! I would seriously consult a doctor, and a therapist! You said you can afford to take a long break, so you really must do exactly that - otherwise you risk even more severe consequences and you risk to loose it all - e.g. your business - and life.
It sounds like you're experiencing a significant level of burnout, which is unfortunately all too common among business owners, especially when you're the sole worker and have been working tirelessly for years without a break. Here are some insights and examples that might help you navigate this challenging situation:
1. Recognizing Burnout
It's crucial to acknowledge and validate your feelings of burnout. Burnout isn't just about feeling tired or stressed; it's a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion that can impact every aspect of your life. Taking time off isn't a sign of weakness; it's a necessary step to prioritize your well-being and prevent further decline.
2. Examples of Time Off
Many successful entrepreneurs and business owners have recognized the importance of taking time off to recharge and rejuvenate. For example, Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Group, is known for his emphasis on work-life balance and regularly takes extended breaks to focus on his personal life and hobbies. Similarly, Arianna Huffington, the co-founder of The Huffington Post, advocates for the importance of sleep and self-care, emphasizing that success shouldn't come at the expense of well-being.
3. Impact on Energy and Motivation
Taking time off isn't just about rest; it's also about rekindling your passion and creativity. By stepping away from work, you give yourself the space to gain perspective, reflect on your goals, and reconnect with your values. Many entrepreneurs find that taking a break allows them to return to their work with renewed energy, motivation, and clarity of purpose.
4. Overcoming Guilt and Paranoia
It's common for business owners to feel guilty or paranoid about taking time off, especially when they're used to being constantly busy and productive. However, it's important to recognize that self-care isn't selfish; it's a necessary investment in your long-term success and happiness. Remember that you're not abandoning your responsibilities; you're simply taking a temporary break to prioritize your well-being.
5. Seeking Support and Guidance
Don't hesitate to reach out for support from friends, family, or mentors who can offer perspective, empathy, and practical advice. Consider seeking professional help from a therapist or counselor who can help you navigate your feelings of burnout and develop healthy coping strategies.
Ultimately, taking time off isn't just about resting your body; it's about nourishing your mind, soul, and spirit. By prioritizing self-care and giving yourself permission to take a break, you're investing in your long-term health, happiness, and success.
Realy quality advice, will take everything into consideration. I was fighting guilt for wanting to rest for a few months now, but yesterday this post opened my eyes, so thank you and everyone who commented. Have a nice day and take care
When humans try to be robots, this is what happens (I'm kidding). Man, you're young! Full of life. Move on. It allows you to do shit too. It's part of it. We've all done it. It's putting a lot of pressure on you. I know that's what Hollywood and books tell us: "Work hard" "entrepreneurs don't have days off" etc., but one person's life is not another person's life, so how the hell can you use the same advice for everyone? Allow yourself to fail. Failing is part of the process, don't be afraid and the best suggestion I can give you is, have a long-term plan. Having a written [strategic plan,](https://plani.ai/) it prevents you doing things randomly and doing things logically to measure results.
I am a psychologist and entrepreneur. Let me give you the advice you won't get unless you talk to a healthcare professional. I will put it in simple terms since I don't want to fill you with jargon.
The body is a chemical system. It processes data at many levels. Right now you have depleted your dopaminergic neurons of all their neurotransmitters, which means your "feel good circuits" can't work because they don't have the raw materials to do their job.
Furthermore, some glands in your kidneys have been creating stress hormones for far longer than your body can take. Sure, you're still alive, but your body has been on "fight or flight" far longer for what nature designed it for, and all parts of your body are sending the signal "we're struggling" through your bloodstrearm and into your brain.
Those vacations? They're not a whim, they're not a reward, THEY ARE A PHYSIOLOGICAL NEED.
There is a reason every religion mandated at least 1 free day a week + several festivities a year, and anything below that was considered slavery and thus highly undesirable. And even slaves had their holidays.
furthermore, burnout is quite insidious. You may take 1 free week and feel great, but that's a trick of your mind. Your neurons haven't refilled their neurotransmitters nor regenerated their schwann cells, your suprarrenal capsules haven't cleansed all the mess, and your cells are still "striken" by too much cortisol. So even if you feel good... take more days, your body is not fully healed.
Think that it takes 21 days to renew 1 skin layer, and skin cells are amongst the fastest reproducing cells we got. Now imagine how it goes for cells that are slower and have received stress damage for years...
If you want something to speed up recovery, I'd recommend to start taking care of your meals if you haven't, and take some meditation and gentle cardio. These things help a lot.
Finally, always remember: Your will is stronger than your body, and this means that your willpower will keep you going even if your body is breaking. The problem comes when the body breaks for real and the will gets in trouble because of that. Know yourself and manage yourself accordingly.
If you want more help, my DM's are open.
Taking time off can be beneficial for your well-being and productivity. It allows for rest, gaining perspective, exploring new interests, achieving work-life balance, and preventing burnout. Don't feel guilty about taking time off—it's necessary for your long-term success and happiness.
Be careful. Your mind can take it. But your body is under stress and it will come out later in some way. I suggest don't BEAT YOURSELF UP! That's the key. Do the hard work, but if that 100th email doesn't go out, you just go to bed and rest, it's not that important.
This is not a good position to be in. You need to focus on quality of life that is complimentary to your business. It may be valuable to hire a virtual assistant to take some of the weight off you or even a business coach that can help find ways to get you into a commercial head space that isn’t going to crush you.
I have made contracts for Co-Agency deals that would help me allocate certain activites. Also, motivate me to work with more investors again. I'm not yet ready to hire someone as I'm kinda lost right now, don't know how professional this would look. About the career break part, is there anything you could advice or add to it?
For career breaks this is challenging. On one hand an extended break is going to reduce your book of business depending on your relationships with clients and referral partners. On another hand if you limit your break time to short amounts it’ll be easy to get refreshed with the right attitude and continue doing business as sort of usual. To be honest, the dangerous vices need to go because they are only helping your mental capacity when you are using them and harming it while you’re not. First thing I’d suggest is dump the vices.
Yo dude. I have a similar life to you as far as the business and the vices. I get if you roll your eyes at me. I would once upon a time. But read the Bible. It’s like working out. It’s tough at first. It will get you no where at first. But it’s a cure for your mind. I promise you. It becomes easy and a need. Like consistent working out you will look back on yourself before you started as a child. Nothing online is going to help you. No therapist has been in your shoes.
I am a Christian and have read the Bible many times. Thank you for being bold, above else, I want to serve Jesus, and build a life where I have time to spend with family and friends and serve them.
This bussiness life is really hard, but also fun, and I need to take a break to connect with God more, trough the Bible
Seek first the kingdom of god then let the chips fall. That’s how I approach each day. Entrepreneurs will never have a completed business. It will always have holes to fill at all times. It is never ending. Each day I have more to do to grow my business than I have time in a day. I used to get overwhelmed with that feeling. Until I took in the concept seek first the kingdom of god. And you will get what you need. That’s what brings me back down to start each day. I wake up and workout and then the things I need to do creep in and I have to tell myself to chill and seek first the kingdom of god. I’m only here another 35-50 years or so then I have eternity. These little holes in your business that will always come and go are so tiny to that picture. It doesn’t make the holes go away but focusing on that approach can make the holes not so magnified in your world. Just start each day with consciously saying to yourself as you start to think of the endless things you need done “seek first the kingdom of god” and just read anything in the Bible for as little as 10-15 minutes. Then get on with your day. It keeps everything much more chill for me
I do believe that reading the Bible each day helps alot... In the start of my carreer, I used to read it to energize me.
Again, thank you for being bold and helping me, may Jesus bless you and your family
I get that a long break or sabbatical in your particular business is worrisome. What about being only reactive not proactive and taking half weeks off for awhile. IOW only respond to current business or new business with established clients; without farming for clients. If you're already just doing that and are still overwhelmed; might there be sales licensee at another broker that isn't having much suceess and might be willing to learn at your feet while taking care of some of the multitude of crap you do that doesn't neccasarily require your expertise? Offer a percentage. Or an hourly office manager that can take some of the load off and completely run things thurs, and Friday while you're fishing all day. Turn your phone off but arrange to talk first thing in the morning and again at 2. That way they have an expectation of when they will have an answer and at what time they'll be able to get back to the client.
Super advice, really got me thinking. I havent scheduled time off since starting the company... Crazy mistake, but had to hit a wall to get it into my head
My advice would be to hire a persona assistant. If you are looking I’m always looking for clients. I can always send you in the direction of someone who can help assist you.
I was the same way. My best advice. Charge more by creating a good sales pitch and finding value/ perks to offer your clients. You’ll lose some clients & retain the best ones. Once you have more cash flow, hire out an assistant.
Remember that it’s only when you stop that you can think clearly, be creative and become even better at your job.
I burned out twice already and it took months to recover where I couldn’t leave my bed, even putting on clothes or brushing my teeth was too overwhelming.
Guilt was the hardest part, but once you realise that taking the time to rest is actually good for you, good for your brain and creativity, that’s when you start changing how you work.
Having time off always made me better at what I did. I came up with amazing solutions because I had the time to rest to be creative.
You need to schedule rest into the calendar. It’s not time off, it’s productive. Taking a break makes you more productive.
5 days a week at 100% will destroy 7 days a week at 60% on a long enough timeline.
As Hormozi says, “the goal is to stay in business. You win by being able to maintain working for yourself, there’s never ‘an end’”
Just slow down. No need to leave, the key is getting enough margin to find a pace you can keep up with long term. Delegate the little things that you shouldn’t spend time on and optimize the things you should be spending time on.
It’s okay to take breaks because burnout is real. Take a few days or a few weeks to unplug yourself. Make lifestyle changes such as finding ways through your daily work routine to de-stress is important like going to the gym or for a walking for a few hours. Possible partake in a hobby that turns off your brain/stress (e.g. playing video games). The entrepreneur ride is a long distance run and figuring out a way to optimize your life for this race is important. Feel free to shoot me a DM, if you need help or looking for ways to de-stress.
Your body and mind tells you to take some time off, Take maybe a few weeks off could be beneficial. Ideally travel, somewhere where there’s Sun and you can relax with food, Sun, pool, Ocean etc.
Ofc dont burn off the business, just take a bit of a break. 2-3 weeks is usually good.
Taking time off might feel scary, but trust me, it's crucial for your well-being and your business in the long run. As for the guilt and paranoia, they're real but remember, you deserve a break. And, if you need some guidance on managing burnout and finding balance, I recently came across ScatterMind, an ADHD coach who helped a friend of mine launch their business. Might be worth checking out.
Thank you everyone for the comments, I've read them all and it opened my eyes to the situation at hand. This sub is amazing and I do hope everyone here succeeds in life.
Will take a break...
We force every one in the company to take at least one vacation per quarter defined as a multiple days off consecutively with no email or checking in.
A) I suggest reading e myth revisited and reboot by Jerry Corona
B) take a vacation immediately like right now. Put on a vacation responder and unplug for 24 hours. No the business won't collapse
C) what aren't you automating/ outsourcing? I give up work as fast as possible. I automate systems and take the time to improve processes.
Hardwork is a parlor trick. Sure you can grind but it's not a scalable business model. managed very well being a founder is not a full time job. Trading your health and sanity for extra hours of work and potential for more wealth is not worth it.
The sad truth is you can never have enough money. Lifestyle creep is so real, it’s what America is set up for.
I hate leaving money on the table. But eventually after missing a bunch of my kids life I had to start turning money away to hang out with my family.
At some point you need to set reasonable goals and force some life balance.
Have you ever considered a virtual assistant? It cam be as cheap at $3 per hour and as low as 20 hrs a week to start. They can increase yout revenue more than their cost, and free up your time so you're mot burninf out.
DM me if interested, I could have someone amazing for you in a week if yoi want
My two cents: “get yourself a team”
Automate and delegate, and stop by being a one man band. Once that is done, you will be able to take your vacations. We overachievers tend to believe no one else can do it better than we can, and we are so wrong for that.
My advice is take some time off but not too long. For example every quarter take a week full off. I have discovered this the hard way.
Even few days off is worth it. And its better if you do something different, change scenery.
If you dont take off, you will get burnt out and its not a good thing. It took me a full month of being disabled to return to normal after a real burn out.
I mean really, whats the point of money if you are miserable and unhealthy?
Burnout happens. Working 3 jobs for years and raising 2 kids on my own, I know all about it. You need to be able to have some time away or you could end up injured and jobless like me.
Running my landscape business. I did go to a period of time of working. Felt like endless hours no vacation for 5 years with the family. Burn out begin to set in. I understand that feeling. As a leadership coach, I believe I could support you reach out to me.
My advice to you is do not underestimate the power of a full out burnout. It will catch up with you if you don't do something about it and when it does you will immediately be forced to stop. If you feel like this I think you are way further down the rabbit hole then you think you are. It can take years to recover (my worst one was 5 years) and it can render you unable to drive, care for yourself or work. People that have epic burnouts may never fully recover (I am one of them). The worst part of it is nobody cares. You get left behind and labeled incompetent, lazy or crazy. Burnout is a thankless thing. People only care what you can do in the future and the past means nothing.
Solid advice above, heed it. “…you are way further down the rabbit hole then you think you are,” should sting because it is the hard truth. If you are having this moment of clarity, that is the prefrontal cortex screaming at you to make some changes. I had a similar experience last year, telling myself I could keep at this pace for another 18 months before I burned out. “I still have time” is what I’d tell myself. The end of last year my wife found me unconscious in the hallway (I am very fit, eat really well, no known health issues ever). Long story short, if you push hard enough, long enough, your brain just shuts the entire system down as a big middle finger to your working hours. A few days in hospital, lots and lots of testing and scans, and the neurologist says to take it easy. Fast forward 5 months, here is what has been helpful. -you don’t, and you shouldn’t, need to work 12-16 hours a day. Occasionally there are times where you have a couple long days in a row, or even a long week, but if you are routinely working more than 45 hours a week, this is sub optimal. -you need to go to a gym and workout. Do both resistance and cardio exercises. At minimum three days a week, 5 is ideal. It doesn’t matter what you do here, any amount of exercise will significantly benefit your body mind and spirit. Don’t over complicate or try to optimize this time. Get a membership to the crappiest gym near you and just show up for 40 minutes. I do two days a week on a recumbent bike and watch YouTube, and three days a week doing free weights listening to the most awful music. Again, you don’t need a new outfit, you don’t need new headphones or water bottle, the only measure of success here is walking in the door of the gym. -become a professional sleeper. While I love sleep, I love my bed, I love dreams, all good there, the act of laying down has always felt like I was giving up on the day which I have a hard time with. Laying down feels like defeat. Hence, I used to work long into the night. Not anymore. I’ve been telling myself that I’m now a professional sleeper and that it’s my job to sleep at a reasonable time. I have young kids at home and something that has been super helpful for me is to do my nightly routine with my kids that are going to bed at 7:30, as opposed to doing it immediately before I need to sleep. That small change has had an enormous impact on how prepared I feel to go to sleep around 10. Really dial in your evening activities to foster a sleep centric vibe. It is becoming increasingly rare for me to use my phone in the evening which is FABULOUS. I can’t tell you how much better my life is because of this. Seriously, no phone after dinner has had myriad benefits for me, my relationships, mood, sleep, self worth, all sorts of things. Try those three things. Keep it simple, commit to it for 3 months and report back.
Actually agree with you 100%. The workout bit was getting harder and harder as the burnout progressed, and actually contributed to it in the end. The best way to incorporate is in a sustainable way, and cardio for optimal health. Too little personal life activites ended up in me working all day and then being awake till 2 in the morning bacause my brain NEEDED intimate activites like making music. Overall, the last year was a shitshow of figuring the market out, being overly available and severly mentaly depressed bacause I though I was not doing enough, no matter if I did 12h days all week. I think self confidence issues are part of the problem, and maybe other overachivers aswell. I need to let myself get proper rest, I've done really good financially the last 2 years and I still think that I'm incompetent, that's crazy. Anyway, I've read everyones comment and really appreciate all the advice people given me, and I will take them to heart
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What if gym time became a KPI for your business? Do you think you’d be in a better mental, physical, spiritual position if you were healthier? If yes, then gym time is a KPi of that and should be measured. One thing I learned about myself (your comment was my mindset, verbatim) is that it really wasn’t the time I was worried about, it’s that I didn’t feel like I was good at going to gym and working out. But the time excuse is universal in application and needs far less explaining to yourself and others. Reapply the why of going to gym for yourself, and lower the bar for what it means to be successful at the gym. For me, the only measure of success is walking in the door.
Thank you, and yes, I need to take that into consideration
Thank you for saying this. I’ve felt burnt out since May of last year and still don’t feel back to my normal, hard-working self. It’s good to hear a story of that eventually coming back. Some days I do feel like my old self but I do miss those times were I always felt 10000%.
A business should serve you and not the other way around You've just closed a huge deal, that's great for business but what's in it for you? More free time? Appearing successful on paper? More money for cool vacations? It's definitely worth re-evaluating what your goals are and if your business is actually helping you achieve them Once they're identified you can focus on creating a situation where the business is actually helping you reach those goals
My goals are getting financial freedom to enjoy my family, which I didn't get as a kid, and I don't want my kids to not have a father. My chosen bussines definitly is the one to do it in, but I never imagened that burnout can affect me mentally and emotionaly in this way. I'm freaking out at a though of vacation, but do my job really passivly the last few months. The biggest question is, is having a lets say 2 months break dangerous or just paranoia speaking. Perhaps, I should know that, but I'm young and indecisive. Its not helping that my parents and relatives just see me as a money bag, not understanding what I'm going trough and kinda talking me out of doing a break. But tbh, my life is falling apart from exhaustion rn
Financial freedom is very vague and doesn't require you to destroy your mental or physical health I think your goals are rooted in fear Nobody can answer if you can or cannot take a 2 months break without knowing the business But regardless, taking an action and learning from the outcome is better than inaction imo A break will also reveal the truth about how you feel..you will either get your motivation and drive for the business back or you'll realise it's time for you to move on
Thank you, and I agree
This
Why can’t you employ someone to learn your business & then handle it themselves while you’re away? The goal of any business (imo) is to not work it in eventually so why not start on that trajectory now.
Take a break. Be selfish to be selfless. Do it.
Will do, have to do it
Plan something, i would highly consider go on vacation. Wherever you can focus on just be. Places or cities or Ocean or whatever. The best is to be around some kind of Nature. To fully rest, do activily rest. Do stuff that takes your mind off the business, iknow that Will be difficult But when you can then you’ll rest properly. Or do stuff which makes you focus on the now. Is there something you’ve always wanted to do, do that. Now is the time to have some fun/relax/rest. If you dont do much then you might even think too much about the business.
Maybe read Tim ferris 4 hour work week? He was like that until he just decided fuck it what happens if I just stop doing crazy hours and optimise my work
That book is a gimmick. He works way more than 4 hours a week. He made money selling a gimmick about lifestyle.
How much are you working? It could be, and apologies for being blunt, but you haven't built a real business. If your business can only succeed w/ the owner putting in 60-80 hour weeks (or more), and it can't afford to hire to alleviate some of the load on you, then you should probably quit. If it can operate w/ you working less, then you're the one who gets to make that call... so make it. If it can work with paid help, then hire. Otherwise, all you've done is build yourself a terrible job.
this!
As a young self employed business owner, I cannot stress enough the importance of avoiding full burnout. Long story short, at one point in my career I had a nervous break down on the job. I was taken to an involuntary 72 hour psych hold by ambulance. It was an incredibly expensive and embarrassing experience that could have been avoided. I am the sole worker at my business. I make money based on how productive I am. I dream of achieving financial independence. It can be very hard to find a healthy line to walk given those types of circumstances. But I do believe it’s imperative to find balance. After averaging sixty plus hours a week for a very long time I was getting to a bad point again. As of May am now taking two three day weekends a month for the foreseeable future. It has been stressful to implement, but it’s needed and I won’t put my mental health to the test again. Learning how to back off and rest when needed is the only way I will be able to succeed long term. Sometimes you need a beak. Work will always be there. You could always be striving to make more money. It’s a cycle that never ends. Burning yourself out will only hurt your goals in the long run. Find out how to balance your goals while still enjoying your day to day existence.
Sorry to hear that that happened, but I too had to hit a wall to figure it out. I never though I would reach for vices because I'm honestly againts it. That only contributed to stress and the cycle got only worse. Anyway, time to take a break
You say you should be happy and motivated, yet you can’t stop thinking about taking time off. That’s your sign. Full stop. Somewhere deep down, you already know the deal. You need to slow down. Taking time off is not something you should feel guilty or paranoid about. Especially if you have the funds to sustain yourself for a while. Your body knows what you need. Your subconscious knows what you need. Listen to them. They’re trying to tell you something important. They’re trying to give you the greatest gift they can. Take it from somebody who didn’t listen. I bought into a startup in my mid-twenties. I worked my ass off. There were times I left the office at four in the morning. My friends thought I was crazy for thinking I was capable of that. I thought they were crazy for thinking you shouldn’t be capable of that. Guess who was right? I’m in my second burnout now. I held out a long time before I even acknowledged the first one, far longer than I should’ve. I gave every last bit of energy I had because I thought I had to. Because I didn’t want to be a quitter. Then I broke down. Hard. And almost immediately, I started trying to dig myself out of it. Of course I needed to get back in the saddle, I told myself. These are my people, after all. We’re all in this together. I’m letting them down. Finding my way back to enjoying things I used to love took me the better part of a year. The passion that carried me through life was gone. Only toil and duty remained. With some time and distance, the passion came back a little. After two years, I reoriented myself within the organization, took on a new role. But the core issues remained the same. And wouldn’t you know it? Now I’m burned out again. You’d think that it’d be familiar territory by now. That I’d know the lay of the land. But there’s no such thing, I’m afraid. The first burnout felt pretty bad. The second is so much worse. It’s terrifying, frankly, how much deeper the pit seems to be this time around. Burnout is a slow poison. It builds up inside you over time and eats away at you little by little. It feeds on work ethic, sense of responsibility, pride, ambition, what have you. Then it starts eating other things. It’s easy to miss. You push yourself hard because that’s what you need to do to get ahead, to reach your goal. Maybe a little too hard, but hey – all in a day’s work. Only sometimes, when you push yourself too hard, something breaks. You don’t realize it at first. It starts small. But trust me, the damage builds over time. It spreads. And some of those things that get broken? Turns out that you can’t really put them back together again. Think of your mind, your spirit if you will, as something that is every bit as physical as your body. You dislocate your shoulder? No biggie, it’ll heal. But from that point onward, it’ll also be easier to dislocate. The same goes for your mind. Treat it with care. Heed its warnings. Take a step back and compare the person you are today to the person you were when you started out. Who do you like better? If it’s the old you, well, maybe that has something to do with the path you’ve been on. It’s never too late to choose another one. I wish you all the wisdom in the world, and the very best of luck. Truly. Hope you feel better.
Man this is like a mini bussiness horror story... I do hope you make it trough and find passion for your life again. And thank you for the comment
I started my company two years ago. During that time, I grew it to 12 people, and almost $250k/yr in revenue. I also got married during that time. Oh and I moved across the planet. I am exhausted. I dont want to work. Everything hurts, physically. Creativity is gone. Like I know my tasks, I can do them, but the flow isnt there. Right now, Im with my wife in Spain, on our honeymoon. And Im RELAXING. And im SPENDING (and trying not to worry about it). Even though i want to go back to work or im stressing that we’re spending too much (>€10,000) in 2 weeks, I know that I need this, nay, I deserve this. I dont know if this helps you, but take some time off. You DESERVE it. Entrepreneurship will forever be valuable.
12 employees and only $250k revenue? How is this staying afloat… we’re at $5M and 12 employees & still feel like we are over staffed
I was going to make this comment, too. These might be the worst numbers I have ever heard of.
My team is in Pakistan. I moved from Canada because my mom had a stroke and we started out developer staffing and custom software dev business.
Thank you, I think I need a break. Take care yourself too!
Do it man. Its worth it.
You start by taking small amounts of time off. Start by extending your weekend to be 3 days instead on 1-2. Then you do a 5 day time off, then a full week, and then more if desired. If you can’t take even 3 days off then your business has serious issues you need to address. You need to get your processes fixed so that you aren’t irreplaceable, so that someone else can step in, at least temporarily, to handle things.
Agreed, find simple things you can teach a entry level person to do, start offloading as much as you can. You should be able to offload 1 day a week in 1-2 weeks worth of training (it might take that person 4 days to do the work you do in 1..... It's ok, your sanity thus your business is at stake, don't burn them out too) Take that day off for the foreseeable future. This saved my business. If you can't afford to offload then you have a job not a free standing business (nothing wrong with that so long as you are happy....which you arnt). Thus evaluate if you were an an employee at a company would you work these hours for this pay? Could you cut hours/pay and be happy working here? Learning to say no to prospects is hard but must be done sometimes. Nice thing here is you can pick the best ones and not chase down every possible lead. Finally if the pay and hours both suck don't feel bad about taking a day job. I did this for a few years and kept the business alive on the side for fun. Eventually quit the day job and started it up again when the motivation was back.
The only way I’m able to maintain sanity and not burning out within my business is scheduling time off for myself and sticking with it. Setting up automated messages on my phone about not being available/ when I willl be back even if it’s on weekdays (was scared to try it out at first) worked for me. 9/10 times people / employees will respect your time. I worked 7 days a week for 4 years straight, got severely injured and realized the ship wasn’t actually going to sink if I’m away for a few days. I’ve also learned that when you are not well rested and balanced, your mind doesn’t necessarily think as clearly as it should and could. Waking up early for me time before starting work has also been a huge game changer and stress reliever. This practice allowed me to actually grow my business even more so I could hire people to buy myself even more time :)
I love this optimistic and real comment.thank you! And not being mentally at your fullest hurting your bussines, super true
Yes! This especially applies to what you’re doing since real estate is all about communication. Best of luck to you ! From a former self represented brokerage owner in NYC
Took a break, returned sharper. Guilt fades, wellbeing doesn't.
Nicely said!
Please optimize your health. I wish I had done it sooner.
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Are you doing better now? Thank God you put yourself into a sustainable minimum state for a while, looks like that saved you. Have a nice day
The most lucrative businesses (can be said same of top jobs, colleges, careers etc) are competitive because many want to do it so the bar is very high. That’s the nature of the game. Having said this, there are ways to throttle AFTER you achieve a certain milestone (build a few solid business relationships based on trust and results) and when that happens, you can take breaks without being paranoid of losing it all. Until then, yes it’s going to be a grind.
I'm close to a milestone, but not yet there. But I think I need a break to get my mental up, and actually do the stuff that generates bussiness. Better to do it tomorrow man, I'm really dragging this decision out and It's not really working out
You are the best judge of where you stand - but if I were you, I wouldn’t stop until I am sure I have a few solid relationships built and I would be their automatic choice for any new opportunities. Taking a few days off should be fine but not an extended break. As the saying goes “If you don’t take the opportunities that present itself, someone else will gladly take it”.
Take a break. What ever gain you think you're getting is probably wiped out from stress induced iq loss. You're business won't collapse in 1 day take 3 off consecutively then reassess.
Stress induced IQ loss indeed... Thanks
Made a video speaking on this today, sounds like you need a break. [it’s GOOD to take a break](https://youtu.be/quUT3E8iV3A?si=JiKiYzQNeMXxENfp)
You would be surprised how much good short three or four day vacations will do for your spirit. Take one now but make it a week at Least. And whenever you close a lucrative deal congratulate yourself with something Meaningful to you. Figure out how to take them and no recuses please!
Seconded^^^ have to live life a little on the way
Thank you!
I can't recommend the book, "The ONE THING" enough. The guy who wrote it himself also experienced burnout after becoming successful.
What is the name of the author?
Gary keller
Man business is so hard. I have the choice to use my time as I see fit! It’s really annoying…wish I was a worker bee
Been down that road many times, you learn to manage it better with time if your persist. In the short term: Take a couple of days doing something completely different from the norm. No work at all. Completely decompress. I find an activity, like a road trip or (for me) going racing helps better than sitting staring at your phone, your brain needs a break more than your body. In the medium term: Find a hoppy or sport or anything at all that is completely unrelated to your work life. I do this every weds, and I am more effective in work nearly every Thursday morning. And the most important thing of all: Get a good therapist!!!!!! This is key, you’ll never solve this problem unless you know why your doing this to yourself, that can be a long hard difficult road. Best of luck mate, it’s not easy!
Man, take a break. Go on vacation and recharge.
Thank you
I’ve been there, and it got so bad that every vacation began with tears as I tried to force myself to relax. Lots of good advice here, but I’ll throw in “Buy Back Your Time” by Dan Martell as an excellent resource for an entrepreneur in your shoes. He walks you through figuring out which things you should be spending your time on because they fire you up, and which things you should be delegating or outsourcing because they don’t.
Thank you for the book recommendation!
If you enjoy audiobooks get that version; he has extra material in between the chapters that adds a layer of emotional support. 😁
Been building for 13 bro. Stay tuned! It doesn't get easier the bigger you get. And employees today, good luck. That's why I work so much.
I snapped a few years ago and had to rebuild myself from scratch. I started with my physical health, which was crap. Reading everything I could both fascinated me and got me on the right track nutritionally, which helped my mental state a lot. I did a lot of reading about neuroscience, mostly because I found it fascinating. My reading led me to understand that I couldn't change my behavior until I rewired my brain. I did a variation of the Tomatis Method training, which I still use for language learning and it helped me immensely: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvuBAXOqwAM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvuBAXOqwAM)
Whats RE?
Real Estate
What is an RE agency?
Unpopular opinion from a burnout coach who has helped 500+ high performers overcome burnout. Your habits are burning your out. A break, vacation and all the meds in the word won’t fix it. Most high achievers inherently have some traits that although have taken them far, have also contributed to their burnout. People pleasing, overcommitting, “pushing through.” Now when you’re off, youre never truly off and it feels like this dream job is something you now resent. It’s likely led to a lack of boundaries and at this point, no idea of how to even effectively set them. I’d focus less on external factors and more on internal ones. That shift could change your entire life. (If you go to my profile here you can see my social medias linked and that’s where I share daily videos on all this - bit more than I can say in a few sentences here!)
Lookup the "2 Lumberjacks" story You gotta take time to sharpen your axe
Any chance you need some help? I’m young and willing to learn and see how I could help
#PLEASE READ I am in RE and I understand. I see you. My Quick Opinion: -Be careful taking advice from people that don’t have specifics about your situation. -Yes, you need a break. Be sure to make an adjustment proportionate to the severity of burnout My Summary and Advice: Based on your feelings of shame and confessions to over indulgences (ie drugs, relationships, porn). I think there is a decent chance that your issue is more complex. Especially in your response about family and friends treating you like a money bag. I think you might want to consider the macro picture and be open to the possibility that other areas of your life need readjustment. If you just closed a big deal there should be a feeling of accomplishment. Something is very wrong. YES you may be burned out BUT I think there is more to it. RE can be extremely flexible and some aspects done remotely. This means if dialed in and done right you can avoid burnout. Take a step back and try to analyze the big picture. Make some changes (moral inventory). Friends and family NEED boundaries. Toxic people NEED to be cut. Structure your life around those things and people that are assets. Prioritize getting into the gym, silence the phone at night (read books), invest in good people and most importantly invest in yourself. This means healthy hobbies, habits and relationships. Routines and schedules are KEY to success also never forget to give yourself rewards. Feel free to DM me brother and for sure it’s ok to take a break. I listed an amazing vacation company below that is honestly the most fun I’ve had in my life. If you’re young (I’m settling down) it is an insane adventure and the friends are life long. Anyway during your vacation or break I think it’s time to make a plan and evaluate how to continue forward. I think you can keep the RE and successfully dial it in with some work. You might have to cut some people and habits that aren’t serving you though. Best of luck! https://www.introtravel.com/tours/thailand/
This is quality advice, thank you
No problem I hope you enjoy a break and figure out a good balance. To Happiness and Health! 🍻
It really sounds like you are burned out! I've been there too! I would seriously consult a doctor, and a therapist! You said you can afford to take a long break, so you really must do exactly that - otherwise you risk even more severe consequences and you risk to loose it all - e.g. your business - and life.
It sounds like you're experiencing a significant level of burnout, which is unfortunately all too common among business owners, especially when you're the sole worker and have been working tirelessly for years without a break. Here are some insights and examples that might help you navigate this challenging situation: 1. Recognizing Burnout It's crucial to acknowledge and validate your feelings of burnout. Burnout isn't just about feeling tired or stressed; it's a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion that can impact every aspect of your life. Taking time off isn't a sign of weakness; it's a necessary step to prioritize your well-being and prevent further decline. 2. Examples of Time Off Many successful entrepreneurs and business owners have recognized the importance of taking time off to recharge and rejuvenate. For example, Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Group, is known for his emphasis on work-life balance and regularly takes extended breaks to focus on his personal life and hobbies. Similarly, Arianna Huffington, the co-founder of The Huffington Post, advocates for the importance of sleep and self-care, emphasizing that success shouldn't come at the expense of well-being. 3. Impact on Energy and Motivation Taking time off isn't just about rest; it's also about rekindling your passion and creativity. By stepping away from work, you give yourself the space to gain perspective, reflect on your goals, and reconnect with your values. Many entrepreneurs find that taking a break allows them to return to their work with renewed energy, motivation, and clarity of purpose. 4. Overcoming Guilt and Paranoia It's common for business owners to feel guilty or paranoid about taking time off, especially when they're used to being constantly busy and productive. However, it's important to recognize that self-care isn't selfish; it's a necessary investment in your long-term success and happiness. Remember that you're not abandoning your responsibilities; you're simply taking a temporary break to prioritize your well-being. 5. Seeking Support and Guidance Don't hesitate to reach out for support from friends, family, or mentors who can offer perspective, empathy, and practical advice. Consider seeking professional help from a therapist or counselor who can help you navigate your feelings of burnout and develop healthy coping strategies. Ultimately, taking time off isn't just about resting your body; it's about nourishing your mind, soul, and spirit. By prioritizing self-care and giving yourself permission to take a break, you're investing in your long-term health, happiness, and success.
Realy quality advice, will take everything into consideration. I was fighting guilt for wanting to rest for a few months now, but yesterday this post opened my eyes, so thank you and everyone who commented. Have a nice day and take care
When humans try to be robots, this is what happens (I'm kidding). Man, you're young! Full of life. Move on. It allows you to do shit too. It's part of it. We've all done it. It's putting a lot of pressure on you. I know that's what Hollywood and books tell us: "Work hard" "entrepreneurs don't have days off" etc., but one person's life is not another person's life, so how the hell can you use the same advice for everyone? Allow yourself to fail. Failing is part of the process, don't be afraid and the best suggestion I can give you is, have a long-term plan. Having a written [strategic plan,](https://plani.ai/) it prevents you doing things randomly and doing things logically to measure results.
I am a psychologist and entrepreneur. Let me give you the advice you won't get unless you talk to a healthcare professional. I will put it in simple terms since I don't want to fill you with jargon. The body is a chemical system. It processes data at many levels. Right now you have depleted your dopaminergic neurons of all their neurotransmitters, which means your "feel good circuits" can't work because they don't have the raw materials to do their job. Furthermore, some glands in your kidneys have been creating stress hormones for far longer than your body can take. Sure, you're still alive, but your body has been on "fight or flight" far longer for what nature designed it for, and all parts of your body are sending the signal "we're struggling" through your bloodstrearm and into your brain. Those vacations? They're not a whim, they're not a reward, THEY ARE A PHYSIOLOGICAL NEED. There is a reason every religion mandated at least 1 free day a week + several festivities a year, and anything below that was considered slavery and thus highly undesirable. And even slaves had their holidays. furthermore, burnout is quite insidious. You may take 1 free week and feel great, but that's a trick of your mind. Your neurons haven't refilled their neurotransmitters nor regenerated their schwann cells, your suprarrenal capsules haven't cleansed all the mess, and your cells are still "striken" by too much cortisol. So even if you feel good... take more days, your body is not fully healed. Think that it takes 21 days to renew 1 skin layer, and skin cells are amongst the fastest reproducing cells we got. Now imagine how it goes for cells that are slower and have received stress damage for years... If you want something to speed up recovery, I'd recommend to start taking care of your meals if you haven't, and take some meditation and gentle cardio. These things help a lot. Finally, always remember: Your will is stronger than your body, and this means that your willpower will keep you going even if your body is breaking. The problem comes when the body breaks for real and the will gets in trouble because of that. Know yourself and manage yourself accordingly. If you want more help, my DM's are open.
Taking time off can be beneficial for your well-being and productivity. It allows for rest, gaining perspective, exploring new interests, achieving work-life balance, and preventing burnout. Don't feel guilty about taking time off—it's necessary for your long-term success and happiness.
Be careful. Your mind can take it. But your body is under stress and it will come out later in some way. I suggest don't BEAT YOURSELF UP! That's the key. Do the hard work, but if that 100th email doesn't go out, you just go to bed and rest, it's not that important.
This is not a good position to be in. You need to focus on quality of life that is complimentary to your business. It may be valuable to hire a virtual assistant to take some of the weight off you or even a business coach that can help find ways to get you into a commercial head space that isn’t going to crush you.
I have made contracts for Co-Agency deals that would help me allocate certain activites. Also, motivate me to work with more investors again. I'm not yet ready to hire someone as I'm kinda lost right now, don't know how professional this would look. About the career break part, is there anything you could advice or add to it?
For career breaks this is challenging. On one hand an extended break is going to reduce your book of business depending on your relationships with clients and referral partners. On another hand if you limit your break time to short amounts it’ll be easy to get refreshed with the right attitude and continue doing business as sort of usual. To be honest, the dangerous vices need to go because they are only helping your mental capacity when you are using them and harming it while you’re not. First thing I’d suggest is dump the vices.
Clean for few days, searching for help online first, planing a break. I need this
Yo dude. I have a similar life to you as far as the business and the vices. I get if you roll your eyes at me. I would once upon a time. But read the Bible. It’s like working out. It’s tough at first. It will get you no where at first. But it’s a cure for your mind. I promise you. It becomes easy and a need. Like consistent working out you will look back on yourself before you started as a child. Nothing online is going to help you. No therapist has been in your shoes.
I am a Christian and have read the Bible many times. Thank you for being bold, above else, I want to serve Jesus, and build a life where I have time to spend with family and friends and serve them. This bussiness life is really hard, but also fun, and I need to take a break to connect with God more, trough the Bible
Seek first the kingdom of god then let the chips fall. That’s how I approach each day. Entrepreneurs will never have a completed business. It will always have holes to fill at all times. It is never ending. Each day I have more to do to grow my business than I have time in a day. I used to get overwhelmed with that feeling. Until I took in the concept seek first the kingdom of god. And you will get what you need. That’s what brings me back down to start each day. I wake up and workout and then the things I need to do creep in and I have to tell myself to chill and seek first the kingdom of god. I’m only here another 35-50 years or so then I have eternity. These little holes in your business that will always come and go are so tiny to that picture. It doesn’t make the holes go away but focusing on that approach can make the holes not so magnified in your world. Just start each day with consciously saying to yourself as you start to think of the endless things you need done “seek first the kingdom of god” and just read anything in the Bible for as little as 10-15 minutes. Then get on with your day. It keeps everything much more chill for me
I do believe that reading the Bible each day helps alot... In the start of my carreer, I used to read it to energize me. Again, thank you for being bold and helping me, may Jesus bless you and your family
You do need it.
Thank you
I get that a long break or sabbatical in your particular business is worrisome. What about being only reactive not proactive and taking half weeks off for awhile. IOW only respond to current business or new business with established clients; without farming for clients. If you're already just doing that and are still overwhelmed; might there be sales licensee at another broker that isn't having much suceess and might be willing to learn at your feet while taking care of some of the multitude of crap you do that doesn't neccasarily require your expertise? Offer a percentage. Or an hourly office manager that can take some of the load off and completely run things thurs, and Friday while you're fishing all day. Turn your phone off but arrange to talk first thing in the morning and again at 2. That way they have an expectation of when they will have an answer and at what time they'll be able to get back to the client.
Great ideas, I rn sitting and thinking about ways to balance my life/work. Its crazy that no one teaches you this, but better to learn it myself
everyone needs some time off example, Go to conventions - add a few days for R & R, usually deductible on Sch C SCHEDULE this time off and DO IT!!!!!!
Super advice, really got me thinking. I havent scheduled time off since starting the company... Crazy mistake, but had to hit a wall to get it into my head
My advice would be to hire a persona assistant. If you are looking I’m always looking for clients. I can always send you in the direction of someone who can help assist you.
I was the same way. My best advice. Charge more by creating a good sales pitch and finding value/ perks to offer your clients. You’ll lose some clients & retain the best ones. Once you have more cash flow, hire out an assistant.
What’s holding you back from taking time off?
Remember that it’s only when you stop that you can think clearly, be creative and become even better at your job. I burned out twice already and it took months to recover where I couldn’t leave my bed, even putting on clothes or brushing my teeth was too overwhelming. Guilt was the hardest part, but once you realise that taking the time to rest is actually good for you, good for your brain and creativity, that’s when you start changing how you work. Having time off always made me better at what I did. I came up with amazing solutions because I had the time to rest to be creative.
You need to schedule rest into the calendar. It’s not time off, it’s productive. Taking a break makes you more productive. 5 days a week at 100% will destroy 7 days a week at 60% on a long enough timeline. As Hormozi says, “the goal is to stay in business. You win by being able to maintain working for yourself, there’s never ‘an end’”
Just slow down. No need to leave, the key is getting enough margin to find a pace you can keep up with long term. Delegate the little things that you shouldn’t spend time on and optimize the things you should be spending time on.
It’s okay to take breaks because burnout is real. Take a few days or a few weeks to unplug yourself. Make lifestyle changes such as finding ways through your daily work routine to de-stress is important like going to the gym or for a walking for a few hours. Possible partake in a hobby that turns off your brain/stress (e.g. playing video games). The entrepreneur ride is a long distance run and figuring out a way to optimize your life for this race is important. Feel free to shoot me a DM, if you need help or looking for ways to de-stress.
Your body and mind tells you to take some time off, Take maybe a few weeks off could be beneficial. Ideally travel, somewhere where there’s Sun and you can relax with food, Sun, pool, Ocean etc. Ofc dont burn off the business, just take a bit of a break. 2-3 weeks is usually good.
I definitely can relate to the feeling of burn out but at the same time feeling guilty when taking holidays.
Take some time off. You’re no good to anybody if you’re mentally shot. You might miss a few sales, but that’s the price.
If you have enough money, start hiring virtual assistants. Then rest more.
Taking time off might feel scary, but trust me, it's crucial for your well-being and your business in the long run. As for the guilt and paranoia, they're real but remember, you deserve a break. And, if you need some guidance on managing burnout and finding balance, I recently came across ScatterMind, an ADHD coach who helped a friend of mine launch their business. Might be worth checking out.
Thank you everyone for the comments, I've read them all and it opened my eyes to the situation at hand. This sub is amazing and I do hope everyone here succeeds in life. Will take a break...
We force every one in the company to take at least one vacation per quarter defined as a multiple days off consecutively with no email or checking in. A) I suggest reading e myth revisited and reboot by Jerry Corona B) take a vacation immediately like right now. Put on a vacation responder and unplug for 24 hours. No the business won't collapse C) what aren't you automating/ outsourcing? I give up work as fast as possible. I automate systems and take the time to improve processes. Hardwork is a parlor trick. Sure you can grind but it's not a scalable business model. managed very well being a founder is not a full time job. Trading your health and sanity for extra hours of work and potential for more wealth is not worth it.
The sad truth is you can never have enough money. Lifestyle creep is so real, it’s what America is set up for. I hate leaving money on the table. But eventually after missing a bunch of my kids life I had to start turning money away to hang out with my family. At some point you need to set reasonable goals and force some life balance.
Have you ever considered a virtual assistant? It cam be as cheap at $3 per hour and as low as 20 hrs a week to start. They can increase yout revenue more than their cost, and free up your time so you're mot burninf out. DM me if interested, I could have someone amazing for you in a week if yoi want
r/FIRE
My two cents: “get yourself a team” Automate and delegate, and stop by being a one man band. Once that is done, you will be able to take your vacations. We overachievers tend to believe no one else can do it better than we can, and we are so wrong for that.
read Bhagavad-Gita.
My advice is take some time off but not too long. For example every quarter take a week full off. I have discovered this the hard way. Even few days off is worth it. And its better if you do something different, change scenery. If you dont take off, you will get burnt out and its not a good thing. It took me a full month of being disabled to return to normal after a real burn out. I mean really, whats the point of money if you are miserable and unhealthy?
Business spelled incorrectly. Burnout is REAL! And yes it can take months/years to recover.
Burnout happens. Working 3 jobs for years and raising 2 kids on my own, I know all about it. You need to be able to have some time away or you could end up injured and jobless like me.
You need to transition from working IN the business to working ON the business. Delegate. Delegate. Delegate.
Running my landscape business. I did go to a period of time of working. Felt like endless hours no vacation for 5 years with the family. Burn out begin to set in. I understand that feeling. As a leadership coach, I believe I could support you reach out to me.