Entrepreneur burnout: 10 warning signs

According to a 2022 article published by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) and Nexium Canada, half of small business owners said they are struggling with mental health issues. It’s no wonder, after two years of a very difficult pandemic, small business owners are now facing issues such as labour shortages, supply difficulties, rising inflation and high interest rates. Pressures are mounting.

In addition, they often wear many hats within their business, work more than 40 hours a week and often take little to no pay or vacation time. When the workload and stress get overwhelming, the risk of burnout is high. If you are a small business owner, you should be aware of the warning signs of burnout. But first, let’s define what burnout is.

What is burnout ?

Burnout, also called “professional exhaustion”, can be very similar to depression. It refers to a state of extensive fatigue, stress and physical and mental exhaustion that results from the work environment. Recognizing the symptoms of burnout can help lead to prevention rather than cure.

Here are the top ten symptoms of burnout :

1. You are experiencing physical symptoms

Your body is talking to you. Are you experiencing persistent fatigue, back or stomach aches, muscle pain or migraines? Do you have trouble sleeping, increased sensitivity to infections and illnesses or skin problems? See a doctor and be careful! You probably need to rest.

2. You no longer enjoy your work

You used to love your job so much, but now you feel like you are wasting your time and no longer fulfilling your professional potential. You continue to work, but on autopilot, without the slightest pleasure.

3. You are becoming cynical about your work

You feel detached or distant from your work. You may even have negative or cynical thoughts about your work, even though you used to be so passionate about it. Little by little, you are starting to become very frustrated.

4. You feel lonely and isolated

As the sole head of your business, you feel entirely responsible for its future. Every decision depends on you and this responsibility weighs heavily. Of course, you don’t want to let your employees notice anything, because your role as an entrepreneur is to look strong in every situation. As a result, you withdraw into yourself and feel an immense sense of loneliness. Because you want to do everything possible to keep your business afloat, you spend your time at work and neglect your personal life. This reinforces your isolation.

5. You are irritable and go from anger to despair

As a perfectionist, you believe that no one can do the job as well as you. But your high standards lead you to spend all your time at work and feel constantly dissatisfied. You then become irritable with those around you, while also feeling discouraged.

6. You are in a state of constant stress

You have put your business’s success ahead of your personal needs since you created it. You work hard and even when you are at home, your brain never takes a break. At night, you think about your work problems, which keeps you awake. As a result, you can’t recharge and can never switch off. You are in a permanent state of stress.

7. You have no energy

Even when you go to bed early, you wake up tired, with a feeling of emptiness. You used to be so efficient, but now you have a hard time doing the simplest tasks. Everything seems to take longer and you don’t feel motivated. You also find it difficult to concentrate and sometimes even to communicate.

8. You make a lot of mistakes

Because of the stress and fatigue, you make many more mistakes than usual and forget to do things. You are much less efficient than you used to be and feel overwhelmed by all your responsibilities.

9. You are experiencing psychological distress

You used to be in a happy mood, but now you spend a lot of time brooding. You feel a sense of failure and anxiety.

10. You consume more to decompress

To relieve your stress and numb the pain, you consume more and more alcohol, drugs, coffee and cigarettes. At night, you escape into social networks and video games.

Your mental health has a major impact on your business success. Until you get better, you won’t be able to perform properly as an entrepreneur and this will affect your business finances. If you are experiencing many of these symptoms, you are close to burnout and should seek help from a health professional of course, but also from a financial professional. At Raymond Chabot, we regularly meet entrepreneurs in the same situation as yours. You are not alone. We have the expertise you need to help you. Contact us today. The smooth running of your business depends on your physical and mental health. Taking care of yourself and recovering your mental serenity is essential.