Hi Jenna, 

I don’t even know where to start? I left my job in pursuit of my dreams and I envisioned days hanging on the couch in my yoga pants, mid-day naps, cuddle sessions with my dog, and travels abroad. But guess what? My reality looks anything like what I envisioned. I feel like I left my 9-5 in hopes of finding balance and instead I am working around the clock 24/7. I am getting burned out, I feel like I am never caught up, and I am seriously questioning if I made the right move in taking that leap of faith. 

I need HELP!

Sincerely, Stressed Out Girlboss 

Hi friend,

Oh, how I felt a giant pang in my heart when I read your message (and no, it wasn’t heartburn!) I know what you’re going through and my heart goes out to you. I need you to trust me when I tell you this is just a season and it too, will pass. So, how can I offer help in having you avoid the burnout and get back on track (and closer to that dream that you had imagined before leaping into full-time girlboss mode?)

Let me tell you three things that need to happen in order to see a change:

1.) You need to set boundaries:

There needs to be a start and ending point to when you are working each and every day. You need to have a time when you close your office doors, shut down your computer, close all of your apps and decompress. If you’re always “on” you will be on your way to burn out… and I don’t want that.

• Set a schedule for yourself and stick to it, even if you didn’t accomplish all you wanted to. Prioritize each day so you’re starting on what’s most important.
• Communicate your availability with your clients and tell them your preferred mode of communication (no one likes 11PM texts about work, no one.)
• Create time for rest: book a massage, get a pedicure, set aside a day to do nothing and fight the urge to book up your computer.

2.) You must give yourself rest and facilitate that: 

There was a time in my business where I felt the world would end if I didn’t stick to my blog schedule or if I took 8 hours to respond to an email. That time had me on pins and needles, stressed and anxious. I wasn’t running my business, my business was running me – and that’s no fun.

• Go on vacation, prep your work ahead of time, set it, schedule it, and forget it. The world will not end if you take a week off, take care of your clients before you leave, let them know you’ll be gone, and trust that you’ve built a business that facilitates rest!
• Don’t forget the things that make you come alive (outside of your business!) Go to yoga, join a gym, participate in a Bible study, join a book club, or start a walking club. When your life revolves around work, your work doesn’t give you time for life – it becomes your life.
• If you’re able to, hire help, so that you can step away when you need it and let your assistant handle it. Having a hand in my business allows me to actually disconnect in a meaningful, intentional way.

3.) Systemize your business: 

Are you writing the same email more than once? Doing the same process over and over again? Finding yourself trying to reinvent the wheel with every new client? Yeah, that’s going to burn you on out because instead of focusing on what you love, you’re stuck doing all the monotonous parts of your business. The more systems you can have, the better and easier it is to run your biz.

• Create and use email templates for things that you will do more than once. You can personalize them, they need not be cold, but they will give you structure needed to respond in a heartfelt branded way!
• Get a studio management software (I LOVE Honeybook!) to help keep all of your client communications, contracts, payments in one place. When you have a home for it and a process around it, it becomes less daunting and more organized.
• Find a workflow that works for you and give yourself time and space to work through it. I will shut off my wifi, turn off my phone, put on good music, grab a cup of coffee and create so that I can’t be distracted and my mind can focus.

These three tips will help you run your business and not feel like it’s running you! I promise that the life you were dreaming about IS possible, it just takes some work, a whole lot of grace, and systems to make it happen. Give yourself a break, but also give yourself rest and take a step back. Small tweaks can make giant impact, I promise.