There’s a lot of talk about burnout in the entrepreneurial community. Stress, time management, mental health, and self-care are all worthy buzzwords that play a significant part in the conversation. But one of the biggest contributing factors to burnout for small business owners?
Loneliness.12
Entrepreneurship, especially solopreneurship, is isolating by nature. Specifically in the beginning stages of owning and operating a business, our teams are small or nonexistent but our task list is never ending. The time spent creating our product, packing late-night orders, or problem-solving to meet client deadlines often requires sacrificing connection or social interaction in other areas of our lives. Sometimes that sacrifice is worth it–we wouldn’t choose entrepreneurship if we didn’t believe that–but success shouldn’t come at the cost of a strong community.
Here are three ways to set up structures to fight loneliness as a small business owner:
Coworking
As a copywriter, I spend a lot of quality time with my laptop. I often arrive at the designated end of my work day to realize I have said nothing out loud the entire day. That’s my biggest cue to spend the next day coworking–whether in a designated coworking space, a simple relocation to a coffee shop, or an intentional working meet-up with a friend. Simply sharing space with another person shifts energy for the better and pushes back on any lingering sense of isolation.
Seeking Out Mentors
Entrepreneurs are problem-solvers by nature, but that doesn’t mean we have to know it all. Tap into the wisdom of those further along in their entrepreneurial journey. Some of the most encouraging words to hear are “you’re not alone in that struggle” or “I had those same questions when I was where you are.” We shouldn’t be cheating ourselves by trying to figure everything out alone.
Investing in Real Friendships with Other Entrepreneurs
Networking from scratch takes a significant amount of effort and initiative, and has its necessary place.
But business relationships can feel exhausting if they’re only about networking or the sale. Seek out an entrepreneur friend or two who you can be real with. Talk about the challenges, the exhaustion, and the frustrations. Celebrate the wins, set and work towards goals together, and be one another’s brainstorming point person. Regardless of if your businesses are in remotely the same industry, that connection will prove meaningful.
Here’s to healthy, vibrant entrepreneurial communities in 2022!
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1 Claude Fernet, Olivier Torrès, Stéphanie Austin, Josée St-Pierre, The psychological costs of owning and managing an SME: Linking job stressors, occupational loneliness, entrepreneurial orientation, and burnout, Burnout Research, Volume 3, Issue 2, 2016, Pages 45-53, ISSN 2213-0586, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.burn.2016.03.002. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213058615300097)
2 https://reader.elsevier.com/reader/sd/pii/S2213058615300097?token=279422ADF24CDBCA5392D443E51FA34180F584CDFC3C41D7CB95FF3C5458719DA229FCA7B536B9106964408030DBE8DF&originRegion=us-east-1&originCreation=20220227165953
Kristyn DeNooyer
Growing up, Kristyn DeNooyer would handwrite short stories on notebook paper and share them with her friends every week. She now holds a B.S. in English and Nonprofit Communications from Kuyper College, and spent five years as a freelance communications specialist before launching Olive&Root Communications in 2020. Kristyn is also a speaker and avid book reviewer. When not putting pen to paper, she can be found hosting dinner parties, frequenting local businesses, and pursuing her Masters of Divinity.
Connect with Kristyn: kristyndenooyer@oliveandroot.com