5 Reasons You Struggle to Switch Off as a Business Founder
When you struggle to switch off, it can place more pressure than is necessary as a business founder. You may already be feeling undue stress with the daily tasks you face as an owner, and the fear of losing the company, or even poor delegation can unduly increase the chronic strain.
Personal Identity vs. Business Value
A business venture is so often seen as an extension of your personality and can even be an act of self-expression through your passion. As such, the success or failure of the company can also reflect back on you, causing significant stress, especially if you are the company. That’s why many founders seek specialist therapy for entrepreneurs as a way to manage the chronic stress that can creep into even the most levelheaded CEO's life, impacting business and life.
The Fear of Losing Your Company
Building something to be proud takes a lot of time, effort and passion, and you don’t want to lose what you have created. This feeling can be so strong that it overshadows the feeling of excitement of having something new, and results in pushing yourself even harder. Even during time off, you can still feel the anxiety of losing your company if you aren't there to deal with everything, robbing you of the precious downtime you need to reset for improved management.
You Can Struggle to Switch Off through Micromanagement
A study in the UK found that up to 75% of business owners experience burnout at some point. Of course, being hands-on will help you run a more agile business and keep things the way you want them. However, there is a trade-off and you may not be able to switch off because you are trying too hard to micromanage everything that goes on. This can cause a constant state of being stuck in motion tasks that take time and resources, but don’t really move the needle.
Poor Delegation through Lack of Trust
Smart business leaders know many valuable things when it comes to running a business. One of the biggest open secrets is delegation. Many founders feel like they have to do everything themselves to get things right, and this often comes from a deep lack of trust in others. However, this almost always results in poor decisions due to stress and tiredness. Delegation is the secret sauce that successful businesses thrive on, that forms massively productive teams.
Overcommitment Due to Feelings of Guilt
Some business owners have the incorrect feeling that they aren’t doing enough for their company if they aren’t giving all their time to it. This is one of the biggest mistakes but it usually comes from a feeling of guilt if you aren’t 100% committed. However, you also need to protect your mental health as a startup founder, and giving up all your time to the business doesn’t actually help. In fact, overcommitting will result in burnout and undue increased pressure.
Summary
An intertwining personal identity with the brand you are building is one of the reasons you can struggle to switch off as a founder. Of course, the need to micromanage everything can be overwhelming, and you can also feel guilty if you aren’t dedicating all your time to the business.
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