Business burnout will stop your efforts in its tracks. I talk to so many women each month about burnout issues. They’re tired of talking about the same old thing over and over. They can’t figure out why the very things they once enjoyed, just seem like drudgery now. Then they start feeling guilty because maybe they’ve quit a job to pursue their dream, or they’ve created financial obligations, or they’ve had to convince a spouse they could do it, and now they just aren’t satisfied. If this is you, don’t throw in the towel!

Believe me, there are really, really easy fixes to burnout if you just look at it in a positive way.

So if this is you, then find a way to MIX IT UP! Do the same old projects differently. Add variety to your tasks by finding new ways to do them ways to jazz them up. This will energize you again!

2. They’re bitter! Creatives may be bitter because they’re working so hard but not charging enough for their talents. It makes them feel like their gifts are just devalued.

If this is you, the solution is simple. Raise your prices! I’m not talking about doubling your income over night but rather steadily raise your prices to reflect the effort you’re putting in. Raising your rates will do so much to boost your self-esteem as well as make you feel like your time and effort is worth it! Don’t be afraid to charge well for your services either. It doesn’t matter what others in your industry are charging, charge what you’re worth. They may be going for a different target audience. Charge for the target audience you’re after. And charge higher for the tasks you don’t really want to do. That way if you do have to do an unwanted task, you’ll be compensated well for it. (Watch this if you want to know what happens if you underprice your talent)

3. They’re not delegating or outsourcing enough! There’s just not enough hours in the day for one person to do it all. When all a creative does is work, they Get.Burned.Out. If you’re feeling burned out on Monday morning even before starting work, then this is for you. Learn to back yourself out of the tasks that really don’t require you or your talent. Hire people to do the errand running tasks, or whatever.

It doesn’t have to be a full-time assistant either. Maybe there’s a college girl in your neighborhood who just wants a part-time job for a little cash for the summer. I’ve gotten to the point where the ONLY things I currently do are things I MUST do myself to keep my business growing. One other point on this, learn to outsource correctly. What you pay others should be less then what YOU make using your creative talents during the time they are working. Oh I hear your comments, “I can’t afford to outsource.” Well guess what? You can’t afford NOT to outsource so change your poverty mind set now! Believe me, there is freedom in outsourcing even on a small scale.

4. They’re not creating anything for themselves anymore! All they’re doing is giving, giving, and giving. All the love is going out but nothing comes back in-just for them. They may be constantly doing blogs or projects for others but can’t remember the last time they did anything creative for themselves. If this is you, then do something using your creative talents just for you. Not for something to sell, not for someone else, do something that FEEDS YOUR SOUL!

5. They need to just GET AWAY! They are working long hours and don’t take some downtime to recharge. For those of you who need to recharge: Go someplace. It doesn’t have to be to another continent or something place expensive either. Maybe just a weekend away or hiking in the mountains or maybe just sitting by the lake for a few hours with your journal. Find ways to get away from your surroundings, even for a little while, so you can get inspired again. (Read my post on why Creatives need to travel here.)

6. They’re not around enough LIKE-minded people! They feel all alone, no tribe to belong to. If this is you, remember: You are the average of the 5 people you hang around with. And there’s a good chance those people are not business owners or creatives. When you’re around like-minded people, and this doesn’t necessarily mean the same industry as you, that burned out feeling subsides!!! Get with people that have already accomplished what you want to do in your business. Listen to them. They will motivate and inspire you. They will build you up to where you want to be.

7. They have left ZERO margin in their lives! They pack their schedules so tightly there’s little or no room for creativity. They leave little room to do the things that God may prompt them to do during the day because they’re not on the schedule.

So if this sounds like you, don’t feel alone. I have to work on this also. The only way to fix this is to learn to leave more time in the schedule to do the things we want to do. I recommend reading Lisa TerKeurst’s book, “Best Yes: Making Wise Decisions in the Midst of Endless Demands”, which talks about dealing with overwhelming schedules. It offers many suggestions on how to free up more time.

8. They’re burned out because God’s trying shift them just slightly. If creatives don’t get burned out, they’ll just keep doing the exact same business thing in the exact same way they did 10 years ago. Talk about never improving! God may be using burnout to grab their attention, maybe tell them to adjust their course so they can be more inline with where they need to go. So if this seems like you, accept that you may be getting a sign from God to shift a bit and make changes that may alter your course in a good way. Let God give you the ideas needed for that next step.

Some of you may find this helpful, your craft is just your catalyst. For me, the painting was just a stepping stone to where I am now, encouraging and helping other women entrepreneurs grow their businesses.

So you have my reasons why you may be feeling burned out. Learn to accept that it happens and realize there are solutions! Next time you feel burned out know it’s fixable; don’t throw in the towel!

If you need the next step in your creative business venture, check out my free workshop series here. There are many lanes out there to choose from … and this is the best roadmap to get there. Plus the community who will take you there.

Blessings, Jen