You will find that, no matter where you are in the world, women with a desire to prove that they can achieve anything, tend to remove themselves from the equation of it all and their lives. I was one of them. It’s easy to lose yourself on the journey to success defined by others. And, this is what can lead to burnout.
Here are 5 key choices that changed it for me, after a body shut down that started to destroy my business, to creating far more now than I have ever have and growing my business into a successful, thriving one:
What is success for you?
It is our choices that make us unique. So, get clarity on what is valuable for you. We often give up on these values in order to either fit in the norms of society or mimic the business and success we see others achieving (or we may be too busy defying it). What if you had more choice available to you than either these two limiting options? Rather than trying to replicate another’s successes, use them as inspiration, not a destination for you.
Using someone else’s success as a bench mark for you will more than not, lead you to dead ends that you have to work around, rather than a stream of possibilities for you to play with. Clarify what success is for you and what is joyful for you, and you’ll find it easier to not only shape your business goals, but achieve them too.
Put yourself first
It’s important to ask yourself, are you making yourself a priority? Or, are you aware of everyone else’s expectations, needs and desires, and are you making them the only priority? Do you know what you need, require or desire?
When you include yourself in your list of priorities, it’s easier to provide for others too, if you so choose. Allow yourself to choose for you first, and what is nurturing for you and your body. By nurturing yourself first, you give yourself a more space, to achieve more with ease. What if you could work could be far easier than you think?
Inspire others to know their value by example
Just as nurturing and caring for yourself can empower you in business, you also need to value your abilities and what you bring to a job. If you don’t value yourself and the unique qualities you bring to work each day, it’s seldom possible to empower others, or to even acknowledge what they can provide and deliver beyond their role and paycheck.
Are you delivering based on what your defined role is, may it be at work, or home or anywhere else? If so, what can you change there? What will that look like for you? It can be exhausting and tiring when we limit ourselves to playing the role we think we’re supposed to, in any area of our lives. Be willing to go beyond and don’t shy away from knowing your voice. It allows you to start creating far greater than what you think you are capable of and it’s much more fulfilling.
When you choose more for you, you invite others to choose more them too, and this can have a flow on effect that can see you achieving far better results in your business.
Be a leader rather than being “in-charge”
A leader stays true to themselves and empowers others to work alongside them and achieve success, whether anyone else follows or not. If you are being in-charge, you’re making sure everyone else sees the world through your lens, without allowing them the space to offer another perspective or way of doing things. It also brings with it a sense of judgement, which won’t do you any favours, and will only cause resentment and disempowerment among staff. Remember that not everyone can see or do what you can, but listening and acknowledging another point of view, can open up more possibilities for your business, not to mention will motivate your staff to do and achieve better.
When you are being a leader you always function from possibilities rather than problems and limitations, you are willing to make changes at the drop of a hat and, you find more ways to achieve what you want to create.
You don’t have to do everything yourself.
Lastly, but importantly so, you don’t have to do everything yourself. You have to be willing to be aware of it, ask for it and choose.
When you get an idea or something that requires to be done, what is your first go to? Do you ask who can get this done the easiest, fastest way, or do you try and do it yourself, thus juggling multiple commitments, overextending yourself, and ultimately risking serious burnout.
Be willing to ask, who can contribute to this the most? Who can I include? Who will make my life easier? Asking yourself who can help you in achieving your goals, will allow different possibilities to show up and ease the stress of trying to do it all. If you were not constantly trying to prove you can do everything yourself, what would you choose?
You have a far better chance of achieving business success, over burnout, when you start valuing and trusting yourself and choosing for you. When you also open yourself, and your business, to the abilities and points of view of others, you and your staff will be empowered and motivated to do, and achieve, more. By asking questions and constantly looking beyond the “norm” of how to do things and how to be successful, you will create more possibilities and start doing business with ease.
