The Power of Rest and Renewal for Entrepreneurs

Every year, I do a big recap email to my clients, collaborators and co-conspirators about all we accomplished together this year. It’s usually a pretty big list of design projects, coaching hours, special events and more, and writing it down and reviewing it fills me with pride. 

But last year, this project felt more like a list of ways I had burned myself out. Reviewing it filled me with exhaustion and not a little sense of dread. How was I going to top this? What would next year hold if this was now the new standard? 

The journey of entrepreneurship is one we make ourselves. There are zillions of playbooks and tools, of course, but no one right way. Each of us ends up creating a life that is unique to us, doing the work that fills our cups and allows us to do what only WE can do. It’s a deeply fulfilling life that can also lack on off-ramp.

After a wonderful holiday season, I decided I was going to attempt a new thing this year: Summer. Yes, Summer. Maybe you’ve heard of it? Swimming pools, popsicles, sidewalk chalk, hikes, bikes and more than a few crafternoons with kids and drinks with friends. It’s been so long since I had a real summer, I honestly had forgotten how magical it can be. 

My MO during Summer is typically (tragically!) to find kid care and then go on about my business. But when we left San Francisco and moved home to Colorado, it was partially so that we could enjoy seasons and embrace the sweat and sun that this time of year brings. But in order to do that, I would have to do something hard for me: take time off. Like, a lot of time. Like most Mondays, in addition to Fridays, and the occasional half day when the pool beckoned, and a full week for the Fourth of July with no secret email checking or facilitating “just a quick, 2-hour workshop!” while my family has fun without me. And honestly, that all sounded…hard. But I knew if I didn’t, it might propel me to re-evaluate my business entirely when in reality, I love my business and my work so deeply. Burnout was turning from a feeling into a thief of the thing I loved most - my autonomy and life as an entrepreneur. And it’s my responsibility to take it back. 

In order to make my Summer dreams an actual reality this year, I’m trying these key things:

1. Redefine success. If you own a business, success and money are inextricably interconnected. Capitalism, so help us all. But I decided that “profitable” could also share the stage with happy, relaxed, and collaborative. And yes, my definition of success isn’t actually a definition, but a feeling. So far, so good. 

2. Get help. I have hired some brilliant friends to work with me this year, and I can’t say enough great things about having the safety net of collaborators who you trust completely. When I had too many balls in the air, I could hand a ball over and watch with joy as it stayed up happily and well. Delegating to brilliant people has been money worth spending and is teaching me a valuable lesson about giving away my Legos.

3. Accept imperfect progress toward the goal. There have been pool mornings, weekend mountain trips and several batches of homemade pudding pops. There have also been days of extreme productivity, working at night, and too many meetings. Both of these are ok. It’s easy to get trapped in “I didn’t want to work so much, and now I have to! Insert adult tantrum here!” Instead, every popsicle is moving me closer toward feeling balanced. Every day that I work a little too much reminds me why my bigger quest is worthwhile. 

Does any of this sound familiar to you? Raise a hand if so - we don’t judge! And if you, too, are struggling with burnout, please reach out so we can talk about how coaching can help. Heck, we can eat the popsicles together - as long as you don’t want to meet on a Friday. 

How have you found balance as an entrepreneur? Have you ever taken a Summer Break? Tell me your stories in the comments!