FFR Logos Secondary

Resources and Advice to Combat Burnout as a Founder

Combating burnout starts with small, manageable steps. Ask yourself: What’s one thing I can do today to prevent burnout?

Step 1: Recognise and Acknowledge Burnout

  • Be aware of burnout signs: • Chronic exhaustion • Lack of motivation • Neglecting self-care
  • Utilise assessment tools: • WHO’s burnout definition • The Burnout Academy’s Burnout Assessment

These resources can help determine if you’re experiencing burnout and guide your next steps towards implementing strategies to recover and prevent burnout.

Step 2: Burnout Prevention Strategies for Female Entrepreneurs

Remember to regularly reassess your burnout prevention strategies as your business grows and changes. What works in the startup phase may need adjustment as you scale.


Prioritising Self-Care

  • Implement meal planning services like HelloFresh or meal prepping
  • Engage in 150 minutes of weekly physical activity, as advised by WHO. Consider joining a Founder Running Club for exercise and networking.
  • Schedule activities that help you relax like a singing workshop or re-adding fiction to your night routine.
  • Prioritise sleep : Aim for 7-9 hours nightly, limit digital use after 6 PM, and use apps like Flipd to manage screen time and communication. Alternatively you can use apps like Balance to improve sleep quality.

Achieving Work-Life Balance

  • Schedule weekly enjoyable activities; even the small ones count.
  • Set healthy boundaries- learn to say no to non-essential commitments.
  • Join female-focused networks like FemaleFoundersRise (FFR), Hotbed and The 51% Club for support. At FFR we offer community meetups across the UK, free masterclasses, 30-day personal branding challenges, free knowledge hub and much more!
  • Allocate dedicated time for personal relationships and don’t be afraid to seek out help.

Embracing Imperfection and Mindfulness

  • Identify areas to embrace “good enough” over perfection. Try the Pareto Principle (80/20 rule) to focus on the 20% of tasks that yield 80% of the results. Set your metrics to measure this. This doesn’t mean doing less work; it means doing more of what matters. Try the 80/20 exercise to see if it works for you.
  • Monitor mental health with apps like BetterHelp, Insight Timer or engage in mindful movement like yoga or strength training.
  • Practice CBT-based thought records as advised by the NHS.
  • Use task management tools like Todoist or Google Tasks for realistic goal-setting.

Strategic Delegation and Value Alignment

  • Use project management tools like Trello or Asana for task audits and delegation.
  • Streamline task handoffs with Process Street and track high-value task time with Toggl or free alternatives like Clockify.
  • Schedule regular value alignment reviews. Align values and goals using OKR software like Lattice, 15Five or free alternatives like Google Sheets
  • Invest in professional development through LinkedIn Learning.

Thoughts and advice on founder burnout from our community:

Annabel Veysey

Hi, I’m Annabel, Founder of LifeSort Ltd, a company dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs in managing the intricate balance between their personal and professional lives. I believe the key to thriving in business starts at home. We go beyond traditional PA services by tackling the stress and hassle of home life (think all that admin build up and the never-ending To-Do List) that can hold back our professional aspirations. By handling Life Admin, we help women reclaim their time and focus.


My first tip is, (or course) asking a VA for help as that’s why I started my business, I was overwhelmed at work and home and needed someone to ease the pressure! However skip number 1 if that isn’t on your list yet


Time-Saving Tips and Tools for Busy Working Women and Mums:

  1. Utilise a Virtual Assistant (VA):
  2. Project Management Tools:
    • Trello, Slack, Asana: Ideal for organising tasks, collaborating with teams, and streamlining workflows. Trello | Slack | Asana
    • To Do Iist: A task manager that helps prioritise and track to-do lists efficiently.
    • To Do Iist: Todoist Official Website
  3. Home Management Tips:
    • Automate Finances: Use automatic bill payments and budgeting apps to simplify financial management.
    • Automate Finances: Nowadays, there are excellent apps and digital banking options that streamline financial management. You can set up savings pots or budget categories to automatically allocate funds, track expenses, and even save towards specific goals. Apps like Monzo and Starling, for instance, offer features that categorise spending, alert you to upcoming bills, and provide insights into your financial habits, making money management much simpler and more efficient.
    • Meal Planning: Create weekly meal plans and batch cook to save time and reduce stress.
    • Cleaning Schedule: Establish a routine for regular chores to maintain a tidy home without overwhelming catch-up sessions. Or – treat yourself to a cleaner, what is your hourly rate?
  4. Brain Dumping:
    • Initial Brain Dump: Start by jotting down all the tasks on your mind, especially those that are time-consuming.
    • Structured Organisation: Organise these tasks into a manageable format and prioritise them. (or hand to your VA )
    • Clarify Details: Identify tasks needing more information and gather the necessary details.
    • Ongoing Communication: Use tools like Trello or emails to track tasks, with options for flexible updates via voice notes.
  5. Diary and Email Management:
    • Google Calendar: Sync and colour-code calendars for better time management. Watch My Tutorial on Instagram for a visual guide. I LOVE THIS
    • Saved Email Responses: Store frequently used responses under email signatures to save time.
  6. Championing Balance:
    • It’s crucial to maintain balance in your life. As a fellow business owner, I understand the importance of efficient time management and practical solutions. These resources and tips can help you achieve a balanced and fulfilling life.

And don’t forget!
Delegate , Prioritise, try time blocking and take strategic breaks

Natalia Pazzaglia

Personal Story: I’ve been leading a startup focused on loss and diagnosis for the past six years. This journey has taught me a lot about recalibrating life and understanding what’s truly important.

My resources for not burning out are being very much in touch with yourself and remembering that we live once. Seeing my mom dying after a lot of suffering through cancer and nephrosis really opened my eyes to life. I think we should hear more of those stories because these are especially important for us females and in the role we usually have in unpaid caregiving.


Leadership Philosophy: I believe in creating a different type of leadership, especially for female founders, and recently refused a male-dominated investment for this reason.

Burnout Prevention: Staying in touch with myself and remembering the brevity of life has been crucial. My mom’s battle with cancer highlighted the importance of these values.

Niamh Cull

I like the idea of holding micro habits on a daily and weekly basis to help me stay on track. But I don’t hold myself to perfection with these, as life gets in the way and I don’t want to add another set of expectations on myself! Mine are:

  • In bed with my book by 10pm
  • My Thursday pilates class
  • Healthy lunches
  • 2 runs a week
  • Blocked out calendar time. I can go for a walk / do admin / work– whatever I need in that short window.
  • If I get 75% of these – I’m doing well!

Mel Mcintyre

After my burnout 10 years ago I left my corporate career to take a break which led to me setting up my business. Providing research based feminine high performance strategies and changing the narrative about how success is defined is at the heart of my business purpose. 

I’m a business strategist and high performance coach for female founders and my sweet spot is helping you identify your ‘anti-burnout business design’. Put simply it’s ensuring you design your business with your life and values at the heart of how you operate. And through the right brand positioning, pricing, automation and team you can be at your best whilst creating a profitable business that gives you the freedom to enjoy your business without risking burnout and still have time and energy for yourself and those you love. 

You can check out my recent podcast with the egg community where I was a speaker at one of their ‘women on top’ events. I also recently wrote a blog and article on burnout too. 

Jenny Clark

Jenny is offering a discount on her two-day rest immersion retreat, set in a treehouse in the New Forest this October. Additionally, recognising the challenges faced by burnt-out founders as previously experiencing it herself, Jenny is extending a special FFR discount on all of her retreats.

Additional Resources

Podcasts and Masterclasses

Tools

Books

© Female Founders Rise 2023

Enabling financial freedom for women through entrepreneurship

© Female Founders Rise 2023