Job burnout is a genuine thing, whether you work for a large company or you work for yourself. Slowly, over time, you start hitting the snooze button; you procrastinate about starting projects, suffer writer’s block when creating products, and don’t look forward to your coaching calls. It may seem to come on suddenly, but these easy-to-miss signs start slowly and snowball until you question if you still want to continue being a coach.

Over the next five days, I will give you one of the ways to avoid burnout. Until tomorrow, stay safe, and keep the faith.

No one is immune to this dilemma, but there are ways you can prevent it from happening.

• Interview coaching prospects carefully. The interview process is crucial for weeding out high-maintenance clients and eliminating those who don’t want to do the work. I like to call them vampire clients: they suck the energy out of you with their constant complaints, excuses, and questions. Trying to get a handle on this type of client in an interview process allows you to reject their business upfront or to express your boundaries and expectations right away, allowing them to decide if working with you is the right decision for them.

• Automate, delegate, or eliminate time-consuming tasks. Running your own business alone can be time-consuming and stressful. Not only are you coaching clients, but you are also in charge of your billing, monthly newsletter, social media marketing, real-life networking events, and product creation. And this isn’t even a complete list of all the background tasks you probably do! Taking some of these tasks off your daily to-do list will free up time and eliminate some stress. For example, allow your clients to schedule their calls online with an online scheduling program. If you have a budget, hire a virtual assistant and/or a bookkeeper. A VA can also help you streamline your processes so you might be able to combine or eliminate some unnecessary tasks.

• Plan your days. Use the time blocking or the Pomodoro method to focus on your daily projects. At the end of each day, create a list for the following day. Write in a journal about any adverse events and how you can handle these situations better in the future. Knowing precisely what you have to do the following day allows you to leave work at the office (even if it’s just closing the door of your home office) and enjoy the evening with your family and friends.

• Calculate your prices carefully. When you pull random numbers out of thin air because they “sound good to you,” chances are you’re underpricing your time and devaluing your services. And if you happen to let an energy vampire slip through onto your client calendar, you’ll quickly start to resent them because they are underpaid, and you’ll feel like you’re losing money every time you talk to them.

• Take care of yourself. Self-care is crucial when running a business because if you’re out sick, there’s no one else to take over. A simple thing like going to bed an hour earlier can help you wake up feeling refreshed. Unplug from electronics two hours before bed to allow your brain to slow down. Daily exercise and water intake are also essential to flush germs and keep your body healthy and flexible.

Burnout doesn’t have to be inevitable. Get proactive by following these steps and learn how to relax and enjoy the special moments in life.

Thank you for sticking around to receive this complete report. I hope it is of some help to you if you are experiencing any burnout. Until next time, stay safe, and keep the faith.