How to avoid burnout
A fitness business is a bit like a ravenous beast – you can feed it all your waking hours, but there’s always more things you could be doing to grow and develop it. Still, even the most dedicated business owner needs regular down-time to stay motivated and avoid burnout. Here’s some tips and tricks for working smarter, so you can maximise your working hours (and create more space for relaxation).
Have a business plan
“There are so many sole traders who are in it by themselves and work crazy hours, which is fine if that’s what your plan is, but if it’s not what you planned and you aren’t sure where you’re headed, you can get frustrated and burnt out,” says Alita Ashcroft owner/manager of Soul Fit Woonona. She recommends having a business plan, mapping out exactly what you want to achieve and how you’ll get there, then reassessing it every six months. For instance, you may want to create a boutique gym, so your plan may include introducing a staff member to free up your time so you can work on, rather than always in, the business. Or, you may want to focus on being a sole trader, so your plan should cover how you’ll create a sustainable (as opposed to overwhelming) workload.
Block out your time
Business owners wear many hats beyond that of trainer. Chances are, you’re also head of sales, bookkeeping, marketing and social media, to name just a few aspects of running a business. Rather than trying to get everything done, all at once, try blocking out your work diary so you focus on one task at a time. “You might look at your work week and see where your clients are booked in, then schedule other tasks around that, for instance block out your marketing time from midday to 2pm on a Monday,” explains Ashcroft. Make a list of all the tasks you need to do (such as responding to emails, following up on calls or promotions, social media posts etc) and block then in – then focus solely on that task in its designated time.
Know your strengths
Being aware of your strengths (as well as areas that you’re not quite across) can help you make more efficient decisions about how to invest your time. “I know that I’m not great at the marketing side of things but I’m fortunate to have a business partner who is, and we worked that out 12 years ago,” reflects Ashcroft. If you aren’t up to speed, or even that passionate, about a particular area of your business, consider delegating it to a staff member, hiring someone with those specific skills, or outsourcing it to a consultant or freelancer, to help free up your time. “As a small business owner, you do learn a base level of everything, but when the time comes to grow your business to the next level you have to get people to help you, because you can’t wear all the hats or you’ll burn out,” says Ashcroft.
Develop policies and procedures
Putting policies and procedures in place is particularly important if you have staff. “Staff won’t think like you because it’s not their business, so you want to put policies and procedures in place so that your clients consistently receive a quality service,” says Ashcroft. “It’s definitely more work initially, but it pays off in the end.” In Ashcroft’s case, she has things like joining and cancellation policies, plus automations set up, for instance, when a new member joins they are automatically sent a welcome email and terms and conditions.
0 comments