4 Science-Backed Ways to Prevent Burnout

By Imran Tariq in Entrepreneur.com

Founding a startup is intense, and can easily lead to burnout if you don’t pay attention to your mental and physical needs.

Originally published on July 24, 2019 in Entrepreneur.com

A survey from Gallup found that the average American worker puts in 47 hours at the office each week. For startup founders, this number often goes even higher, which can lead to added physical and emotional strain.

While starting a new business can be exciting and invigorating, the initial rush that comes from launching a startup doesn’t last forever. As the stress and everyday responsibilities of running your own business settle in, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed, especially when working long hours.

If you’re not careful, all these factors will contribute to the bane of any entrepreneur’s existence: burnout. Burnout can result in fatigue, irritability and decreased productivity. It can harm your problem-solving and creative thinking abilities. Over time, Mayo Clinic reports that it can even contribute to heart disease and type 2 diabetes, while also increasing the likelihood of substance abuse.