Burnout is one of those words that gets used a lot now, and I think that can sometimes make it feel smaller than it really is. People say they are burnt out when they are tired, fed up, overwhelmed, or needing a holiday. All of those things are valid, but real burnout is something else entirely. It is your mind and body reaching a point where they cannot keep carrying what you keep piling on.
Ten years ago, before I started my business Clarity Consultants, I was working in hospitality and had completely convinced myself that I was indispensable. I thought I had to hold everything in my head, protect my team, keep the business moving and prove that I could cope with whatever was thrown at me.
Looking back, I can see how unhealthy that was. The warning signs were there for a long time, but I didn’t listen to them. I was working long hours, often 60 to 70 hours a week, I hardly saw my family, and when I did, my head was still at work, running through problems and worrying about what might happen if I was not there to deal with it.
It became normal to be exhausted and to push through illness, stress and every other signal my body was giving me.
In the end, my body made the decision for me. I remember driving home one evening and honestly questioning whether I was going to make it. I collapsed into bed and stayed there for three days. By the Friday before Christmas, I could not breathe properly. A trip to out of hours care led to a chest X-ray, and I was diagnosed with pneumonia that was advanced enough to put me in hospital for three days.
I still remember seeing the hospital bed and only thinking one thing. Sleep. I did not care about work, emails, problems, rotas, customers, targets, or anything else I had previously convinced myself was urgent. I was completely done and that was my turning point.
I left the job, and the experience changed how I looked at work, ambition and success. I still love being busy, I still get excited by ideas, and I still believe in growth, but I no longer believe growth should come at the cost of your health.
Now, I work with small business owners who are often incredibly talented, but overwhelmed by everything they think they are “supposed” to be doing. They are trying to market themselves, sell, show up online, serve clients, manage their diary, make decisions and somehow still have a life outside the business.
I recognise and understand that feeling from my own experience.
That is the reason I wrote The Growth Compass. I wanted to create a practical guide for small business owners, but I didn’t want it to start with tactics, trends, or a list of things to do. I wanted it to start with the person behind the business.
Before you build a marketing plan, chase more clients, or set another income goal, I believe you need to ask what you actually want your life and business to look like. Do you want more money, more time, more freedom, more structure, or simply a business that feels calmer and less heavy?
The book helps small business owners look at growth in a more sustainable way, from positioning and marketing to sales activity and systems, always through the lens of building something that works for their life.
I would love to say I now have perfect boundaries, but I still need to give myself a little talking to now and again! However, I now recognise the warning signs much earlier, and I am much more aware of the cost of ignoring them.
Burnout taught me that success has to be measured by whether the life you are building is one you can actually live in and enjoy.
So maybe the question is not just, “How do I grow?”
Maybe the better question is, “What kind of life do I want this business to help me build?” and that’s what I hope The Growth Compass will help people achieve.
By Heather Offord
Author Bio
Heather Offord has over 20 years’ experience in sales, marketing and events and is the founder of award-winning Clarity Consultants Ltd. She is the author of The Growth Compass which is available to buy here – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Growth-Compass-build-growth-business-ebook/dp/B0GX34V59P
