Guideposts for an Overwhelmed Small Business Owner

As small business owners, we are always juggling more than one person can realistically handle. We wear multiple hats, learning and executing tasks across every aspect of our organization. This constant variability can be incredibly rewarding. It feeds our entrepreneurial spirit, satisfies our curiosity, and gives us a profound sense of accomplishment. 

However, the intensity of small business ownership also carries a significant risk of burnout. Balancing immediate operational demands with long-term vision requires strategic personal management and emotional resilience.

When life threatens to engulf us - here are some things to consider:

Separate what is Life and what is Work:

Sometimes the sense of overwhelm is hard to untangle. If your child is sick and home from school and you are also three days late with a deliverable for a client - it’s hard to identify the actual root of the stress. Take a pen and notepad and parse out the items causing stress into a few different buckets. Get clear about where things are coming from- it’ll be easier to solve. 

Do a big task, then a small, then take a break:

When you have a list of items or to-do’s - ALWAYS tackle the biggest item first. That does not mean you have to complete it, but the most daunting task is sometimes more about your perception than anything else. Start that task, even if you only work on it for thirty minutes - you’ll feel like you’ve gotten your arms around a mountain (and sometimes they turn into molehills). After you work on the biggest item, give yourself a little task or two to complete, then take a stretch break. Repeat. 

Ask someone who is not you:

You're probably not the smartest person in every room, and that's okay! Ask a mentor, your kid, or a quiet colleague what they think about the nut you are trying to crack. Different viewpoints almost always lead to refreshed thinking. 

Don’t keep stress a secret:

When you are asked how you are or how things are going - be truthful. People respect and respond to an honest emotion as long as you don’t make them feel like they are to blame for how you are feeling. It is perfectly fine to respond to a question with the answer: “I am juggling a lot and some days are easier than others. Running a business is rewarding, but also hard and stressful.” 

Make a plan, work the plan:

Decision fatigue is real. We are responsible for every single decision about our business and it can lead to stress quickly. Combat it by creating plans in advance. Whether it's a weekly content strategy, a quarterly cash flow projection, or a six-month product launch roadmap - decide once, then execute. There is comfort in already having some things decided for you and simply working to put them into action.

Remember, running a small business isn't a sprint or even a marathon. It's more like an ultra-marathon through changing terrain. Your goal isn't just survival, but creating something meaningful that impacts your community and economy.

Some days you'll feel like a superhero. Other days, you'll feel like you're barely holding it together. Both are normal. Both are okay.

Take a deep breath. 

You've got this.