Dealing with loneliness and burnout as an SME owner

Dealing with loneliness is more common in the life of an SME owner than you might think. Burnout, which manifests as stress and mental and physical exhaustion, is also common.

A survey of small business owners in the UK found that 22% experienced loneliness, over half had poor mental health, a third got by with less than five hours of sleep, and one in three worked beyond their average weekly work hours. A majority took fewer holidays too.

Considering these statistics, it’s time SME owners, like you, understand the ways to deal with loneliness and burnout before it affects your business, and it starts with community.

Dealing with loneliness and burnout by socialising 

Dealing with loneliness and burnout as an SME owner is easier today, as you can head to social media sites like LinkedIn to make connections with other smaller business owners. 

Do your research and come up with a list of people to target, like SME owners in your sector. What starts with a message could end in a meeting, offering up understanding and advice.

On LinkedIn, you can also find out about networking opportunities and industry events, which you can attend to socialise with other business owners, helping you feel part of a community.

Another way to deal with loneliness when running your business is to encourage in-person meetings with colleagues and clients instead of relying on video conferencing platforms like Zoom, which helps get you your social connection fix, especially if you work alone most of the time. 

Dealing with loneliness by reaching out

Dealing with loneliness as an SME owner can make you feel lost, but a simple solution is to reach out for help. Start by finding a potential mentor in your sector on social media. 

Again, do your research and see who is open to mentoring or collaborating; they often state this on their social media profile. This could lead to a business relationship, advice and social connections.

Another solution to dealing with loneliness and burnout as an SME owner is to find a business coach. Aside from strategic help, they can offer stress management and mindset support.  

A business coach isn’t only helpful for solo entrepreneurs but also for SME owners with staff who are looking for advice outside of their team, and a different perspective.

Beating burnout as an SME owner

As hardworking SME owners, pushing on without taking a break can lead to burnout, which causes mental and physical exhaustion.

To prevent burnout as an SME owner, set clear boundaries and carve out time for self-care.

This could be booking out slots in your work calendar for breaks, whether for a gym session, a meeting with a counsellor or business coach, or a short personal meditation. 

Another self-care practice that could limit burnout is setting your WhatsApp to ‘do not disturb’ after a specific time during the evenings and weekends, or turning your work phone off, only allowing senior staff and close clients to have your personal number for emergencies.

SME owners can get better at dealing with loneliness and burnout when it arises, but it comes down to being committed to stopping the cycle. Are you ready to make a change?

See how our people solutions can help you run smarter.