[x123]

I've been getting more and more burned-out over the past couple of years. My brother and I operate a small business. In a nutshell, I am getting so burned-out that I hardly get anything done in a day, but I have no hope or inspiration - not even enough to think of what to do to fix the burnout.

Anybody else been in that spot? It isn't easy for me to take a day off, so I need to make it count. There is nothing that gets me excited in the slightest anymore.

EDIT: I have been seeing a therapist and she has recommended that I take time off. Basically I have a phone I answer 24x7 for emergencies and I live in apartment inside our warehouse. The obvious thing is get somebody else to relieve me once in a while, but it's more complicated than it seems. It is hard to get any ideas when I'm already burned-out.

[RainyDay107]

How about a staycation for 1 week, or 2 weeks. Even better.

Splurge on a hotel suite, maybe?

If you're on the coast...hands down I'd get an oceanfront condo with a balcony. That's my relaxing space, love it.

[Sunflower123]

It might be hard to arrange but glamslam has excellent advice. You need a respite from what you're doing to resolve the burnout. It would be a good idea to get out and away from your business for a few days. Best wishes.

[eskielover]

Only way I could deal with burnout was to take medical leave of absence from the company I worked for. Unfortunately I waited too long & ended up having a break down & never could go back.

It's important to take care of yourself BEFORE it gets so bad that you can't recover....please take care of yourself. A nice relaxing vacation that totally gets away for several weeks would be a good place to start. Also thinking about relocating your living space would be good too....so that when you are away from work there is a REAL sense of distance. Living in the environment you work in is definitely not wise especially when dealing with burn out....probably a contributing factor

[Frankbtl]

Hi x123

I'm sorry you're having such a hard time but got to absolutely agree with your T and everyone on here..........time out/a break is a MUST!!

Put it this way..........I know you say it's complicated...........but imagine you had to go into hospital for surgery and had to rest for a few days.........things would have to find a way operate in the business.........even if not quite so well..........but maintaining your mental well-being is just as important as your physical well-being..........so a MUST!!!
So some kind of short term plan so you can take some kind of a break, hey??!!

And to me, I'd say that it's just as important to have an ongoing plan to relieve some of that burnout as well.........
Perhaps set yourself some specific timeslots in the day or/and one day a week which is "you" time...........and even if there's nothing that gets you excited right now........just time for you.........even just sit in a park if there's one near you, or put on headphone's and listen to music, or read, or try something creative, or........anything.........just something!!!
And the 24/7 for emergancies!!!! Please try to find a way around that if possible!!!!
Even if you weren't to have that many emergancies just the very fact that you're on-call/alert for them/not knowing if......../ready if.......24/7......has to contribute significantly to general stress levels..........so even having set times, which can allow you to turn that phone off/onto answer-machine at times, even briefly???
And keep on working on the possibility of somebody relieving you, hey??

Alison

Would you say you are putting a great deal of pressure upon yourself to accomplish things? Are perhaps the goals and standards you set for yourself too high? Are you the type of person to do tasks because you don't trust someone else doing them as well as you would?

These are what immediately comes to mind.

If this is close to what is happening my suggestion would be to set some smaller goals. Oh they can still be lofty but a smaller goal may mean only looking at one task at a time. Delegate some of the work to others. If this is hard to do then help but try to avoid doing it all yourself. And adjust your expectations and standards. Ask yourself maybe if these are realistic? Are they the same standards someone in the same position would expect?

Just some thoughts coming at me. if I am nowhere near the ballpark, my apologies.

[possum220]

Is your brother aware of how you are not managing? I agree with others here. Take a break. Live offsite. Get another person in to help run the business. They may even take a pay cut in return for a place to live. Access 24/7 is an impossible task for any person in the long term.

Our bodies/mind are very smart. If you don't take some action now your body/mind will do it for you.

Please take steps now to deal with things.

[x123]

Thanks, everybody, for those ideas. It is tough to invest almost all my time and worries and thoughts into a business that I never wanted. I'm just doing this for my brother and my mother. It leaves me no time to even think about what I want for myself. I just keep on grinding at the grindstone for the past 15 years with nothing to show for anything. Now I'm 50, and I don't have the opportunities I had at 35 - even if I could escape this trap. I actually became psychotic in 2009, and I suspect it was partially due to my unhappiness over these circumstances. Now there is less anger and just a feeling of defeat.

But I agree that burnout will eventually force a person to recuperate if they don't do it before then. So hopefully I can do that

[hvert]

I hope you get the break you need!