Happy 2018! I’ve been enjoying maternity leave for the past two months and while I am sad it is over, I am also excited to dive back into business things. I have one final entrepreneur story to share on The Fit Niche. It is about entrepreneur burnout and ya all, it is so real!

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Meet Mikayla!

Mikayla is a marketer and health coach for busy professionals and entrepreneurs. She is on a mission to help world-changing women overcome burnout, quit stress-eating, and make a lasting impact in all areas of their lives (all while feeling amazing in their own skin).

Mikayla shares her own story of burn out and stress in a job that made her unhappy as well as some amazing tips for us as busy entrepreneurs!

You can find Mikayla on her website: Living Whole Balance

And in her Facebook Group: Unapologetic Balance: Fitness, Nutrition & To-Do Lists For Busy Women

 

5 Tips for Staying Balanced While Running a Health-based Business #fitfam Click To Tweet

 

Here is Mikayla’s Entrepreneur story (plus 5 great tips to avoid burnout as a healthpreneur)

 

This one is for all the health and fitness coaches out there, teaching people how to live their best lives. Teaching people how to stay healthy, vibrant and fit, all the while secretly struggling with their own healthy habits.

 

I know exactly what it’s like to feel like an imposter.

 

I’ve been a health coach for over a year now — an endeavor that was born from my desire to help women like me get fit, lose weight, de-stress and feel great. To help women quit wearing “busy” as a badge of honor, feel beautiful and worthy in their own skin, and stop allowing the stresses of their lives to force their health and wellness onto the back burner.

 

My first experience with true burnout was a few years ago. I was planning a wedding, working two jobs (one of which was completely misaligned with my goals and values), and trying to navigate my options for an upcoming move to a new city in the next few months.

 

One day, all of the pressure came to a head.

 

I was sitting in a random parking lot near my company, head on the steering wheel, slumped over, sobbing.

 

When had my life come to this?

 

I was burnt out, overworked, unhappy, and at a critical crossroads.

 

I could either let this consume me, or I could start making some serious changes. No matter how I looked at it, something had to give.

 

So what did I do?

 

I picked myself up, and decided that enough was enough.

 

I began to take charge of my mindset, and determined to make the best of my situation. I started to take steps towards undoing all of the things that were making me so crazy, and promised myself I would help other women do the same without sacrificing their health.

 

And so my journey into the business side of fitness began. I got certified as a personal trainer, launched a health coaching practice, and made it my mission to help busy women overcome burnout, and the mindset that leads them there over and over again.

 

Over the last year I’ve been coaching women and slowly building up an intimate online community that provides valuable content and free trainings that teach women how to quit wearing busy as a badge of honor and get to the root of their health issues so they can finally thrive– not just survive.

 

The reason I do this is not because I’m perfect. Far from it. I’ve had to tackle burnout many times, and have learned a thing or two from these experiences.

 

So, I’d like to offer a few helpful strategies to other fitness business owners who struggle with burnout in their own lives.

 

1. Evaluate Your Priorities

When I feel overwhelmed, it’s usually because the boundaries between my own priorities and the priorities of other people have been blurred. I’ll have fallen back into a cycle of giving constantly, without taking the time to regenerate, focus on myself and refill my energy levels.

 

As you can imagine, this wreaks all kinds of mental and emotional havoc, which can leave you feeling drained, and even resentful.

 

Start by making a list of all the things you have committed to, or feel you “have to” do. Then, place each item on the list into one of two categories:

1) your priorities

2) other peoples’ priorities.

 

Gaining clarity around this distinction will give you insight into what to focus your energy on immediately, and what can wait until later.

 

2. Feed Yourself

The first time I experienced serious burnout, I was stuck in a situation that would take some time to change. So, the serenity prayer became my mantra, and I decided to accept the things I couldn’t change, and change the things I could.

 

For me, this meant focusing on feeding myself, literally and figuratively.

 

I took extra care to make sure I was eating well and exercising, making myself physically stronger. I also made sure to feed my mind… and started to learn like crazy.

 

Almost all day while I worked I was listening to podcasts, reading during my spare time, and soaking up all of the knowledge that I could about marketing, personal development, and health.

 

3. Create Space

Take a look at your calendar. Is there any white space? No? Then it’s time to scale back.

 

Whether you’re a full time entrepreneur or you run your fitness gig as a side hustle, business owners are notorious for overworking and over scheduling themselves.

 

It’s easy to compare yourself to others in your field who seem to never sleep and think you need to step your game way up, but the reality is, the success of others is none of your business.

 

You have no idea what’s going on behind the scenes of others in your community or niche, and you have no control over it.

 

Also, while it’s good to take opportunities when they come, and you will have seasons that are busier than others, don’t allow it to become your normal. Focus on saying no sometimes, and creating space in your schedule to give yourself time to rest.

 

4. Get Support

There’s an African proverb that says “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

 

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. Click To Tweet

 

Never underestimate the power of having a supportive community, confidant, or coach in your corner to help you jump the hurdles of life.

 

You became a fitness business owner because you know the difference having support can make. So take your own advice, and make sure you reach out to someone when you hit a bump in the road.

 

5. Keep Getting Up

This is the piece of advice that’s the least sexy, but the most effective.

 

Keep. Getting. Up.

 

Just because you’ve been through burnout or you’ve relapsed into an old behavior or mindset doesn’t mean you have to remain there.

 

Every breakdown is followed by a breakthrough.

 

All that matters is that when you pick yourself up and dust yourself off, you have a new set of experiences, and fresh wisdom to pass on to your clients.

 

If you work in the health and wellness industry, it’s easy to feel guilty when your passion for helping people leads to a less than healthy lifestyle for yourself.

 

Luckily, you’re not alone, and these five tips will help you ditch the burnout and become a more confident coach and fitness business owner.

 

5 Tips for Staying Balanced While Running a Health-based Business #womenpreneur #bossbabe Click To Tweet

 

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Thank you, Mikayla!

 

And be sure to check out Mikayla’s  free cheatsheet “The Busy Woman’s Guide to Avoiding Burnout” for a handy guide you can reference on the go!

 

Check out more entrepreneur stories and fitpreneur interviews here!