Setting up a business - but burning out already

[SilkieChick]

How are you supposed to pitch/market for work when you just don’t want to do any work? I’m really conflicted because my business is still in the very early stages, but I feel exhausted. I haven’t really had a break since April. After I lost my job in May I took a tiny bit of time to pause and process, but to be honest I feel like I rushed into the next stage of deciding to set up a business and getting started. Instead of taking it slowly I spent the summer searching and pitching for work, thinking and planning and trying new things… I wish I hadn’t bothered because I still feel completely lost.

I did get a contract quite quickly which has been really helpful financially for the past three months, but I’m already running out of steam with it and I’m looking forward to when I’m done with it. I’m grateful for the financial boost and that it’s helped me realise that it’s the kind of work I don’t want to do - PR and social media management - but now I feel like once it ends I have no idea what kind of work I do want to do. And I’m finding it hard to get enthused about any kind of work tbh because I just feel mentally exhausted. I know I’m running on empty but have to keep pushing on with the few deadlines I do already have.

I’m at a crossroads, a point of reset, transition, whatever you want to call it - and I think I need to stop and take a break, to rest properly and reflect - to figure out how to move forward in life AND work - but I’m worried about the financial pressure that might put on us, and about losing the little bit of momentum I’ve built up already. I’m also worried I’m going to crash and burn before I finish the contract I’m currently working on - I somehow need to make it to the end of October and it feels so far away…

So - is it wise to consider having a break - just trying to stop everything for a short while? And if I do, how can I best use the time to figure out the right work for me to do? I will gratefully receive any wisdom and advice, especially if anyone has experienced similar...

I think you need to focus on the type of work you do you the most. And then the type of work you would do, but isn't your favourite. You need to be really focused with your website and social media messaging about what problems you solve for which type of businesses. Don't be afraid to be niche... It can be a good thing.

You haven't said what stage in your career you are at, and also what you could do for money if self employment doesn't yield anything.

Might employment be a better option? Even part time so you could keep the business going

I'm in a similar situation. I pretty much reached burnout in a toxic environment and was being pushed out by a manager who had taken against me. It was a pressured senior role and I had been fighting against the tide for a while before I left so it was very stressful.

I'm now self employed and much prefer the role but just feel like I need a rest. I would like to have taken some time out to regroup before starting up as self-employed by I was put off by worrying that being out of the market for a while would make it harder to win work, plus I needed to earn money to pay the bills.

If I'm successful I'm hoping for early retirement in 5-10 years!

Same..sometimes I work 18 hours a day for 6 weeks straight, but what I do is block out a week or 2 chunk of my diary and if I get requests in that time I say no. Its very hard because of course money is the driver but I've been close to burnout before so I enforce the break on myself.

Thanks for the replies so far!

For more context @unlikelychump I'm very much mid-career - 45, been in journalism and comms for around 20 years and was feeling weary of corporate life even before I lost my last job, which gave me the push I needed to try self-employment in earnest (I've been freelance writing casually for a few years).

However to your point @marketing101 I just don't know what I see myself enjoying enough to actually do as a business which also will make enough money to pay some bills. Each time I think of an option that I'm skilled enough to do - PR consultant, content marketing, copywriting for example - I just feel a bit 'meh' about it.

DH works FT and I'm not looking to become a millionaire, but I'd really like to have a decent enough income that we can afford to pay the bills and go on holiday once in a while. Plus DD1 looks likely to go to college or uni next year so that extra financial responsibility is looming too...

I am definitely tempted by jobs which I know I could do - but going back to corporate life doesn't feel good. Part time jobs which are at least vaguely interesting seem very thin on the ground. However I just don't know what I can see myself doing self-employed - in a way, I feel like I don't want to do ANY work! So I guess that's why I wonder if I took a break would it become a bit clearer what my gut is telling me.

@robinsnest1967 I'd love to block out a couple of weeks and I think I might have to do it and be strict - I do worry about the loss of income and momentum though.

It seems that there is demand for your services which is a good start - if you don’t want to do the work yourself could you work on an agency model? Or line up a partner to share the load?

It doesn’t have to be the end of the line; perhaps you just need a slightly different model?