13 Ways the Busiest People Ever Avoid Burnout

13 Ways the Busiest People Ever Avoid Burnout13 Ways the Busiest People Ever Avoid BurnoutSure, you love your job. After all, you wouldnt be doing it if you didnt. But after years of email upon email and never-ending phone conferences, even the best of us can face exhaustion. To find out how to successfully combat- even avoid- this phenomenon, we asked 13 startup founders from the Young Entrepreneur Council (a.k.a., the hardest-working people we know) what strategies they rely on. Heres what they had to say.1. Take a Vacation and Fully UnplugVacations with loved ones will help entrepreneurs avoid burnout. Its important to put on an out-of-office message, too, and not respond to emails. Another benefit of taking a vacation is you set a good example for hard-working employees. - Jesse Pujji, Ampush2. Forget Balance, Find HarmonyI think people who say its all about work-life balance are wrong. I value finding passion and harmony in my work by being connected to and caring about my team and my customers and making a big difference in their lives. I would burn out way faster working five hours a day at a job that was hurting my soul than I would working 15 hours a day at a job thats feeding my soul. - Dan Price, Gravity Payments3. Know Your Breaking PointI think most entrepreneurs will tell you its impossible to unplug- so burnout is almost inevitable. However, its important to know when youre close to or at a burnout stage. Something as simple as taking a day off, going for a bike ride, or having a fun night out with friends can help to take the edge off. - Pablo Palatnik, ShadesDaddy.com4. Fill Your Day With JoyOur business works to fill our peoples day with what they love. When work feels like a job, we redirect those tasks to someone who loves them. Not a great organizer? We have a team member who is. Hate numbers? Weve got someone who loves them. We are fueled with so much joy that we have a term around the company called the joy hangover. When work is such a b last, burnout doesnt exist. - Corey Blake, Round Table Companies5. Schedule Free TimeSchedule free time on your calendar, just like you would schedule a meeting, and stick to it. Its crucial to take the time you need for yourself, even if its just 30 minutes a day. Youll get back to work feeling recharged and inspired, and chances are, youll accomplish a lot more than you would if you worked straight through the day. - Evrim Oralkan, Travertine Mart6. Travel and Change Your EnvironmentTraveling is the best way to avoid burnout. Take your laptop and spend one to two months working from somewhere else, preferably internationally. With the netz and cloud tools like Dropbox and Skype, theres very little that cant be done from abroad. The change in environment sparks your creativity and allows you to bring new energy into your work. - Leah Neaderthal, Start Somewhere7. Pursue Your PassionStarting a business is a time-consuming endeavor that doesnt end once things start to take off. On t he contrary, the more successful you are, the more time you will be asked to contribute toward your enterprise. Thats why its important you focus your time and energy on doing something you enjoy and are passionate about. - Lane Campbell, Syntress8. Take a NapNaps are not just for children. Instead of having a second cup of coffee, sleep for 20 minutes. Its the best way to refresh the brain. - Jonathan Swerdlin, Fdbk9. Work OutWhen I feel so mentally burnt out from juggling multiple projects, theres only one thing that can recharge my brain and my enthusiasm- working out. Its a way to unplug and just focus on the task in front of me, whether I go for a long run or a four-hour bike ride around my city. When Im done, I have a high so powerful that all of the stress from my day-to-day activities is gone. - Andrew Vest, Preferling10. Live With MindfulnessPersonally, I find the best way to avoid burnout is to have an ongoing focus on mindfulness rather than only when on breaks and vacati ons. Find ways to detach during the week in a way that works for you. Yoga and exercise work for some, while meditation works for others. Be mindful of those moments. Try to take consistent mini-breaks throughout the week to detach and re-center. - Andrew Thomas, SkyBell Technologies, Inc.11. Find a HobbyThe best way to avoid burnout is to find a hobby you can deeply immerse yourself in for a few hours a week. I play ultimate frisbee, and when Im on the field, Im definitely not thinking about my company. Hobbies (such as basketball, ceramics, and climbing) can provide a therapeutic release, and you can come to work recharged and ready to go every day - Bhavin Parikh, Magoosh, Inc.12. Build a Great TeamI used to think vacations would recharge me, but I would just come back to piles of work. In the last year, weve built our team to eight people. The quantity doesnt matter- the key is that its a strong team. I know that whether Im working or not, great things are being done. Feeling th e support from all sides has been critical to my personal happiness. - Aaron Schwartz, Modify Watches13. Meditate DailyEven if its just for 10 minutes, spending the time (especially in the early afternoon) to just breathe has been extraordinarily powerful for me. It keeps me fresh and sharp, and taking self-care seriously sets a great example for the rest of the team. - Derek Flanzraich, GreatistPhoto of stressed out woman courtesy of Shutterstock.