In popular belief, a leader is almost a hero. It motivates, supports, and solves all problems. But he and those around him lose sight of the fact that he too could need to be motivated or supported.

And yet... entrepreneurs are very often on the verge of breaking up and are very exposed to professional exhaustion syndrome (or burnout).

Early signs of burnout

Maslach and Leiter describe burnout as follows: What happens when you get burned out? in fact, three events happen: you feel chronically exhausted; you become cynical and detach yourself from your work; and you feel more and more ineffective at your job” (Maslach and Leiter, 1997).

As the saying goes, “prevention is better than cure.” If you notice these warning signs, it's high time to take action.

Take a step back from reality

Managers give a lot to the success of their business. they believe in their project and give their all for its success. they work 50 to 55 hours a week, and weekends are not spared.

Consequently, they often have a hard time digesting unpleasant surprises. The resignation of a close collaborator, the loss of a key market or any form of failure can be very difficult to experience.

You must know how to take a step back from the hazards and risks associated with being a manager, not to confuse professional failure with personal failure. to redefine your own identity, outside of your function as a manager.

Time for yourself

It is essential to maintain a balance between work, social and family life. Unfortunately, these last two aspects are too often overlooked, in favor of the first.

For the sake of performance, managers have a hard time dropping out.

As proof, it has been shown that managers do not get enough sleep and even though they sleep, their sleep is not easy, because of stress.

The health of your business is not necessarily proportional to the number of hours worked; take time for yourself, family and friends to keep the balance.

Be accompanied

You have to know how to recognize that you can't do it alone anymore, that you need a helping hand. This requires a certain humility, because it means admitting that after all, you are not the superhero you thought you were.

Many leaders recognize that coaching would help them better manage their stress. Indeed, a coach can considerably help to alleviate the sources of stress, namely:

• The solitude of power
• The lack of time
• The pressure of a sense of responsibility
• The permanent need to increase one's skills.

The coach therefore acts on these four sources of stress. It helps you objectify your decision-making, thereby alleviating your loneliness and sense of responsibility.

He reviews your agenda with you in order to optimize the allocation of your time and coaches you on improving your skills in terms of management and business management.

Like it or not, a company's business depends largely on its manager.

Even if the delegation mechanisms are well established, it is better to avoid disaster scenarios where the manager breaks down overnight under pressure.

It is best to pay attention to the first signs of burnout and adopt the right habits/attitudes.