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A Walmart Business study shows that 70% of small business owners experience burnout at least once a month, and only 10% feel they take enough vacation time. This statistic highlights the challenge most entrepreneurs face in maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
As entrepreneurs, I am not indifferent to this concern. I know there is a negative sentiment towards rush culture and I want to change that mindset through our social rush community, Fud. Our goal is to put the hustle back where it matters, work smarter and find freedom, build something lasting and not chase growth at all costs.
It’s time to move from a relentless hustle culture to a healthy mindset that connects personal well-being with professional success. Here are three rules I practice to build a resilient business while leading a balanced and fulfilling life.
Related: 8 Ways Successful People Manage Resilience
Work hard and then work smart
It is a deeply held belief that hard work is the ultimate path to success. When I started my entrepreneurial journey, I worked tirelessly, pushed harder, and put in endless hours believing it was the only way to reach the top.
Over time, I realized that progress is not only determined by how hard I work. Doing everything myself and prioritizing work over everything else doesn’t always produce better results and can have a negative impact on my health and relationships. I knew I needed a smarter approach to work if I wanted to overcome my limitations and develop a scalable business.
But there’s a catch: working smarter only works if there’s hard work involved first. This means laying the foundations to support a stable business. Every time I start a new business, I keep this in mind and commit to mastering my craft, understanding the market, expanding my network, and learning from my failures.
After implementing systems, building expertise and gaining a reputation, I move on to smart work. I chose to be intentional about giving my time and effort to create a meaningful impact in both my business and personal life. Working smart means having a clear vision and strategy, maximizing resources, optimizing processes and creating space for collaboration and support. This may include hiring a team, outsourcing activities, or using technology to automate tasks and increase productivity.
It also includes spending time with family and maintaining relationships. I find that investing in my personal growth, seeking help when needed, and taking time to rest helps me recharge and stay motivated to achieve my goals. Working really hard and then working smart gives me the confidence to trust my team and process so I can focus on strategic decisions that drive my business to long-term success without neglecting my health and well-being.
Related: Resilience is one of the most important entrepreneurial traits. Exercise can help you build it.
With self-compassion
According to Angela Duckworth, a psychologist and pioneer in grit research, individuals with high levels of grit exhibit a strong drive and passion for long-term goals that make them more likely to succeed in their personal and professional endeavors. Through her research, she found that grit can be developed through experience, which is why many entrepreneurs focus on strengthening this trait.
But the problem is that the intense pursuit of sand can sometimes overlook emotional well-being. Relentless persistence can be counterproductive when failures are taken too personally, leading to self-criticism that breeds self-doubt, reduces motivation, and increases the risk of burnout.
To build rudeness holistically, it should be balanced with self-compassion. The ability to face challenges with kindness and understanding helps in objectively assessing the problem and gives a new perspective to find effective solutions. The combination of grit and self-compassion promotes resilience in a way that is sustainable and mentally supportive.
Choose spin over power over
As an entrepreneur, he can know when to change course and take a different approach, the difference between failing like Kodak and thriving like Netflix. Fixated on preserving its heritage through its film-based business model, Kodak has been reluctant to innovate in the digital era. This eventually made their products and services obsolete, leading them to file for bankruptcy in 2012.
Meanwhile, Netflix is a great example of a business that adapts to market changes. From a DVD rental company, the company shifted its focus to streaming and later expanded into content production, becoming today a leading player in the streaming and entertainment industry.
I faced a similar challenge with my UK-based startup SimplyFinance. We specialized in personal finance lead generation when the Great Financial Crisis hit. In the beginning, mortgage leads were valued at up to £200 apiece, but fell to just 50p per lead during the global financial crisis.
Related: The Art of Navigating the “No” — When to Persist, Turn Around, or Give Up and Pack It Up
As the market went down, I made the mistake of taking it personally and forcing myself to work twice as hard because I believed I could turn things around on my own. In hindsight, I should have taken a step back, assessed the situation more objectively and sought help because I didn’t have all the answers.
After reassessing our approach, SimplyFinance successfully refocused on a lead and Q&A service for investment advice. I realized that it is essential to evaluate our strengths and adapt rather than resist the market realities.
Entrepreneurs who manage challenges in any situation can be considered commendable. However, their strong commitment to a particular goal or method, combined with an unwillingness to adapt, can sometimes cause them to miss opportunities for greater success. While hard work and determination can turn dreams into reality, it is imperative that business leaders regularly evaluate whether both the means and the end goals are still relevant and valuable to the markets they serve.
Unlearning and redefining long-held beliefs is indeed challenging, but for sustained growth and long-term success, we need a holistic approach to success. Hard work should be guided by strategy, bravery tempered with self-compassion, and commitment balanced with adaptability. Remember that true success enhances all aspects of life, not detracts from it.