What happens when an entrepreneur suffers from burnout? Psychotherapist Jade Barclay revealed in a Psychology Today interview that there’s a difference between employee and entrepreneur burnout. Entrepreneurs reaching a point of burnout are likely to experience cognitive symptoms, such as inability to focus, and body symptoms. Barclay noted that there is often a moment when the entrepreneur has the realization, “I can’t do this anymore. I need to do something different.”
Don’t panic just yet if you’re an entrepreneur in a similar boat. It’s easy to see burnout as a looming threat. The fear sets in that the inability to do “this” can ultimately topple a small business like a collapsing house of cards. However, for a percentage of entrepreneurs, burnout ties in with boredom. Entrepreneurs need a challenge and a change of pace. Otherwise, the day to day hustle will dissolve into going through the motions.
Time to get out of the office and get in a creative new space! Broaden your horizons with a field trip to one of these unique spaces.
1. Interactive Art Exhibits
Chances are someone you know has visited the Museum of Ice Cream and got to live their best life lying in a sea of sprinkles and swinging on a gigantic ice cream sandwich swing. Interactive art exhibits like these are perfect for indulging your inner kid again. Reserve a ticket and get ready to give your day the explosion of color and wonder it needs.
Don’t have an interactive art exhibit in your area? Head over to an art museum and spend some time gazing at watercolor paintings and intensely studying sculptures.
2. Botanical Gardens
Artist Claude Monet once said, “I must have flowers, always and always.” Many startup entrepreneurs grow accustomed to being in sterile spaces where the motto is more screens and less everything else.
Nip that in the bud with a botanical garden visit. Look up the closest location, buy a ticket, and spend the afternoon reconnecting with a bit of nature. It’s less intensive than a hike and more serene than going camping. Go alone or bring members of your team with you and enjoy the peace, quiet, and tranquility that comes with the visit.
3. Library
When was the last time you read a book from cover to cover? Did you read it for work or for pleasure? If your answer to both questions was “I don’t know” or “I haven’t read a book in a while,” grab your library card.
It’s time to hit the books again — literally — and check out some reads. Get a stack of books that have been burning a hole on your Amazon wish list. Turn off Netflix when you get home and spend some time channeling your inner bookworm with this brain food.
4. College campus
Not all adult entrepreneurs (particularly those repaying student loan debt) may be down with this suggestion. Hear me out. Don’t view a college campus visit as one where you feel too old to be around the current student body. Take a stroll around the campus. People watch, explore common areas, and check out bulletin boards to see what’s going in the community.
5. Observatory
Quite a few entrepreneurs hit their creative stride after the sun sets. If you’re one of them, skip an early bedtime for a night out with the stars.
Take an evening drive down to your local observatory and roam the space. See which exhibits are currently on this month’s calendar, glimpse into the cosmos from telescopes, and catch a live show at the planetarium for an out of this world experience.