Franchising, albeit often an exciting career, can present some challenges, especially as you work through any initial kinks. With 43% of U.S. office workers reporting they feel burned out at their workplace and 83% of Americans who are experiencing work-related stress, finding ways to avoid burnout can be a major step toward protecting your mental and physical health.

If you are experiencing symptoms of burnout or want to prevent burnout in the first place, we have put together some franchise-specific tips to help.

CREATE A SCHEDULE

As a franchise owner, it can be easy to fall into an unorganized work schedule, especially in the beginning when there can be several onboarding and operational tasks that require your attention. While a franchising role does stray from a traditional corporate role and comes with its own set of benefits, it can take some getting used to. To avoid overworking, which is one of the causes of burnout, try creating a schedule that allows you to have breaks during the day and a suitable clock-out time that works best for you.

MAKE TIME FOR SELF-CARE

The lifestyle you maintain in your personal life can often impact your work life, so taking the steps to incorporate self-care is key. Caring for your emotional and physical wellbeing is something the American Psychological Association recommends. Try to get enough sleep, eat well, exercise, ensure you make time for social connections, and implement more opportunities for self-reflection into your day.

If you find you are experiencing some of the symptoms of burnout, it is an even greater reason to start prioritizing self-care to avoid reaching full-blown burnout. As a franchise owner, it’s not only important to know and recognize the signs in yourself but also in your employees. If you notice high levels of stress among your staff, consider schedule adjustments or additional hires to alleviate the workload.

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HIRE A MANAGER

Forming a reliable team is incredibly important as a franchisee. Depending on the franchise, you may be required to hire a team to help keep things operating smoothly, and the roles can differ. However, hiring someone to take on a managerial role is an excellent way to avoid all the responsibilities being on your shoulders. Even if your franchising ownership model is full-time rather than absentee or semi-absentee, it can still be useful to have a go-to person who can help manage your team and can assign tasks to them effectively.

Delegating tasks helps avoid burnout caused by workload. Establish what you need to do in a day, and then allow your manager and the rest of your team to take on the remaining items.

CREATE A POSITIVE WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT

The environment you work in can play a significant role in preventing or causing burnout. According to a global study of employees, 41% say they would change either culture or engagement to make their employer a great place to work. It has also been found that over half of employees say business culture impacts success.

Creating a welcoming work environment can make the workplace a pleasure to visit every day and prevent “toxic” workplace behavior from developing, which is a significant cause of burnout, according to a survey by McKinsey Health Institute Employee Mental Health and Wellbeing. Assessing your work environment and determining how your employees feel about their workplace can be a great place to start not only for yourself but also for your employees, especially since burnout can be contagious. Encouraging collaboration, being supportive, ensuring clear communication, and placing a greater focus on wellbeing are all important ways to create a positive workplace.

REACH OUT TO YOUR FRANCHISOR

There’s truth in the common franchising saying that “you’re in business for yourself but not by yourself.” A strong franchisor/franchisee relationship is essential to the success of any franchise, so you should always turn to your franchisor whenever you need extra support or help.

Your franchisor wants you to succeed. If workplace matters are causing stress, such as being unsure of how to do something or areas needing improvement, your franchisor can provide the resources, training, and advice necessary to face the challenges.

FRANCHISING WITH DOGTOPIA

The culture we have established at Dogtopia is one filled with care and consideration, and this is carried throughout our franchising network with our ongoing support. If you are interested in learning more about our franchising opportunities, be sure to check out our Why Dogtopia? page as well as our FAQ for further details.