Burnout Is Killing Your Business: The Energy Hack Entrepreneurs Need to Stay Focused, Energized, and Profitable

You built a thriving business, but lately? Something feels “off”. Your spark is dimming. Your revenue has plateaued (or worse), you’re running on fumes, and your espresso just isn’t cutting it anymore. 

Sound familiar?  

As a high-achiever, it’s second-nature to work hard for the things that matter most to you, especially achieving success and making money. While your business still appears to have it all together, internally, your confidence has hit rock bottom. What if your obsession with revenue is actually draining your most valuable resource?

According to Founder Reports, nearly 90% of entrepreneurs struggle with at least one mental health issue, with 34.4% reporting burnout. The hard truth is that many founders want to be recognized as having it all together, and it’s only after a few spicy margaritas when the truth of feeling like a failure and an imposter comes to light.

In December of 2023, I sat down to review the year and to set new goals for the coming year like I always do. The numbers weren’t good. I’d launched 9 times and created 12 new programs, but my revenue had crashed from the previous year. I was stressed, anxious, and struggling to put on a “happy face” to my team and clients. I knew I had to make a change.

Mornings typically started at 3:00 A.M with my mind spiraling in worry. I’d do a little breathwork to fall back to sleep for a couple of hours, only to wake up feeling depleted. Like any high-achiever desperate for an energy “fix” during the day, I did ALL the things - cold plunges, working out, and–naturally–a bottomless cup of coffee! 

It worked, at least temporarily. I still had to prepare my kids for school, walk the dog, and tackle a loaded work day. Sure, I got my 10K steps, but I was burnt out, crabby, and frustrated that no amount of effort was actually getting me the results I wanted. 

This is what I call the “burnout loop”. Work hard to make money → Feel exhausted → Work even harder → Crash → Repeat. If this cycle of adrenal fatigue were an Olympic sport, sadly many of us would be gold medal winners. The scariest part of being burnt out for me was how slow it crept up on me. Entrepreneur mental health is a serious matter. 

A report from the University of California found that 72% of entrepreneurs are impacted by mental health conditions, with 30% experiencing depression and 27% dealing with anxiety. Back in May 2024, I hosted an interview series for Mental Health Awareness Month and nearly a dozen highly successful entrepreneurs attributed using energy management tools like meditation for success.

Burnout doesn’t happen overnight. One day you’re pushing through, the next you’re feeling disconnected, uninspired and exhausted. We all carry stress differently, here are the top signs of entrepreneur burnout…

🔥 Top Signs of Entrepreneur Burnout:

1. 🚨 Extreme fatigue & brain fog – You’re exhausted, but coffee is your personality now.
2. 🤯 Overwhelm & indecision – You’re “off,” and your intuition has left the building.
3. 🧠 Lack of creativity – Often feeling uninspired or “stuck”.
4. ⏳ Seldom prioritize self-care – You know it matters, but who has time?
5. 😞 Loss of joy & fulfillment – The business that once fueled you now drains you.

Consider every hour spent burnt out is an hour NOT spent in alignment with your fullest potential. Burnout is beyond a productivity problem. Left untreated, your physical and mental  health could pay the price. 

If you’re eager to overcome business burnout, the good news is that you can break this vicious loop faster than you think, without working harder. And NO, this doesn’t mean you’re lazy.

‍The energy alignment hack that high-achieving entrepreneurs swear by–and few are teaching–is that your joy fuels your energy alignment. I have found this is the key to sustainable success. In order to get your energy into alignment it’s time to start prioritizing how much joy you’re allowing into your life. 

‍Try the 5-Minute Energy Reset

Whenever you get triggered into a stress response, and your instinct for self-soothing is to work harder and put in more effort, try my 5-Minute Energy Reset Meditation. It’s available for free on my new Mastery and Ascension App! You can listen to it anytime for a quick, practical exercise that immediately clears your energy and gets you into alignment. Just press PLAY for a quick alignment fix. You’ll thank me later!

After trying the meditation, take one small action to create joy first, work second. It could be spending extra time with your pet, playing at a park, taking a walk outside, or dancing while your coffee brews. Trust me, dancing to “Bye, Bye, Bye” by NSYNC before work won’t explode your business. I promise! I’ve been prioritizing joy and my profit margin has tripled!

Don’t just take it from me, one of my clients just celebrated that she finally gave herself permission to have her morning coffee outside instead of rushing to be productive. She’s had a new prospective client reach out each day so far! 

Let’s keep it simple, do more of what makes you happy…then you can stop fantasizing about burning it all down and starting a new life in the Bahamas!

As leaders, we know that our business success isn’t separate from our personal or spiritual growth. Which is why it’s time to discover how you,--as a leader–heal. I’ve created the Aligned Leadership Method which is a simple process to heal burnout.

The following prompts will reconnect you with your vision and discover what might be the true cause of your burnout.

3 Prompts To Discover Why You’re Burnt Out From The Aligned Leadership Method:

1. Vision check: What do you see for yourself in the future? What does “happily ever after” look like? Really take time to clearly visualize this. (“More money” is not a vision—it's a byproduct.) 

Think of this like creating a bullseye for your personal alignment. Here are a few client vision examples: 

• A wellness expert who sees herself writing transformative books, speaking on large stages and hosting exotic retreats. 
• An animal physiotherapist who wishes to create a sanctuary that's revolutionizing canine rehabilitation. 
• Two studio founders who envision preserving their legacy while planning their well-earned retirement.

2. Redefining success: How does success FEEL? 

When you can start prioritizing whatever it takes to get more of these good feelings in your life and business, you become the vibration of abundance. (Hint: The best opportunities come when you stop chasing them and instead embody them.)

If success feels like joy, freedom, and wellness it's now your mission to create those things in your daily life. 

**Be mindful of the resistance that shows up when you decide to down-shift. Old habits will fight back!

3. Healing burnout at the root: When did you first have the thought that you have to “work hard” to make money? Where do you feel this in your physical body?

Giving yourself the space to explore your answers is the key to how quickly you can shift into energetic alignment and reset your nervous system.  SPOILER—The REAL cause of burnout are unhealed beliefs about success, money, and self-worth.

Remember, the real cost of burnout isn’t just exhaustion, it’s lost income, lost impact, and lost YOU. Let me be honest: You’re reading this article for a reason. You’re ready for a shift and to build a business and life that fuels you instead of draining you. 

Through healing myself, I’ve been on a mission to support high-achieving leaders in healing burnout and aligning their energy for business growth. Remember, we are resilient, and our bodies can heal themselves given the right tools and resources. 

‍Next Steps: Break Free from Burnout & Reclaim Your Energy

• 🎧 Download my FREE Mastery And Ascension App and listen to the 5-Minute Energy Reset Meditation to clear your energy in minutes.
• 🎙️ Looking for a podcast guest or speaker? I work with teams & leaders to prevent burnout and scale sustainably. Email me at hello@emilyaarons.com to connect!
• Grab the Angels In Your Biz Oracle Card Deck and start using your intuition in your business.