Practical Strategies for Thriving as a Business Owner with Johl Dunn BURNOUT TO BALANCE:

Johl Dunn is an NZIPP Accredited Professional Photographer and highly regarded Photography business mindset coach, based in Australia.

https://www.johldunn.com

What a year 2024 has been! One topic I’ve been coaching on and developing strategies for more and more over the past few years is burnout.

As business owners, it’s imperative to have strategies that allow you to switch off, relax, have fun, and not be “on” all the time. With the Christmas break approaching, it’s a perfect opportunity to reflect on what worked this year, what didn’t, what you want to achieve next year, and the kind of work-life balance you’d like to implement.

Burnout affects everyone differently, and we each face unique businesses, circumstances, and family dynamics. Below, I’ve outlined four strategies to help.

Boundaries & Structure

Do you have boundaries? Do you know how and when to say no—even to family and friends? Every time we say yes to something, we are saying no to something else, and often that sacrifice is our own peace and personal time.

Boundaries are crucial not only in business but in life. It’s essential to establish set working hours and only be available to clients during those times. Yes, I’m looking at you if you tuck the kids into bed and then get back on your laptop until all hours!

Structure is equally important, not just for work but for exercise, family time, and personal downtime. By balancing these areas, you ensure that all aspects of your life remain aligned.

Mindfulness Techniques

With technology, phones, and constant notifications dominating our lives, we rarely take time to stop and connect with our thoughts. This relentless stimulation keeps our nervous system in overdrive, often leading to burnout.

Having a toolbox of mindfulness techniques can make all the difference when stress starts to rise. These techniques can be as simple as a quick breathing exercise or sitting outside for a moment of calm. Alternatively, they could be more immersive, like walking in nature, meditating, or swimming.

Productivity

The more productive we feel, the easier it becomes to give ourselves permission to switch off. I encourage my clients to start their day with a simple morning ritual, including identifying their top priorities for the day and time-blocking tasks.

When time-blocking, focus is key. Turn off alerts and emails to avoid the distractions of endless communication. Each time you stop to check a text or email, you pull yourself out of flow, wasting both time and mental energy. Did you know we touch our phones over 2,000 times a day on average? Reduce this habit, and your productivity will soar.

Control and Stress

A major driver of burnout is chronic stress, which often stems from not being present and projecting ourselves into an unwanted future. We stress about things that could go wrong, not having enough clients, or financial uncertainties.

When this happens, our fight-or-flight response kicks in, activating the sympathetic nervous system and flooding our bodies with stress hormones. Over time, this taxes our adrenal glands, drains our energy, and leads to burnout.

The root cause often lies in our need for control. We believe that if we prepare for every worst-case scenario, we’ll be ready when it happens, giving us a sense of control. But the truth is, the future is inherently uncertain, and we cannot control most of it. What we can control is our mindset and actions in the present moment.

When your mind wanders to an unwanted future, let it go. Refocus on the present and take action from there.

Final Thoughts

Sometimes, we take life too seriously—especially as business owners. It’s important to remind yourself to have fun and appreciate the small moments, as these are often the most meaningful parts of life.

So much of reducing burnout, managing stress, and enjoying life comes down to the quality of our habits. In the next edition, I’ll dive deeper into how building good habits can help create a life of balance and fulfillment.

If this resonates with you or you have any questions, feel free to reach out on Instagram @johldunn.

From Page 6 of Hugh Perry’s book: Formation of North Island Professional Photographers Association

One of the founding myths of the Institute was the amount of energy and enthusiasm contributed by Burt Hobday of Feilding in travelling around the North Island visiting photographers to encourage support for a photographer’s organisation. This was at a time when travel was expensive and time consuming and this exercise was at Hobday’s own expense in both time and money. This contribution, and the voluntary contributions of many who followed, and continue to follow his example, is what brought the Institute into existence and continued its development to the present.

Ken Niven recorded that during the year 1937/8 Mr Burt Hobday approached professional photographers and photographic dealers in Auckland, Wellington, Napier, Palmerston North, Wanganui and many provincial towns concerning the formation and maintenance of either a North Island or New Zealand Professional Photographers Association.4

4 Ken Niven: notes of history of the Institute kept in a ring binder and lodged with the Institute’s records prior to 2000.

In a celebration of history and heritage, NZIPP Life Member Hugh Perry has captured the rich story of professional photography in New Zealand in his book, Towards 75 Years of Organisation of Professional Photography: The New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography Story. This work delves into the first 75 years of the NZIPP’s journey, chronicling its evolution and milestones. We will publish a snippet of NZIPP’s history in each future edition of Pro Report. The First Meeting of Professional

According to Niven, Hobday received universal support for the formation of a professional photographer’s organisation so a meeting was called to form and register such an association. This was scheduled to begin at 2pm on Monday 5th September 1938 at Palmerston North. Of the 106 North Island photographers invited to the meeting eighty agreed to actually join the association when it was formed. Of that initial eighty, interested prospective members, the following were present at the inaugural meeting. From Wellington: Mrs Marie Dean, Miss Elizabeth Atkinson, Miss Mable Tustin, Mr Phil H Jauncey, Mr Earl Andrew, Mr Spencer Digby. From Auckland: Miss Amy Harper, Whangarei: Mr G E Woolley, Hamilton: Mr H E Gaze, Mr E Calvert, Mr R Clare. From Pahiatua: Mr Milne Allan, Lower Hutt: Mr G W Vaughan, Dannevirke: Mr J S N Potts, Masterton: Mr Henry Hope Cross, Levin: Mr A Billens, Palmerston North: Mr John Lewis, Mr A W Low, Mr E D Woollett, Mr R Anderson, Wanganui: Mr T Metcalfe, Mr Mark L Lampe, Hastings: Mr Stuart Johnson, Mr H J Lovell-Smith, Mr Rolf Keys, New Plymouth: Mr S Latta, Mr E Crago, Mr J Swainson, Feilding: Mr Burt Hobday, Napier: A B Hurst, Taumarunui: Mr H Clegg.