Creative Shop Talk with Wendy Batten
185. Avoid Retail Burnout with Guest Expert Dr. Ashley Margeson
With host retail coach Wendy Batten
Show Notes:
Retailers take note.
If you’ve ever experienced burnout in your home tasks or business, you know it’s something that’s best to manage in its early stages. In Episode 185 of the Creative Shop Talk Podcast, Dr. Ashley Margeson joins me for a dynamic discussion about burnout, including what it is, and methods for prevention and recovery. If you are like many of my retailers and have said things like “I love what I do, but…” “I just need to hustle through this one event/season/month…” This conversation is for you.
What is burnout?
Burnout has been studied since the 1970s. It is an interesting phenomenon that the WHO set as a true diagnosis only a few years ago, identifiable by three key symptoms: depressive-like feelings, apathy towards your work (whether it be at home, entrepreneurship, etc), and a loss of productivity/performance. Burnout is tough to recognize at its earliest stages because we keep justifying it with logic.
Dr. Ashley explains that burnout occurs when we overuse adrenaline as our main energy source. The longer we use adrenaline as energy, cortisol production is suppressed. Cortisol is your energy & stress response hormone that should rise in the morning and stay steady throughout the day. As entrepreneurs, our first instinct is often to just “do more,” which leads to living on adrenaline. Living on adrenaline leads to burnout.
Managing Burnout Like A Bank Account
An easy way to think about managing burnout is to think of a bank account. Like a bank account withdrawal, our energy is depleted for things we spend it on. Similarly, an energy “deposit” can be made into our bank through things like eating healthy meals and adequate sleep.
4 Modes/Stages of Burnout:
1. Savings/Investing Mode: Early Stage Burnout: We have lots of deposits coming in so we are able to “spend” our energy/adrenaline.
2. Paycheck to Paycheck: In this mode, there is just enough energy coming in to deal with what’s going out.
3. Overdraft: There is no longer enough energy coming in to cover what is going out. At this stage, you aren’t quite apathetic, moreso irritated. You start putting things off.
4. The creditors are calling: In this stage, you are no longer getting out of bed. Once you get to this stage, you may need medical intervention and recovery can take months and months.
One of the things that Dr. Ashley points out early on in our conversation is that burnout can’t necessarily be avoided. Rather, severe burnout should be managed/prevented so that recovery can be a walk outside vs. 18 months of rest. From a retail perspective, this could mean identifying what you can do in Q1 - Q3 that will limit the energy withdrawals you are making in Q4 that can lead to burnout.
Dr. Ashley explains that energy deposits can take the form of 30 second “glimmers” throughout your day, deposits that take 5-15 minutes, and deposits that take over 20 minutes. Oftentimes, we are so focused on the energy deposits that take more than 20 minutes (having dinner with a friend, for example) that we miss the smallest deposits (“glimmers” like a glass of water, a post-it note on the computer, etc). These are the sources that give us small, sustainable bumps in energy.
The “cornerstone” deposits are the ones we should be spending our energy on: sleep, fueling, self-awareness, and movement.
“No one ever gets to burnout because they failed. We burn out because we care about showing up and doing the right things.” - Dr. Ashley
Dr. Ashley’s advice:
1. Determine what stage of burnout you are in.
2. Make a list of deposits that give you energy in each of the three timeframes listed above.
3. Of the cornerstone deposits, which matters most to you? Focus on that one.
About Dr. Ashley:
Dr. Ashley Margeson is a Naturopathic Doctor who believes that your health should work for you, not against you.As the COO of Cornerstone Naturopathic, a Halifax, Nova Scotia-based clinic, she focuses on Burnout Recovery and Prevention, guiding individuals towards revitalization and well-being.
At the helm of her mission, Dr. Ashley is also the host of "The Superwoman Code," a dynamic podcast supporting busy women in optimizing their health, homes, and hormones to infuse life back into their lifestyles. Her impactful contributions have garnered recognition from platforms such as Business Insider, The Globe and Mail, Shondaland, The Strategist, Cosmopolitan Magazine and more. Additionally, she is a regular contributor to health matters on Global and CTV Morning Live.
Dr. Ashley extends her influence to the digital realm through The Superwoman Code Course Suite, a comprehensive online hub offering online support meticulously crafted to foster healthy habits without the stress.
Beyond her professional commitments, Dr. Ashley is a devoted dog mom to Loki and full-time stepmom to Caleb and Elise. Her expertise doesn't stop at her clinic; she is also a sought-after freelance consultant, partnering with companies and organizations to integrate Burnout Prevention Strategies into their work environments, nurturing resilience and well-being among employees.
For a deeper connection with Dr. Ashley Margeson ND, explore her insights and offerings at www.ashleymargeson.com or engage with her through her vibrant social channels on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Through her holistic approach, she empowers individuals to reshape their health journeys and foster lasting vitality.
Related podcasts we think you’ll like:
Episode 86: Avoid Biz Burnout - Take Control and See the Full Potential of Your Business
Episode 92: Morning Routines & Why They Work - Even For People Who Hate Morning Routines
Episode 100: Why It’s Important to Celebrate Your Business Milestones
About your host, Wendy Batten
In case we haven’t met yet, I’m Wendy, a small business coach and founder of the Retailer’s Inner Circle, where I help other independent shop owners learn how to gain the right business skillsets to see more profits, paychecks, and joy as they navigate running their retail business.
Through online classes, business coaching programs, speaking, and a top-ranked podcast, I’ve helped hundreds of retailers around the globe reclaim their dream and see the success they want from their beautiful shops. My signature private coaching community, The Retailer’s Inner Circle, has helped retailers around the world build their retail business skill sets and confidence.
I am proud to have been featured in several major publications, including my own business column in What Women Create magazine. I have been privileged to be a guest on top-ranked podcasts and sought-after as a guest speaker and teacher for several brands, associations, and communities that are passionate about the success of independent retailers.
When I’m not coaching, you will find me either DIYing and renovating my very imperfect old crooked cottage by the sea in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Lunenburg, NS, or blogging about our travel and RVing adventures and the weird fun things we get up to in our coastal village. I’d love to invite you to check out one of my free resources for real retailers at https://wendybatten.com/free-resources/
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