240: the anti-burnout plan for entrepreneur parents
Sep 2, 2025
Parenting Without Burning Out as an Entrepreneur
Running a business is demanding. Parenting is demanding. Doing both at the same time? That can push you to the edge. I’ve lived all three lives—military officer, corporate employee, and now entrepreneur and parent—and I can tell you this: parenting as an entrepreneur brings a unique set of challenges.
The hardest part? You can’t compartmentalize. When I had a job, I could leave work at work and show up fully as a dad. But when you run your own business, your brain doesn’t shut off. Ideas, stress, and strategy are always with you—and that’s where parenting burnout creeps in.
A recent study shows up to 9% of parents in Western countries experience parental burnout. For entrepreneurs, the number is likely higher. Burnout leads to exhaustion, guilt, disconnection, and sometimes even the urge to escape. That’s why learning how to protect your energy as both a parent and entrepreneur is critical.
The Fastest Path to Burnout
If you want to guarantee burnout, here’s the formula:
Treat your spouse like a roommate who only shares tasks.
Have nothing that’s truly yours outside of business.
Beat yourself up daily for not being “good enough.”
That’s a recipe for guilt, exhaustion, and resentment. But there’s another way.
The Anti-Burnout Equation for Parenting Entrepreneurs
1. Relatedness: Don’t Parent in Isolation
Schedule time with your partner that goes beyond chores and logistics. Talk about goals, dreams, and what excites you. Involve family and friends. Parenting wasn’t designed to be a solo mission.
When I spend time with others, I get perspective—it pulls me out of tunnel vision and helps me see that both parenting and business challenges are temporary.
2. Autonomy: Keep Something That’s Yours
Entrepreneurs and parents alike lose themselves when everything becomes about others. You need something that’s yours—a hobby, a project, or even a 10-minute transition ritual after work.
For me, fitness is both work and hobby, but for you, it might be music, woodworking, gardening, or even just walking. The important part: you choose it.
3. Competence: Reframe Mistakes as Growth
Every parent has moments they regret—snapping at a child, being distracted, not showing up fully. The key isn’t perfection, it’s reframing. Instead of saying “I suck as a parent,” say: “That was a miss. Next time, I’ll do better.”
This shift keeps you from spiraling into guilt and instead builds resilience.
4. Need Crafting: Layer Your Needs Into Daily Life
Your kids have sports practices, rehearsals, or activities every week. Instead of scrolling on your phone or racing home to “be productive,” use that time for yourself. Go for a walk, meditate, or even just breathe. Overlapping their needs with yours creates balance.
Time-Stamped Show Notes
00:30 – Why parental burnout is rising
01:15 – My journey: military, corporate, entrepreneur, parent
02:05 – The challenge of compartmentalization
03:00 – The formula for guaranteed burnout
04:05 – The anti-burnout equation for parents
04:45 – Relatedness: don’t parent in isolation
05:55 – Autonomy: keeping something that’s yours
07:10 – Competence: reframing parenting mistakes
08:20 – Need crafting: layering your needs with theirs
09:40 – Practical examples from sports practices
10:50 – The path to sustainable parenting and entrepreneurship
