When you lead a marketing, SEO, or advertising agency, your job is cutthroat. Not only do you have to be one tough cookie in the board room, but you also have to lead a team, manage client relationships, and, oh, be a person outside of work, too.
I used to work at a marketing agency. It wasn’t uncommon for us to pull all-nighters, make frantic last-minute changes to client content, or drown ourselves in coffee.
Agency work is so rewarding, but it’s a tough, tough environment. Even when you get home after a long day at work, it’s hard to turn off. (And let’s be real; you have work email on your phone, so it’s like you’re working remotely when you’re at home, anyway).
But agency burnout is a real thing, especially among founders. People often split from the industry because their mental health has deteriorated so much.
I’m all for doing what works best for you. If you want to work in the agency atmosphere, go nuts! I love working with agencies. 🙂 Here are a few ways to protect your mental health when the going gets tough.
Protecting mental health at an agency
Just say no
This one is hard, especially if you run a small agency and need the money.
But if you can smell that someone is going to be a nightmare client, for the love of Godiva, please don’t take them on. Just learn to say no.
Otherwise, this client will be demanding last-minute changes, two-hour phone calls every week, and “special” rates. You’re already busy enough; you don’t need a nightmare client on your hands.
Instead, only take on projects and clients that excite you. You don’t need negativity or extra stress added to your life.
Talk about it
Communication not only helps you feel better, but it can really clear the air. Be professional but frank with your team that you’re feeling stressed or burnt out.
As a leader, you have the power to create the culture you want to see. If you want to know when your team is feeling overwhelmed, sometimes the first step is to be open with your own feelings.
But talking about your feelings also means seeking professional help. Counseling is an effective way to learn how to manage job and life stressors.
And hey, I know you’re busy. You don’t have time to leave the office for a one-hour counseling sesh every Wednesday. I get it. I’ve used e-Counseling in the past with great success. You just video chat with your counselor from wherever you happen to be.
Most online counselors offer flexible morning, night, and weekend hours, too, so you can still get help with a crazy schedule.
Limit notifications
As an agency owner, it’s critical for you to have your eyes and ears on your biz at all times. For most of us, that means hooking up work notifications on our personal phones.
And then what happens? We finally come home, only to check email after dinner or before bed.
Enough with the madness!
I know it sounds nuts, but I did it and I lived to tell the tale: turn notifications off on your personal phone.
If the building is on fire, someone will call you, I promise. Leave work at work. If there are any emergencies, tell people to call you. Everything else can wait until you’re back in the office.
If you use your personal phone for work (like I do), you have options to protect your time. Slack has a nifty “mute” feature where you can limit notifications during a certain timeframe.
When you’re at home, be at home. This time away helps your mind heal from a long day at work.
Get up and move
Have you ever chained yourself to the computer for 5+ hours, only to realize you haven’t moved? I get it; it’s hard to get up and leave when you’re knee-deep in proposals, meetings, and emails.
But that’s exactly what you need to do for your mental health. Our mental and physical health are tied together. There’s something refreshing about taking a brisk, five-minute walk around the office to clear your head.
If you’re able, try going outside for a quick ten-minute walk a few times a day. You can even bring your coworkers with you to talk shop if you’re slammed.
I got a fitness tracker (I use BellaBeat) to remind me to get up and move every hour, which is great if you need help remembering to move.
Choose good fuel
Mom was right: we should eat our fruits and vegetables. I’m not saying you’re going to cure anxiety with zucchini, but good food keeps your body at peak performance. Don’t weigh yourself down with fast food—or worse, forgetting to eat entirely.
It’s really, really hard to eat well when you’re going 300 miles per hour in between meetings, but your body will fail you without the right fuel.
When I worked at agencies, I brought pre-made smoothies and yogurt bowls for lunch. In a pinch, I had a list of healthy fast-food options that I could order on Uber Eats.
Ask for help
You’re not SuperWoman/Man! Every human being needs help from time to time.
Are you doing work that your employees should be doing? Or could be doing? Don’t be afraid to delegate. It’s scary to let go of control, but it’s the healthy thing to do. If you don’t have employees, consider hiring a freelancer (like me!) to take the workload off of you.
Need a little help balancing responsibilities at home? Reach out to your network for support. You’d be amazed at how many people want to help you with childcare, meals, and transportation.
The bottom line
Life is messy and that’s okay; do the best you can.
Mental health is just as important as protecting your physical health. Follow these tips to stay healthy, balanced, and happy while leading your agency to glory.