How entrepreneurs can maximize networking without burnout

A bulk of an entrepreneur’s time is mostly spent attending start up events, social gathering and general networking with different stakeholders such as potential investors among others. In today’s business environment your network is often your net worth meaning the success of your business is dependent on the value of your network.

On the flip side networking can be demanding both physically and mentally even for extroverts and many times can leave you with little energy to actually do the day to day business operations.

As an entrepreneur, you can’t avoid networking but you can utilize some simple techniques to ensure you don’t get burned out as you network.

First thing first you must establish you’re networking breakpoint.Being with others can be enjoyable, but there will always be a point when it becomes too draining for you. You should aim at finding out at what point this is. To do this, list all you’re networking activities for the past month and how many hours you spent per activity.

After this ask yourself: How many hours, in total, did you spend in networking activities each week? How did you feel at the end of each week? Which week drained you the most and which week did you find energizing, or at least realistically sustainable?

Tracking your networking hours and energy levels can help you be aware of your personal limits. You’ll know you’ve hit your optimal level once you’ve found a social schedule that you can sustain in the long term and that leaves you feeling productive and energized at the end of the week, rather than miserable and completely burned out.

There is always this tendency especially for newbie’s in business that the bigger your network the better; but this often may the reason why an entrepreneur may experience frequent burnout to the detriment o the business.  Instead entrepreneurs focus on building quality networks by choosing a few high-quality, high-potential opportunities instead of spreading yourself too thin.

Quality opportunities are those that provide long-term value, align closely with your immediate goals, or add variety and balance to your existing network of contacts. If your time is limited and you have an event that doesn’t meet these standards, you’re probably better off skipping it and conserving your energy for a different opportunity.

Finally ensure you have a networking wing man or woman who can either be a business partner, coworker or simply a friend who is sufficiently knowledgeable of your business.

Bringing a partner with you serves three purposes. First, social support can help reduce exhaustion and burnout, especially if support comes in the form of a tangible service such as networking. Second, you and your partner can divide and conquer. This means that you can expend less energy and talk to fewer people, but still gather a large number of contacts at the end of the night, thanks to your partner’s efforts.

Following these steps can help entrepreneurs better manage their energy, which is a crucial yet limited resource for many. This can help founders in the long run since managing one’s energy can boost productivity, improve job performance, and build physical, emotional, and mental resilience.