2 • FEBRUARY 2020
COAST RIVER BUSINESS JOURNAL
EDITOR’S
CEDR REPORT
NOTEBOOK
Feeling burned out? Tips to ‘recharge’
B
urnout is typically caused
by unmanaged stress over
a long period of time.
Operating a business can defi-
nitely be stressful with multiple
demands on time and resources.
Many business owners devote
10-14 hours (or more) per day
to operating their business and
find they have little time left
over for family, fun and rest.
Limited cash flow can also be
a stressor in small business.
Before the burnout leads to
business collapse or worse per-
sonal illness, take some time to
inventory the causes and brain-
storm possible solutions.
Since a lack of time is often
the beginning of the stress, it
may seem impossible to find
the time to start this healing
process. It’s worth the effort to
step back and look at how time
is spent. Consider the busi-
ness hours of operation and the
staffing to cover those hours.
KEVIN LEAHY
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CEDR,
AND CLATSOP COMMUNITY
COLLEGE SMALL BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT CENTER
Are there enough employees
to operate the business for the
current scheduled operating
hours? If not, is it reasonable to
hire additional staff or maybe
reduce the hours of opera-
tion? Are there certain days
or hours the business is open
that customers rarely shop? If
so, change the schedule to be
closed at those times.
Get organized. Find an orga-
nizational system that helps
prioritize tasks. Are there any
tasks on the list that no longer
provide value in your business?
Eliminate them. Are there tasks
that can be done by someone
else? If so, delegate.
Schedule time off for per-
sonal relaxation and family.
You would never expect an
employee to work 80+ hours
per week so why expect to
do that yourself and main-
tain a healthy lifestyle? During
the off hours, avoid checking
email messages or answering
texts or messages on your cell
phone. Those are tasks to be
performed during your regular
working hours. Use the time off
to reconnect with family and
friends, do fun hobbies, exer-
cise or just relax.
Go outdoors! We live in
CEDR BUSINESS AWARDS EVENT
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS!
CEDR will recognize OUTSTANDING Clatsop County
Businesses with their Annual Awards Reception at Clatsop
Community College’s Patriot Hall on April 7, 2020.
Deadline for nomination submission is at
5:00 pm on Friday, March 20, 2020.
Nomination forms and details can be picked up at the Astoria-
Warrenton, Seaside, or Cannon Beach Chambers, the CEDR/CCC
SBDC office in Seaside at the Clatsop Community College South
County Center, or by sending an email request to sbdc@clatsopcc.edu.
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one of the most beautiful spots
in the world, rain or shine!
The time away from busi-
ness can help improve produc-
tivity while on the job.
Many business own-
ers struggle with insufficient
cash flow which causes stress.
Improving cash flow requires
analysis of business financial
information. Are sales too low?
Are expenses too high? Is too
much being spent on inven-
tory or other assets? Are cus-
tomers paying their bills late?
Once you have identified the
reasons cash flow is low, look
at the possible solutions. You
may need to increase prices or
cut expenditures. You may need
to follow up with customers to
collect on unpaid invoices. You
may need to increase marketing
to reach more customers. You
may need to rethink your busi-
ness model to make your busi-
ness successful in the future.
The business Pros
It’s a good time to look at
healthy choices. Burnout can
be reversed but it takes mak-
ing an effort to change; reduce
demands on yourself, get help
if needed, reconnect with fam-
ily and friends, have fun and
get more sleep.
Contact us at the Clatsop
Community College Small
Business Development Cen-
ter to set an appointment with
one of our experienced advi-
sors, who have been in your
shoes. Always free and confi-
dential. Email sbdc@clatsopcc.
edu, call 503-338-2402 or go to
our website at bizcenter.org to
learn more about how we can
help! The Clatsop Community
College SBDC is a partner-
ship of the U.S. Small Business
Administration, the Oregon
SBDC Network, the Oregon
Business Development Depart-
ment and Clatsop Community
College.
to Know!
Your local business lending team!
Equipment | Working Capital | Credit Lines | Construction
Pam Rush
503.861.6555
David Clyde
Laura Smith
Dian Barker-Sayce
SVP Commercial
Banking Team Leader
VP Commercial
Loan Officer
VP Commercial
Banking Officer
VP Sr Business
Banking Officer
NMLS # 422239
NMLS # 422241
YOU CAN NOMINATE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE
DEMONSTRATED ACHIEVEMENTS IN:
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• Service (on the part of the
Economic Impact
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Entrepreneurship
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Manufacturing Advancement
1455 N. Roosevelt, Seaside, OR
503–338–2402
email: SBDC@clatsopcc.edu
Astoria
Warrenton
Seaside
www.BankofthePacic.com
All loans subject to credit approval. Certain fees and restrictions may apply.