I built a business to have freedom, then became its prisoner

How I broke free from the hustle trap and earning more by working less.

You ever wake up feeling like your brain is already in a Zoom call before your body even leaves the bed?

That was me.

There was a season in my business where I was the designer, project manager, accountant, tech support, marketing team, customer service rep, and yes, emergency therapist for some clients who thought their logo was a personality crisis.

I was doing everything.

Because I believed the lie so many of us quietly carry:

“If I don’t do it, it won’t be done right.”

It wasn’t just unhealthy.

It was unsustainable.

From flexible to frazzled

I started my business for freedom. Flexibility.

To work from home, be with my family, build something of my own.

But the more I said yes to every client request, every late-night revision, every “quick call”, the less space I had for myself.

My to-do list ruled me.

Weekends were blurred with weekdays.

I felt like I was working all the time but never getting ahead.

What I didn’t realize:

Burnout doesn’t always look like crashing.

Sometimes it looks like quiet resentment.

A low hum in the background of your day that makes you dread opening your inbox.

The turning point

One day, a client messaged me at 11:30 PM.

"Hey, just thought of one more tweak! Can we get this in before morning?"

I was in bed, replying on my phone, half-asleep, irritated—but I still typed:

"Sure! I’ll squeeze it in."

That’s when it hit me:

I had become the kind of boss I left my 9-to-5 to escape.

Except worse, I couldn’t clock out. Because I was the business.

And if I was the business... I had built a cage for myself.

Something had to change.

How I escaped burnout (and how you can too)

If you’re in that “I’m doing everything and I’m exhausted” phase, I see you.

Here’s what helped me stop the madness and start building something sustainable again.

1. Start with boundaries (even if they feel scary)

At first, I felt guilty setting office hours.

I worried clients would think I wasn’t dedicated.

But the truth?

The good clients respected me more.

The draining ones left, and I let them.

Today, my calendar has office hours.

My inbox has autoresponders.

My phone is on DND after 6pm.

Life. Changed.

2. Systemize or suffer

I realized I was answering the same questions, writing the same onboarding emails, repeating the same processes every time.

So I built simple SOPs.

Templated my proposals.

Automated parts of my client process with tools like Asana and Freshdesk.

No, it wasn’t “fun” to set up.

But every hour I spent building a system gave me 10 back in the future.

3. Delegate before you're ready

At some point, I had to admit:

I wasn’t the best person for everything.

I hired a VA for a few hours a week.

Eventually brought in a junior designer.

Now?

I can take a week off without everything burning down.

(Okay, maybe a small fire. But we manage.)

4. Create white space

The best ideas don’t come when you’re buried in Asana tasks.

They come when you’re resting.

Now, I block out creative mornings.

I protect my weekends like gold.

And when I start to feel that low buzz of resentment again?

I know it’s time to pause and adjust.

If you’re close to burning out, here’s what I want you to hear:

You’re not lazy. You’re overloaded.

You don’t need to hustle harder.

You need space.

Support.

Boundaries.

You didn’t start your business to become your worst boss.

You started it to build a life that fits you.

So take the walk.

Say no.

Delegate the $10/hour task.

Write the boundaries you wish someone would respect, and respect them first.

You can still be successful and rest.

You can serve your clients and protect your peace.

You can build a business and have a life.

Time to normalize that.

More next week,

Marilyn

Feeling close to burnout? My free 5-day email course will help you systemize, streamline, and take yourself out of the chaos, one tiny step at a time.