Avoiding the 'Doom Loop' as a business owner
How to break free from the Doom Loop as a business owner. Learn the Offload Loop framework and how coaching can help you reclaim your energy and focus to lead.
If you’ve ever wondered if being a business owner is just an endless loop of stress and busywork, you’re not alone!
Most people start a business with a dream of more freedom, a better life, and the chance to make something meaningful. But somewhere along the way, the excitement fades, the work piles up and it starts feeling like an endless grind.
At Leader Guide, we’ve seen these patterns play out time and time again. We call it the Doom Loop — that stuck, draining cycle where business becomes more of a burden than a joy.
The good news is, you can break out of the Doom Loop and start freeing yourself up to lead with clarity, focus, and renewed energy. We've got a framework for that (keep reading below).
Are you in the Doom Loop?
The Doom Loop is a cycle that traps business owners in stress, overwhelm, and stagnation. The trigger is when a demands and pressure builds on a business owner, instead of relying on their systems and support mechanisms, they respond by taking on even more themselves. They work harder and pour in extra hours, hoping to turn things around. But they end up spinning their wheels, becoming even more exhausted and stuck.
At Leader Guide, we call it the Doom Loop because you feel a sense of hopelessness, like you're in survival mode all the time. For business owners, that's torture. You put so much into your business, you want to win and experience the joy and satisfaction that comes with success.
We also call it the Doom Loop, simply, to get business owners attention to this important matter!
Are you in the Doom Loop? You might be if you’re:
Always busy, but rarely making real progress on your business goals
So busy that you haven't set any goals (and therefore have no clear direction)
Losing the excitement or passion you once had for your business
You can't switch off because everything runs through you (the bottleneck)
Feeling stuck, frustrated, or even hopeless about changing things
In the Doom Loop, every day starts to feel the same: full of urgent tasks, never enough time, and a growing sense that your business is running you, not the other way around. It’s an exhausting cycle, and over time it can lead to burnout.
The way out
There's a way out of this cycle, but it's not on your own... It requires a Coach. Someone to help you change your thinking and decision making (that got you into the Doom Loop).
The real shift happens when you start using what we call the Offload Loop. This isn’t some productivity hack, it’s an intentional, repeatable process that frees you up, little by little, to actually lead again.
The Offload Loop is most powerful when you’ve got a coach alongside you. Coaching as the vehicle for this framework.
Why? A Coach helps you slow down, see things clearly, and most importantly, pushes you to actually do the work of letting go. It’s not about adding more to your plate.
It’s about making space, so you can do to the work that matters most. For many business owners, the most important work they can do is contributing to their team. This looks like empowering others to take responsibility, work together, and move the business forward. Compared to the business owner doing everything themselves.
How to offload and get back to leading
Most business owners know, deep down, that they need to offload more. But actually doing it is another story. It’s easy to get caught in the trap of thinking you’re the only one who can do things properly, or that you’ll get to delegating “one day.” But freedom only comes from letting go.
This is where the Offload Loop, and working with a coach, makes all the difference. Here’s how it works in practice:
1. Observe
Step outside the daily noise and look at your business from a fresh perspective, as something separate from yourself. What’s working? What’s not? Where are things getting stuck? What are customers and staff saying? This habit of observation is incredibly powerful. A coach helps by creating the space and time for you to pause, reflect, and see things clearly — something most owners rarely do on their own.
2. Optimise
Once you’ve observed what’s really happening, with your coach, you can uncover deeper what’s slowing you down. It could be outdated habits or mindsets, bottlenecks in your team, or just unclear priorities. Together, you’ll look for ways to fine-tune your systems, improve processes, and get everyone working together more effectively. Optimising isn’t about working harder, it’s about making your business run smoother, so you don’t have to carry the whole load yourself.
3. Offload
The final breakthrough comes through offloading. Your coach can help you identify what roles and responsibilities you can hand over, automate, or let go of entirely. The less hats you need to wear, the better. Offloading isn’t about dumping tasks onto others, it’s about building trust in your team and freeing them to do their best work, which in turn fees up your own time and energy. This is the step that lets you finally get back to leading, not just doing. It can be the hardest step, but the most rewarding long term.
Take action
Here are some common coaching questions that you can reflect on today:
What’s draining your energy right now?
Where are you getting stuck most often?
Who on your team could take on more responsibility? And what for?
What process could be made simpler or faster?
What’s the one thing you’re holding onto that you know you need to let go?
What’s stopping you from offloading more?
What's the best use of your time?
If you had more time, what would you spend it on?
How would your business and life change if you had more time to lead?
You don’t have to stay in the Doom Loop. Using the Offload Loop with a Coach is how you break the cycle and get your business moving forward, and get your life back.
If you’re tired of running in circles, it’s time to try a different approach.
Book a free call with a Leader Guide Coach today to discuss your business goals and aspirations.
