How to handle the stress that comes with managing a business
Nobody enters into a business thinking about the workload or stress that comes with it. Primarily, people come into the business world to chase their dreams, fulfill a purpose, and make some cool, nice cash.
In reality, though, stress and challenges are a big part of the deal.
Every day you wake up, you're stressed. You go to work stressed. And you return stressed. Even when you decide to take a few days' break or go on a holiday, you still receive calls and demands from people at the office.
Perhaps, the stress is finally getting to you. And you’re wondering what you can do to beat it. You’re in luck; below are a few tips to help you handle the stress that comes with business management.
- Identify your stressors
There’s bound to be a particular challenge you’re facing at every point in time, and that’s probably what’s causing your stress. Instead of making general assumptions about your entire endeavors, pick out the one thing that’s giving you a headache.
It could be an underperforming employee, some machinery not working, a dishonest supplier, or a low turnover. Once you know what stresses you out, you simply appoint someone to handle it. In other words, you step out and let someone step in to handle it.
You’re the boss for a reason. And if you are good with your employees, then you shouldn’t have difficulty finding someone who will be happy to take the weight of stress off your shoulder.
- Seek the counsel of trusted employees
I know it may seem ridiculous getting counsel from someone beneath you, but the truth is that sometimes others know things we don't know. Employee or not!
It could be that you’ve identified your stressor and found it to be a problem you have to tackle head-on before you can find peace. In such cases, it wouldn’t hurt to call in your most loyal employees and ask for their opinion on how to fix things.
Sometime last week, I read a post on Facebook about a boss who found out from his office messenger that he could buy web traffic to solve the company’s SEO issues. I’m pretty sure this employee couldn’t have been an SEO expert. But he probably heard about the possibility of buying web traffic somewhere on the internet and shared it with his boss.
- Remember to celebrate every win
Business owner or not, it's the habit of humans to always focus on the things that are going bad for them and forgetting times when lines were falling in the right places for them.
Unfortunately, this habit is one of the reasons you can't seem to find happiness in your business life. By constantly focusing on everything that is behind schedule, things you still need to fix, or areas you’re falling short of, you’re never going to stay sane or find peace.
You need to constantly remind yourself of all your business accomplishments. If possible, make it a habit to list them on a paper and hang them somewhere in your office. Whenever you feel stressed about things not working out, simply take a look at your list.
Trust me; you’ll feel better afterward.
- Always work out a schedule
As an entrepreneur, unexpected developments are a big part of the job. This is why it is important to always work with a planned schedule. Without carefully preparing a schedule of how your day should pan out, chances are you’ll always return home tired and stressed every day.
When you have a well-written schedule, however, you always know what to expect at work.
For example, if there's a tasky item to cross off your to-do list, you can thrash it out first thing in the morning. That way, even when unforeseen items come up, it will always be easy to manage them better.
Summarily, without a working schedule, you risk working haphazardly. And with that comes a huge possibility of stress.
- Regularly purge your thoughts
There is really no fine line between home and work for entrepreneurs. Even when you're in your bedroom, you're probably thinking about stuff you must do the next day.
Unfortunately, this feeling of overload can cause you to be stressed, which is why it's always advisable to regularly purge your thoughts.
How do you do this? You simply make a rule never to think about stuff relating to work after blah blah blah hours (say 8 P.M.). Then, if any business-relating thoughts pop up in your mind, you simply pick up your notepad, jot them down, and go back to bed.
Don't worry, come the next day, you can always see to the thoughts.
- Take breaks
Being an entrepreneur means you have the advantage of taking a break anytime you desire to. Regular employees can’t do that.
When you start feeling stressed about anything, it's advisable to take a break from the stressor and find something relaxing to do.
You could take a walk, grab a coffee or snack, or visit YouTube and watch some entertaining stuff.
When you do this, you break the cycle of stress and give yourself a clearer, calmer mind.
- Commit to vacation time
Finally, never underestimate the power of vacations. Every once in a while, take a long break from work and visit serene environments to unwind and relax.
Various studies have already confirmed how helpful regular vacations can be. So don't get too engrossed in work that you become detached from seasonal vacation breaks.