Effective Strategies for Managing Stress as a Business Owner
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As a successful business owner, you may have competing priorities and things to do. And as result, you may feel stressed with too much to do and so little time.
These challenges may cause you to feel stress and confusion. It is okay to feel stressed but we also need to manage it so that it doesn’t ruin our business and most importantly, our life. In this article, we will discuss four stress-busting ideas:
Tip One: Expect Nothing
Do you work harder than normal during moments of stress? I do. Call it a coping strategy. And if you find yourself working harder, often times there is an expectation that you will receive a greater reward for your level of work.
More output does not mean more reward. To maintain your sanity, drop your expectations and expect nothing from your work.
Expecting Outcomes
When you are expecting an outcome that means you are expecting things which are out of your control. For example, you could create the best program, filled with great content and information. You could then market it everywhere and anywhere – but you cannot force people to buy it.
You cannot force a certain number of sales. Of course you want to make money, but your focus should be giving your customers quality products. Allow them to make the decision to purchase or not.
Your job is to stay focused on giving your customers great value, serving and showing up.
If you are consistent in your business, your desired results will come in time.
While we cannot control the outcomes of our actions, we can control how we view our outcomes. Keep your mind focused on the big picture. View your actions as little steps to a larger outcome.
Tip Two: Take time for YOURSELF
I am most energized and focused after I exercise. My favorite activity is jogging. Not only does it help clear my mind (and control my weight), it helps me maintain a positive emotional outlook.
When I jog, I focus on enjoying the air and listening to a podcast.
(If you haven’t listened to my podcast – go ahead and subscribe, it is full of great content in 30 minutes or less.)
How to carve out personal time
Taking time for yourself is essential. Everything you do does not have to be about work. Find some activity you enjoy that helps you decompress and shift your mind away from your duties.
There are many free or low-cost stress reduction activities such as journaling, working on a puzzle, doodling or reading a favorite book.
Everybody needs to spend at least 15-30 minutes each day taking a moment to rest and relax. I do not care if you have a spouse, kids, work full-time and are trying to grow your business – you can still give yourself this time for yourself.
Sometimes I will just sit alone in a quiet space in my home to help me focus on clear my mind.
Tip Three: Connect with LOVED ones
Anyone who knows me knows that my husband Hoi is my best friend. I mean that in every sense.
We talk, share ideas and enjoy good stories. Even though we have been married for almost nine years, I am still learning new things about his childhood and early adulthood.
One way to help reduce stress in your life is to take time to connect with your loved ones in a deeper manner. Who knows what interesting things you may learn from them? Connecting with your loved ones will help release tensions and help you to focus on other matters of life.
Tip 4: Have a solid business plan
Whenever I feel stressed or anxious, it means I am not relying on my plan. My business plan helps me stay focused and prevents me from getting distracted.
The shiny-object syndrome is real. So often we get can sidelined and distracted when we hear about a new plan or idea. And when we start to doubt the plan we worked so hard to formulate, the stress can feel overwhelming.
If you need help creating or modifying your business plan, let’s talk! I have a lot of ideas which may completely transform your business, but your mental outlook as well.
Closing Thoughts
Do not let stress take over our mind. You have the power to improve your personal and professional life.
Growing a business is not easy in the midst of changing or challenge situations. If you need help with your business or life, don’t hesitate to work with me.
Do you have a stress reduction tip that I did not mention earlier? I would love to read it! Please let me know in the comment section below.
