Family responsibilities, bills, demanding jobs—life’s stress will never cease and for an entrepreneur it can be that much worse. Although working for yourself does grant certain freedoms, we as entrepreneurs do have the increased pressure of an entire business’s operations to oversee and the responsibility of managing employees, all of which can cause some major stress.
Stress is one of the biggest causes of disease, illness, and even death. Removing oneself from stress is important to not only keep yourself sane and healthy, but to keep stress from causing you to make bad business decisions, you can have a look at Stress Management Courses & Training from Watt Works. Below, I have highlighted a few strategies that I employ for managing stress — once stress levels are under control, you feel better, work more effectively, and consequently, your business benefits.
- Take time for yourself. Take a break from regular work and do something you enjoy. Just relax.
- Be a participant in life. Help yourself by helping others. Share your abilities with other members of your community by volunteering.
- Prioritize your tasks. To keep your schedule from overwhelming you, make a list of your tasks and check them off as you complete them.
- Be cooperative. If things do not go your way, try compromise rather than confrontation. A little give and take on both sides can help you meet your goals and make everyone feel better.
- Create a quiet scene in your mind. You can’t always get away, but you can try closing your eyes and letting your mind wander. A quiet country scene painted mentally can temporarily take you out of the turmoil of a stressful situation and help you to relax. Listening to beautiful music or reading a good book may help you achieve the same results.
- Avoid self-medication. When you need them, you can use prescription or over-the-counter medications to relieve stress temporarily, but realize that they don’t remove the conditions that caused the stress in the first place. Becoming overly reliant on drugs or alcohol can only complicate matters in the long run. They may be habit forming, or they may interfere with your body’s ability to function normally.
- Learn to relax by using a specific relaxation strategy, such as meditation or deep-breathing exercises. Participate in activities you can enjoy without competing. Cycle, swim, or walk the dog. Forget about always winning.