26 Feb How Entrepreneurs Deal with Stress
According to a report, about half of small business owners claim to have been suffering from business-related health problems. Businessmen, of course, especially those who are just starting out, work more hours than regular employees. There is no eight-hour work day.
What causes stress among entrepreneurs?
Numbers. Demands from clients. Haggling with suppliers. Marketing. Competition. These and more are just some of the stressors of an entrepreneur.
Every hour is a time to toil and an opportunity to improve the business or earn more. Ten percent of small business owners work more than 70 hours a week. Two-thirds of them work more than 40 hours.
Even more terrible is that whenever an entrepreneur finds the time to relax, he can’t help but think about the business: what can he do to make it better? What can he do to earn more? Many businessmen are even afraid to take a vacation, even for just a week, for fear that something will go wrong with the business and they will not be there to fix it.
How to Deal with Stress if you’re an Entrepreneur?
It’s never easy running your own business. There are lots of stress and sacrifices that you need to deal with. So here are some ways to help you de-stress:
Unplug
Many businessmen do this, although for some, this could be a bit stressful, too. It is going to be hard but it will be worth it. Allow yourself at least two hours of solemnity. This means no computer and no cellphone. Just two hours a day of absolutely no work-related thoughts. Spend those time meditating or having fun with friends and family.
Exercise
Yes, exercise is good for the body and it will do wonders to your sanity as an entrepreneur. Exercise produces endorphins, which is a hormone that somehow kills pain. Endorphin keeps you happier because it elicits positive disposition. Just 30 minutes a day of exercise can do enough to give you a better outlook. And when you are positive and relaxed, you could do your job better. The great thing about exercise is that there are so many ways to sweat it out. You can do whatever you want: boxing, running, swimming, playing tennis or just plain going to the gym.
Eat healthy
Consuming nutritious food helps keep you active the whole day. All in all, with the exercise and eating healthy, it just means that having a healthier lifestyle would mean better for your health and for your work. Being healthy keeps the stress at bay.
Join a club or organization
“Find your people.” This means finding the people you share the same passion and interests with. That’s why there are different organizations for businessmen. You can join any of those groups and share your experiences, anxieties and problems with them. It will feel like unloading your stress. But that’s only at the start of the friendship, only to establish what you have in common. After that, do something fun together. Go drinking or golfing. Find something you can do together that is active and enjoyable, something that will help you forget about work. More importantly, don’t talk about work while having fun.
Keep a journal
It is absolutely cleansing when you write down what’s troubling you. You don’t need to be a writer to write. Just keep a journal. It is something you don’t need to share to the world. But when you have any stressors at work, you can jot it down. There is something calming when you can actually read the problem out loud. But the writing down part is therapeutic. It’s like getting rid of the negativity. It will keep you feeling light. And since you are already writing, it would be nice if you could also jot down your goals, both the short-term and long-term ones. This will help you keep a lid on your life’s aim. This will give you focus. It’s like a reminder of why you are doing what you do.
Commit to go on a vacation
Every person needs a vacation. More so with an entrepreneur who is just starting out and who has a lot on his plate. But most of the new businessmen feel like they don’t deserve a vacation until they make millions. But you do deserve a vacation. You deserve it because you worked really hard. You deserve a reward for a job well done. So you commit. Just as you commit to doing your job well, you have to commit to take a break.
Be grateful
Thank God or whatever it is you believe in that you have a business and that you are doing what you want to do. This is part of being positive about life. When you are optimistic about life, stress is nothing but a pebble on the road. And if you are keeping a journal, it would help to also write down things that you are grateful for.
Stress ball
There is a reason why it’s called a stress ball. It can help you deal with stress. Do you notice how you clench your hands when you are angry? Instead of just squeezing air, you could squeeze your stress ball. The ball helps you relieve muscle tension. It exercises the muscles of the hand.
Find a hobby
Aside from your business, what makes you happy? If you had a hobby growing up, then maybe it’s about time to go back to that. Or you could find another hobby that will make you happy. When you feel like there is too much at work, give yourself a break. And make that hobby a constant in your life.
There is so much more you can do that will help you keep stress at bay. The important thing is that when you feel like your business is overtaking your life, you just need to take a break. Pause and do any of the stuff above and more. You cannot be a successful business individual if you are dead because stress has affected your health. Success will be dependent on how well you handle stress. Stress is essentially how your body reacts to difficult situations. So you have to react better to stress in order to function well and keep healthy.
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