3 Ways To Avoid Stress As Business Owner

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Whilst there are plenty of advantages to owning your own business, such as being your own boss, setting your own goals, and working on something you’re truly passionate about, there are some downsides to this as well. Here we discuss how to avoid stress as business owner.

Being a business owner comes with huge amounts of stress and responsibilities.

As a business owner, managing your stress levels is important, as it can have a huge impact on your business. Typically, you will be a sole proprietor or have a small team of employees, which means that if you are chronically stressed or are heading towards burnout, the worry of there being no one for your business to fall onto can become all-consuming.

Reducing your stress levels should always be at the top of your to-do list to keep your mind and business healthy. Luckily, there are ways that you can avoid some stresses, or reduce the tension and anxiety of your business work.

With that in mind, here are 3 ways to avoid and reduce stress as a business owner.

1. Take Notice Of What’s Going Well

One of the main causes of stress with business owners is when business isn’t going well. Dwelling and concentrating on areas of the business that aren’t performing can put you in a negative mindset and this not only increases your stress levels but also impacts your mental health too. It is just as important when you own a business to focus on the areas where your business is succeeding and where things are going well.

Business owners tend to play off strengths, so when you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed, take a step back and focus instead on what is progressing or read some positive customer reviews to get a mental boost. No matter how small, feeling as though you are making progress with your business is one of the best ways that you can relax. It also helps you to recognize that you’re on a journey with your business and this helps you work towards whichever larger goal you want to achieve.

When you’re stressed, your brain goes into overdrive as it tells your body to stay vigilant against other potential stressors and everything that could go wrong is pushed to the forefront of your mind. It’s important that, if you regularly get stressed, that you try and break this cycle so that you get out of a constant cycle of high-stress levels.

2. Adopt Healthy Habits

If you’re regularly stressed, then chances are your blood pressure might be slightly higher than you’d like it to be. This, paired with little to no exercise and a poor diet can put you at risk of illness or disease. As a business owner, it’s all too easy to get swept into living and breathing your business, but it’s so important to take a step back and focus on yourself. It’s important not to lose yourself in your business and doing so can even cause your business to lose its way, often without you realizing it.

Business owners are often known for working until the early hours, then getting up in the early morning, which means they are getting very little quality sleep. This can make you more irritable and on edge, which then makes you feel more stressed. Be sure you are winding down in the evening and getting between 7-9 hours of sleep, for your health and mental wellbeing.

During the day, try to avoid eating convenience food on the go and enjoy a healthy and balanced diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Be sure to exercise regularly, as not only does this massively improve your physical health, but your mental wellbeing too. It gives you a chance to switch off and clear your mind, focusing on nothing else but the next exercise.

Spending at least an hour each day outside, even walking the dog whilst taking calls counts, improves your vitamin d intake, making you feel happier and less stressed. Take daily vitamins and supplements, such as vitamin C tablets, to protect your immune system and support your body and brain functions.

3. Create A Schedule

The structure is important. The more we plan, the less we need to anticipate what could go wrong or what might happen. Planning, organizing, and scheduling help us to have a better sense of efficiency in our lives, both at work and in our personal lives and give us confidence in being able to better manage issues that could crop up. By establishing a proper routine, you know what to expect in your business, which then gives you a sense of control, and you can also expect stress levels to be kept to a minimum.

If you know that you’re going to have a particularly busy period at work, you can prepare yourself by scheduling your days to the finest detail. Take everything into consideration, from your commute to school run drop-off time, and schedule it into your day. Account for every minute of the day and don’t give more to a task than you need to.

By being prepared, you know what to expect next, whether it’s a meeting or a budget breakdown, and your mind doesn’t go into overdrive. You will feel more confident and at ease for whatever is coming your way than you would if you went into your days with no expectations.

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Peter CashmoreBusiness Expert & Reporter: Peter has been reporting about business trends and insights for several years and provides the best biz digs to keep business owners and workers informed and educated.