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5 Helpful Tips for Managing Stress as an Entrepreneur

There are definitely clear pros and cons of being your own boss. Having to worry about 17 different aspects of the company at once is enough to stress anyone out. Entrepreneurs are challenged to somehow wrangle every aspect of owning and running a business and get it to work functionally. Talk about pressure!

If you’re the entrepreneur nodding your head “yes” in agreement with this article, you might want to consider these 5 tips for entrepreneurial stress management:

1. De-Clutter

Even if you swear that pile of stuff on your desk really makes sense to you, or your system for filing requires a handbook for anyone else to comprehend; keeping your workspace clutter-free can be a huge stress reliever. Knowing exactly where to find an important invoice or a big client’s phone number immediately will add years to your life as an entrepreneur. You have enough to worry about without having to scramble and pull your hair out to do the simplest of tasks.

2. Consider New Technology

Investing the time and money to streamline daily processes and help keep things organized is well worth it. Even if you’re the type easily annoyed with technology, take a day to research what solutions are out there to help you go about your day more simply. New software with the ability to automatically invoice your clients may be a time saver, and simply adding a bill-pay service to your company bank account can save countless hours every month. Also, try listing all the tasks you really don’t look forward to doing and research what technology is available to help you out. Not only will this save you time, it will also make you a more pleasant person!

3. Schedule “You Time”

Obviously, the life of an entrepreneur is a demanding one. Many business owners begin to lose themselves in the seemingly endless sea of work, and this can be dangerous. Without scheduling at least a little bit of ‘you time’ throughout the week, any entrepreneur runs the risk of burning out. It’s a tough balance to find the space between spending enough time building and running the business and enjoying the fruits of your labor, but this balance is absolutely necessary – for the longevity of your business and you.

Schedule a time-out for yourself at that time of day or that time of week when you feel particularly in need of a break; you know, when you find your brain go numb staring at the wall or that vein in your forehead about to burst. These would be the ideal times to plan that break. Don’t consider these breaks a waste of time; consider them an investment in your sanity and the wellbeing of the business.

4. Be Proactive

Okay, this one may have you rolling your eyes. Of course being proactive would be ideal, but it’s not always so easy to stay ahead. The goal here is to consciously attempt to be proactive. Try scheduling daily or weekly tasks a few days ahead of time so that when the deadline reminder pops up on your calendar to-do list you’ll be able to grin as you click “done” right away – instead of whispering expletives.

5. Stay Healthy

The only thing worse than being sick is having to go about life as if you’re not. As an entrepreneur, you likely have experienced working through the flu or a nasty cold. One of the downfalls to being the head honcho is that there’s no calling the boss to request the day off. Once the bug hits, it’s too late. So do your best to take care of yourself and stay healthy. Remember to eat healthy meals and take 30 to 60 minutes a day to exercise. Not only will you be looking out for your health, but consistent exercise has been proven to boost your mood and energy levels. Hey, another investment in yourself proves out to be an investment in your company!

As a business owner, there’s no way to control every issue that comes across your desk or walks in your door. You’re only able to control how you respond to and handle these situations. Hopefully, implementing and tweaking a few new methods in your life and in the workplace will lessen your stress to a manageable level so you can better handle the unforeseeable.

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