Stress is a daily fact in all of our lives, and it’s pretty inescapable. However, it can be an even more acute factor in the life of an entrepreneur. Not only are you taking (usually) sole responsibility for getting an enterprise off the ground, but you also have a to-do list which is constantly overflowing with a huge variety of tasks, from chasing up that late invoice to writing a marketing plan and everything in between. This, along with the pressure to make a success of your business and realise your dreams, can be intense. And if you don’t take the time to ensure that you’re developing healthy coping mechanisms, the consequences can be severe – burn-out, addiction and fractured personal relationships being among them. So, how should those business leaders in a uniquely stressful position deal with it? Is there a way to use stress as a fuel to help us succeed?
Build In An Exercise Routine
Often this can be the first thing to go, and as entrepreneurs we can be guilty of feeling too busy to make a workout a part of our already packed day. But the mental and physical benefits of a regular exercise routine cannot be underestimated. It’s particularly applicable to those in business as it helps to sharpen your mental focus, aids decision making, helps to process anxiety and promotes feel-good endorphins. All things which give a massive boost to those with an entrepreneurial bent. Make sure you schedule in workouts like you would any other business meeting, preferable in the morning, and they will set you up for the day ahead.
Develop Your Support Network
No business is an island, but working solo or building a company from scratch can often feel incredibly lonely, and that can be a source of stress in itself. Joining a professional body can help you to make contacts in your industry and signpost you to events and training that can be helpful. Another great tactic is finding a mentor to guide you. Not only can you benefit from their previous wisdom, and use them as a sounding board for new ideas, but they may also have a network of valuable contacts you could leverage. Think about mentoring as a two-way street. As well as working out what you could gain, plan out what you could offer from your own expertise, and you’ll find it becomes a much more productive and balanced relationship.
Learn To Prioritise
It’s a fact that business owners are swamped with tasks to complete, and that can quickly get completely overwhelming. Perhaps you need to send out invoices, chase up some Web Hosting, write a pitch for investors and also schedule some social media posts. So what do you do when everything seems urgent? First, learning how to use a prioritization matrix can really help you to organise your time and become more productive. Couple that with a few other tricks, such as not getting into your emails in the morning until you’ve made progress on a couple of strategic priorities, and using a scheduling app to keep your day on track. If you’re strict about adopting these habits, you can gain control of your own time again.
