Five ways to reduce stress as a business owner

Starting and managing your own company comes with a lot of challenges – so how can you stay on top of the stress?

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on Calmer

The number of responsibilities of being the boss can be stress-inducing and it’s vital to stay on top of your mental health. Here, Gladys Torres shares five management tips and advice to make sure you can successfully manage your business, and remain as stress-free as possible.

1. Accept assistance

Many business owners are adamant that they can handle every aspect of their businesses without help. This approach certainly creates the feeling of being in control, but it can also add pressure and lead to high levels of stress. It’s beneficial to have a support network of people assisting you in reaching your business goals. 

2. Downtime

Relaxation often falls to the bottom of your priority list when you launch your own company and this is a sure-fire way to produce burnout.

One way to prevent burnout, and overworking yourself, is by treating your downtime as being as important as your work. This could be as simple as scheduling breaks on your calendar or taking a walk on your lunch break, but it must be done.

3. Reduce procrastination

Delaying handling issues is always tempting but, in the end, will also only delay your stress and even escalate your problems. If it can be done now, do it!

4. Monitor your wellbeing

If you identify negative, repetitive, thinking patterns, take a step back and try to observe your feelings from afar. Naming and noticing your emotions and thoughts will help to identify the next step you need to take to progress. This is a popular cognitive therapy strategy.

Once you start to make a habit of monitoring your emotions you will improve how you gauge situations and better understand how your tackle problems.

5. Meet up with other business owners

Each sector has its own unique challenges that many entrepreneurs before you will have experienced and dealt with.

Meeting experienced business owners through organisations or networking events will help you vocalise and overcome your problems. Knowing that you are not alone will also help reduce your stress levels and give you a broader perspective on your overall journey.