Running a business can be stressful. Here are some helpful reminders on how to minimize stress and maximize success.
1. Avoid stressful scenarios.
Knowing your limit of responsibility is key when saying no to someone. If you’re already over burdened with tasks, taking on more than you can handle will increase your stress level infinitely. Limit your time spent around people you know cause you to feel stressed, and diminish exposure to places you feel most stressed. People won’t call you a hermit during a busy work period if you remain in your office to complete your tasks.
2. Alter stressful things.
By altering the way you react to commonly stressful scenarios or people, you’ll be able to handle them better. This can be done by prioritizing your time (time management skills are key!) and being proactive about people or things that cause you stress. This means plan ahead if you know you’ll be dealing with a stressful person or place in the future, so they won’t get the better of you.
3. Adapt to the stress.
Everyone learns that life is not perfect. This includes business and families, so why stress over these things when you know they will always have a few kinks? Instead, be reasonable about the stressful situations you’re dealing with and battle them one at a time.
4. Accept your stress.
Stress, as annoying as it is, is totally normal. Being stressed also causes you to find and use resources you haven’t before, and find characteristics (like leadership and perseverance) that you may not have even known you had. Always monitor how anxious or stressed you feel. Once it begins to be too much, start looking back at steps 1, 2, and 3 on how to deal with it!
5. Bonus! Additional assistance for stress (hey, that’s two!)
If you’re feeling like your stress is a literal mountain of rock crushing you, do not crumble! There will always be assistance there to help you. One of the best options is hiring a specialized virtual team, trained to assist in whatever area you need the most stress relief. A little help can mean a world of difference.
© Zoe Begopolous, DemGen Inc. 2013
