8 Stress Management Tips for the Small Business Owner

Being a small business owner is no walk in the park. It takes countless late nights, sacrificing your free time, and most of all taking a huge risk. All of this can become stressful but it’s important to find what works for you. I have gathered 8 stress management tips for the small business owner. These are all things that have helped me and others in the past. You can apply this to all areas of your life. Adapt these into your lifestyle so that you can live a stress-free life.

Focus on the good

To start off give yourself some credit, look at how far you have come and remind yourself you can do this (because you can). Now don’t take this the wrong way, I know it isn’t helpful when someone tells you to just be positive. All I’m saying is to take some time to appreciate everything you have done, practice some self-love and appreciation. Be patient with yourself and focus on the things you CAN change rather than the uncontrollable factors.

Use technology to your advantage

With technology, there are so many things you can automate. If you have a lot of employees and have a hard time handling the schedule, try a scheduling app to help keep track of things and get the schedule to everyone easily and promptly. If you run your social media accounts, try scheduling posts out. This can help you feel prepared and sure that every post was triple checked. If you send out emails you can also schedule them to be sure you are sending them out at the perfect time without a worry. If you don’t already, use software with an online inventory, this can help you feel in control and connected to your shop at all times.

Delegate

You don’t have to do it all and finding help won’t be as unrealistic as you think it is. Young people know all about social media, find someone young who can help with your social media. This can even be one of your current employees, figure out what sort of payment works for you. Find someone to help you with scheduling. Do you have that one employee who is great at organizing? They would most likely be good at scheduling. You can also find freelancers to do these tasks for you if would rather have someone external do it.

Change things up

It has been said that using a different part of your brain can help boost productivity, try mixing it up. If the paperwork becomes a bit much, switch to a different task. If you come to a point where it all becomes too much, take a break. Go on a walk, doing something physical to take a break from something mental is very beneficial. This allows you to take a break from your current task and come back with a clear mind. You might also take a coffee or tea break, it might feel rewarding to get yourself a drink you can enjoy and gives you a boost of energy.

Do tasks in order of importance

Slow down, Rome wasn’t built in a day. Focus on the important tasks first, creating an order can help you feel more in control and reduce stress. Create a list with checkmarks, write your tasks down in order of importance, and begin checking them off. This way you can be sure you don’t forget anything and keep track of your accomplishments. If you have so much on your plate that you are having a hard time getting started, maybe start with something easy. By doing this, you can mark one task off your list and feel better all in one fell swoop.

Try writing things down

You are constantly thinking about your shop, don’t worry about forgetting things by writing down everything you think of. This is an easy way to let go of those thoughts while knowing they are in a safe place. Don’t let yourself get consumed by your shop, be present when you are at home with your family or out with friends. If you get inspired or remember something, write it down and move on. If you happen to have an Amazon Echo or Google Home they will also be able to remind you of things you come up with on a whim. This personally helps me a lot, use your app when you are on the go and need this function.

Meditate

If you have a problem with overthinking or just constant thoughts intruding your day, practice meditation. You can find many guided meditation videos online. The goal is to take a second to relax and clear your mind. You don’t even need any special space for this, you can do it right from your desk. You can easily meditate just for a minute by sitting in silence at your desk. Focus on your breathing, relax your shoulders, unclench your jaw, and remove your tongue from the roof of your mouth. Taking some time to do that at least once a day will help you tremendously.

Make time for self-care

Your business is important but you come first, take some time for yourself. This can be as simple as sleeping enough, eating healthy, drinking lots of water, and making time for exercise. Amazon offers this amazing water bottle to help you keep track of how much you drink. Also, don’t forget to spend time with family and friends, being social and talking things out will be beneficial. It’s much better to take a day to yourself and then come back to work feeling great.

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Paulette Squicimari