If you are trying to launch or run a startup business, chances are you have run into major amounts of stress. You are not alone, stress is a part of every entrepreneur’s life and there is no way around it; every entrepreneur will run into problems and turbulent times in their daily business life. The question is not how to avoid stress but rather how to manage it in a way that will cause you to pay the least expensive price for your success.
While some level of stress can be a motivational factor, over-stressing can quickly get in the way of your entrepreneurial and business duties. For example, your employees will quickly pick up on your elevated stress levels and will often mirror this behavioral style of their leader. As a result, your business may suffer from unwanted obstacles that weaken communication, collaboration, customer satisfaction and overall efficiency.
Furthermore, stress can be as devastating to your personal life as it can be to your businesses. Some of the most unpleasant causes of poorly managed stress involve sleep deprivation, weight gain, weakened immune system and unsatisfying interpersonal relationships, among other negative and unwanted effects.
As an entrepreneur you can minimize the negative effects of stress by managing it properly. Here are a few proven stress management techniques.
Sleep – as the old saying says, sometimes you need to “sleep” on a problem in order to solve it. For a lot of young entrepreneurs solving an issue is urgent enough that they fail to rest. But sleep is a great opportunity to reset your mind and gives you the chance to tackle problems from a new perspective and with improved energy and determination. So sometimes the best thing to do about a business problem is to do nothing in the next 7 to 8 hours. In return, your rested brain is going to pay you back.
Stay Positive – inspirational speakers cannot say enough about the power of positive thinking. In business it can be easier to see the world in negative terms, but this is not beneficial. Part of the entrepreneurial spirit is the entitlement of staying positive, of seeing solutions instead of problems, of creating opportunities instead of finding excuses.
Laugh – Laughter is the ultimate stress buster. It is true that not all problems can be solved through laughter but it is also true that so often new opportunities are created through laughter.
One way or another, stress will inevitably find you if you are running a business. But, use these three simple rules to create a personal stress management strategy that will help you become better at problem solving, creative thinking and team collaborations in your business… and of course in all other aspects of your life.
