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Aimee Bridgmanโs stress management toolkit for business owners.
Stress occurs naturally in all our lives and unfortunately cannot be eliminated altogether. However, contrary to popular belief, stress is not always an entirely negative thing.
Stress generally is what gets us motivated and kicks us into action. So a certain amount of stress is actually healthy. However, when stress starts to take over our lives and we begin to feel the symptoms of it affecting us day by day then it can become a problem.
Another little known factor about stress is that it is not actually โgivenโ by the pressure of work or by being faced with a pressure situation. In fact it is actually โtakenโ by us and is more about how we react to the pressure that this creates. Reacting to stress in a positive way is all about being prepared and having the right tools in our arsenal to counteract it.ย
As we know, the negative effects of personal stress can lead to problems not only in the business but also with our personal health. So it is very important to set up our stress toolkit. Ideally in our toolkit we need:
1. A support system
Just being in business can be stressful, but owning a business and having the buck stop with you is, not only stressful but it can also be incredibly lonely. Surrounding yourself with the right support structure is crucial to your business success and your overall wellbeing. As humans we are social creatures, it is in our nature to want to talk, share and discuss. As a business owner you need to surround yourself with trustworthy people who can not only give you sound advice but can also act as a sounding board. This group may be made up of personal friends and family but should also include select professionals such as an accountant, banker, lawyer and business coach.ย
2. Talk about itย
Choose someone that you trust from that support group and make sure that when you are feeling stressed you find that someone to talk to. Often we spend so much time worrying about the stress that we donโt take action. The simple act of talking about what is stressing us with someone who is good at listening and offering practical advice can kick us out of that rut and propel us back into action.
3. Donโt try to DIY everything
Letโs say youโre a plumber; does that mean you are necessarily a whizz at accounting, an expert in marketing and selling, a speedster at general administration, and completely dedicated to holding yourself to account and keeping promises to yourself?
As a small business owner you are often forced to wear many hats. In New Zealand we are traditionally brought up with a DIY attitude which we often carry over to the running of our businesses. People often try to do absolutely everything by themselves in order to cut costs but it can backfire and cost them a lot more. Not only does it end up costing them more money but it costs them in time, health and wellbeing. By not โsticking to their knittingโ they end up earning less, which in turn causes them a lot more unnecessary stress.
4. โจPlan your time and set realistic goals
We often see clients who are so stressed because they feel like everything has gotten out of control, all their clients wanted their work done yesterday and they feel like time has run away from them.ย Whilst some things come out of left field and cannot necessarily be planned for, they can be allowed for and you should be managing the time that you can control. Plan out your time โ plan out your day the night before, plan out your week and plan out your month. Treat the things you need to do as meetings and allocate and block out a certain amount of time to get them done.ย Donโt let everything just happen and assume you will get it all done.ย Set yourself goals for what you want to achieve and map out how you are going to get there. Not setting goals and not planning is like having a destination but no map and no idea how you are actually going to get there.
5. Learn to say NO
Often we are so busy trying to please everyone and acquiring every new client that comes our way that we end up over-committing ourselves. Not only is this stressful but it is no good for our business. It means we are not able to give our entire focus to our current clients and service them to the best of our abilities. In reality we should be picking the best jobs that give us the most return and working really hard on those and on treating those clients like royalty. Also think very carefully about working with clients that have short deadlines โ is it worth it? And can you get it done in time comfortably?
6. Manage your cashflow
One of the most stressful things in business is not having enough cash. You continuously work your butt off only to find that there is no cash in your bank account โ or there is an abundance of cash one month and then very little the next. To alleviate this visit your accountant and work out a cashflow plan. This allows you to predict and manage your cashflow, knowing when to expect the peaks and valleys. Youโll have an idea of when you can spend and when you need to tighten the belt a little bit further.
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7. Looking after yourself
Physical symptoms of stress include: irritability, headaches, nausea, irregular sleeping patterns and habits such as nail biting or nervous twitches.Prolonged suffering can have more detrimental affects leading to anxiety, heart disease and high blood pressure. Learn to recognise the triggers of stress and how to deal with them. If you are feeling stressed and ready to โfight or flightโ then the first thing to do is practise your breathing. Often when we are stressed we begin shallow breathing, limiting the amount of oxygen we receive which only makes us feel worse and more anxious. To calm yourself down you need to practise taking big full breaths that full your entire diaphragm. Keep concentrating on slowing down your breathing and returning yourself to a place of calm. You can choose to turn stress into a motivator by viewing the situation in a positive light โ turn around your thinking and use positive self-talk to encourage yourself and set yourself into a positive frame of mind.
8. Keep your body healthy
The negative effects of stress can multiply if you are run down or not looking after yourself.ย Be sure to indulge in activities that you enjoy and recharge you.ย Adults should aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise a day to keep healthy. Maintaining activity levels and exercising as well as fuelling our bodies with the right foods helps to provide our bodies with the right kind of energy to combat the negative impact of stress.ย
9. Take some time out
Time out for yourself can be either doing something you enjoy, meditating, or just relaxing with a book.ย Be sure to keep that balance between what you enjoy doing and your work.
Stress can be a motivator to get us to achieve greater things OR it can be a hindrance in our daily lives.ย There is no way to eliminate stress altogether but by taking some time to prepare and create a toolkit we can learn to manage stress to make the most of its positive attributes and limit its negative effects.
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