Running your own small business – whether you’re a retail store owner or a tradesperson – can be extremely stressful. All responsibility is on you. Sometimes you also have the responsibility of employees and of course, of your family. It can take its toll if you don’t take steps to control the amount of stress in your life.
“Spare” time can be limited for the self employed but here are some simple stress control tips that can help you keep things in balance:
- Don’t work 7 days a week. I have to confess that I do work 7 days over tax time, but at least one day I will try to limit myself to ‘small’ non-draining tasks (such as updating the website, preparing newsletters, catching up on emails, etc). You might get away with 7 day weeks for a while but eventually you’re likely to find that you have less energy and that it takes you longer to accomplish things. Ensuring you take a day off (even if you think it’s costing you money) can be more productive in the long term.
- Take breaks – even if it’s stepping out for 15 minutes to sit in McCafe and read the newspaper; hide in a quiet room with a book; or go for a walk in the park. A short mental break during which you don’t think about your work or business can be very re-energising!
- Eat well. Quite simply, food converts to energy so you need to eat the right food to get the right sort of energy. Plenty of fruit and vegetables helps feed your immune system the right stuff to fight off ill health and your brain what it needs to cope with stress. An easy trap to fall into throughout the day when you are short on time is to grab the quickest, most convenient take-away. In our office, the tea room is always stocked with a large bowl of various fresh fruits for staff to grab when they feel like a snack. If it’s there, you’re more likley to eat it than head to the local bakery.
- Maintain an interest is something other than work. Whether it’s going to the gym, playing a sport on weekends or evenings, fishing or building model aeroplanes – it’s another mental break strategy that can help you cope with the stress of your day.
- Don’t neglect friends. When you’re busy you’re often tired when you do finish working. It can become a habit to excuse yourself from social engagements because you’re tired. If you intend to sleep, by all means do – but if you would otherwise be sitting in front of a television in a zombie state, you might be better off accepting the invitation. Again, it’s something that gives you a mental break. And declining invitations can eventually result in you not receiving any!
- Actively maintain your health – don’t ignore health issues hoping they’ll go away. Sure, they might – but some health problems can deteriorate quickly and if you’re unable to work effectively, you’ll be under even more stress, physically and perhaps financially.
- Don’t try to do everything – if you are busy and you can afford to, why not hire a contractor to take care of the gardens at home and a cleaner for the home if you need one. It will help to free up some time and energy. There is nothing worse than coming home after a long day of work and having to clean the bathrooms or mow the lawns!
- If there are particular things contributing to your stress, identify exactly what they are and attempt to find a solution.
If you feel that the stress in your life is close to being out of control, it’s time to see a professional. It’s often the way we look at events that cause stress, rather than the events themselves. A professional can help you with strategies to manage your stress – and sometimes just being able to tell someone about it brings a measure of relief.
If you can’t remember the last time you woke up looking forward to your day, it might be time to do something about it and engage in a few stress control strategies.
Article by Christie Lewis
Christie is Practice Manager at Alan Lewis Accountants . Besides accounting, her passion is for all things small business (and blogging, of course). You can contact Christie directly at christie@lewistaxation.com.au.
Christie has written 811 awesome articles for us at Alan Lewis Accountants – BLOG
Twitter: @christielewis | Facebook
