Running a small business isn’t easy, as you’re no doubt aware. It can both physically and mentally taxing and with that kind of difficulty, some amount of stress might come along. Stress isn’t necessarily something to panic about in small doses. It can help you hit the deadline and really hone your focus. But if it starts affecting your life out of work of you find yourself becoming more irritable and harder to work with in general, it’s time to find the ways to take things a little easier.
Find Your Milestones
One cause of stress is the ever growing need to keep pushing forward. Growth is important to a business and you shouldn’t look to slow your momentum when you find it. You should, however, take the time to measure your milestones and celebrate your achievements so far. It’s going to make you feel a lot better about your rate of progress, not to mention improving morale around the office.
Regain Control Over Your Day
If you don’t take the time to thoroughly lay out the working day ahead of you, then it’s easy to get caught up in a seemingly endless to-do list. Find time management apps that allow you to not only list out the work you have to do but to prioritize it and better decide what should be done right now and what can wait. Don’t let the less urgent, less valuable task take up too much of your headspace and distract you while you’re working.
What You Can Handle
Be aware of which items on your to-do list really are asking too much of you, too. Delegate to the team when necessary and appreciate their help. If it’s something they can’t reasonably handle, like website design or IT support, then look at outsourcing options, instead. Trying to carry the world on your shoulders is never going to work in the long run. Not only will you burn out, you might grow to resent your colleagues because you believe they don’t work as hard as you.
Trust In Your People
Relationships are important. Though we take care to keep a professional distance from our employees, our relationship with them is just as important. Take care of them and trust in them without having to micromanage. This doesn’t mean you have to keep them free of criticism or responsibility. Just be a kinder, more understanding boss and they can be the least of your worries.
Set Your Boundaries
You might feel like pouring every ounce of your energy into the business but if you do, you’re going to lose steam. Beyond burning out, you might lose interest entirely. Make sure you find your work-life balance and schedule your downtime. If you don’t find those boundaries, work will be on your mind constantly, which just isn’t conducive to a life without overwhelming stress.
Don’t push yourself to the point that stress starts taking over. You want to give it your all, yes, but you also want your business to be sustainable. It’s not going to stay that way if stress starts taking over your job for you.