5 Tips to Overcome Stress as a Small Business Owner

My best friend called to ask how my day was going. And I nearly cried. I’m busy. I’m stressed.

Like any business owner I feel pulled in a thousand directions at once. And that day, putting one more thing on that to-do list…felt like I was going to pop.

So, it doesn’t matter if you’re a doctor, a yogi, a coffee shop owner, or you own your own pet store — if you own a business you have periods of being — let’s call it “frazzled.” You may have some colorful language to explain the feeling….you get the point.

So here are 5 quick tips to help lower the stress and get back to feeling sane.

Put it in your calendar

Calendar work better than to-do lists. If I write out a to-do list, I’m often really overwhelmed by what I wrote.

Then I tend to do the easier stuff first and put off doing the less fun things. If I schedule what I need to do in my calendar I’m more likely to get more done.

Give yourself some credit

You own a small business because you are bold. You took a risk a lot of people wouldn’t have. And that’s pretty darn awesome. You are basically a wonder woman (or wonder man!)

Get support

Talking to other business owners is a great way to vent your frustrations, bounce ideas around, and feel understood.

Delegate

Even if you are a one woman/man-show try delegating some “life” stuff to a support person. Ask your partner to cook dinner. This week I asked my mom to fill out a form for me — she was happy to help, and I am grateful for it.

Stop

At some point you need to stop working and take a break. When I felt like I was going to pop I got on my feet and went to my friend’s home.

Some exercise, some caffeine and some conversation helped me feel like I could get a grip on my day.

And always, remember why you started a business: you love what you do. You are passionate about your services and your product! It’s okay to slow it down to take care of yourself. Your business needs you, so take care of yourself in order to take care of your business.