How Small Business Owners Can Ease Anxiety and Reduce Stress

Owning a business is rarely smooth sailing and can prove to be stressful and overwhelming at times. While ups and downs in life are a given, the last year of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic is almost certainly wreaking havoc on your mental health.

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Here are our stress-management best practices for business owners:

Lean on Your Support System  

Many business owners use the phrase, “It’s lonely at the top.” But it doesn’t have to be. Meet with other business owners, who are uniquely positioned to understand what you are experiencing and can help you stay positive and focused on the right things. Sharing your concerns and receiving ideas and support from your peers will leave you feeling confident in your decisions, better equipped to fight burnout, and more positive overall. Learn more about the benefits of a business owner advisory board.

Practice Mindfulness

Learning to stay present in the moment can reduce stress and heighten productivity, and with the pandemic creating so much uncertainty, the ability to quieten the “monkey mind” is a useful tool. Understanding why and how your brain reacts in certain ways to different situations can help you take control when faced with stressors in your business, and research shows a wealth of other benefits in practicing mindfulness, including improved memory and focus.

Move Your Body

Getting exercise is a great way to release endorphins – nature’s feel-good boost – and your brain will thank you. Choose something you enjoy, whether it’s running or paddleboarding, cycling, or practicing yoga. Doing so will help relieve stress and leave you feeling more positive.

Get Outside

Time spent in the natural world is proven to lower your stress levels and reduce anger, anxiety, fear, and other unpleasant feelings. Take a walk in the woods or your local park or nature preserve and enjoy the fresh air. Even a short time in nature each day will yield results.

Unplug

Reduce phone-overuse and attendant stress by setting times during the day to unplug (your 15-minute nature walk is a great start!) Use the time away from your devices to meditate, exercise, or listen to some calming music.

Delegate

Burnout can occur when you exhaust your physical, emotional, and intellectual reserves, and if you’re trying to do too much, you will certainly experience burnout. Start by making a list of the tasks you would rather not do, then consider whom you can delegate these tasks to. If you can, delegate within your team or consider hiring an intern, adding a part-time position, or outsourcing to a freelancer if necessary. Communicate your expectations clearly and don’t let yourself micromanage.  

Recognize What’s Going Well

Despite the ongoing pandemic and the challenges it brings, there are almost certainly some aspects of your business that are going well. Maybe your team has really stepped up, or your website sales have increased, or your culture is great – whatever it is, write it down. Keep a list on your desk or somewhere you will see it daily and use it to practice gratitude. Research shows that practicing gratitude improves your mental health, making a positive difference in your personal and professional life.

Learn What Recharges You

Time with friends, your favorite movies, hobbies, walking the dog, reading the latest thriller - whatever it is, make time for it!