Have you ever just had one of those days where anything that could go wrong does? It’s a day where your inner voice is screaming to get OFF the “merry-go-round”? It happens to the best of us, and when it does, it’s your body’s way of telling you that it’s time for some self-care.

We all know that it takes hard work, dedication, perseverance, and sacrifices to succeed as an entrepreneur. But, as you focus on building your business, it’s easy to fall into the trap of your business running your life versus you running your business. Before you know it, you’re burned out, overwhelmed, and stressed out. Stress can and will wreak havoc in your life—personally and professionally.

So, if you’re a busy entrepreneur who struggles with finding a balance between work and living your best life, here are 10 ways to manage stress.

1. Recognize and acknowledge the stress: The first step in managing stress is dragging yourself out of denial and admitting it. You’re burned out, overwhelmed, and at your breaking point. Your body is feeling it, you’re in fight or flight mode, and it’s time for some self-care.
2. Commit to a consistent sleep schedule: Have you been going 24/7? Yeah, that only works for so long. Lack of sleep—especially over a long time, takes its toll. We can NOT all be Wonder Woman—even she needs some rest. Without proper sleep, you will eventually crash and burn because your body tells you that it has had enough. LISTEN to your body. Lack of sleep will leave you feeling fatigued and stressed out. It doesn’t do much for your “A” Game or looking your best. So, whether you’re a person who needs 6 hours or 8+ hours of sleep to feel your best, get into a routine at night of shutting down, relaxing, and getting a good night’s sleep.
3. Get moving: Exercise doesn’t mean you have to sweat it out at the gym for hours. Just 20 minutes of movement will make you more productive. Get away from your office for a while and re-energize yourself. Head to the gym or yoga studio, take the dog for a walk, go for a run, a bike ride, or whatever exercise makes you feel good. Exercise is a great way to elevate your mood, regroup and clear your head.
4. Make friends with other entrepreneurs: Every entrepreneur has growing pains and encounters many challenges along the way to success that they must figure out how to overcome. Having a supportive network of entrepreneurs at your disposal provides you with access to innovative ideas, resources, coaches, mentors, and people who have been where you are and are willing to help.
5. Get organized: A cluttered environment can impact sleep, mindset, productivity, and success. It’s like dragging heavy baggage around with you all day. Set aside some time to organize your business and personal life. Whether it’s organizing your office, home, digital life, schedule, or purging your life of things you no longer need, create an environment where you feel happy and relaxed.
6. Work smarter, not harder: Take a hard look at your business operations and processes and look for ways to work strategically versus reactively. If you work reactively, you waste a lot of time that could be better used. Look for opportunities where you can streamline operations and refine business processes to be more productive. The use of technology and automated processes can go a long way in simplifying your life.
7. Don’t go it alone: Delegate, delegate, delegate! Figure out which tasks are administrative and which are strategic. Prioritize and outsource functions that someone else can do to free you to focus on the tasks that only YOU can do. For example, if your average hourly rate is $450 an hour, spending your time focused on administrative tasks doesn’t make economic sense. Hire a contractor at a reasonable hourly rate to handle the tasks taking you away from the “real” business. Your time should be devoted to strategic tasks such as building relationships and scaling the business.
8. Set boundaries and respect your time: Are you a “Yes” person? STOP! If you don’t respect your time, no one else will either. Before saying yes, ask yourself if it is something you are passionate about? Is it something that adds value to your business or personal life? Is it something you have time to do? By saying “NO” to things that you don’t want to do, you free yourself up to invest in things you DO WANT TO DO. Many entrepreneurs-especially those who provide consultation or services, get asked for “Freebies” from friends and family. Your business is YOUR LIVELIHOOD. If the person asking doesn’t work for free, why would you? It’s OK to charge friends and family for your professional time. If it makes you feel better, implement a friend’s and family discount.
9. Use technology wisely: Let’s face it, we all have smartphones and can do a million things from our fingertips. While this is convenient, it opens the door to wasted time and numerous distractions. How often have you found yourself scrolling mindlessly through social media when you were in the middle of doing something else? Look through your phone and delete those apps that eat up your time unnecessarily. Or commit to only checking them at designated times. When you are away from the office, make it a point to put your phone aside, relax, and be present in the moment.
10. Take that vacation: Let go of the guilt. It’s not easy to go on vacation when an entrepreneur, but we all need some downtime. Schedule your vacation, plan, and delegate so that you’re relaxing, NOT working on vacation when you’re away from the office. A vacation is a great time to get inspired, meet people, give your brain a rest, focus on your health, pursue a hobby, learn something new, travel, bond with family and friends, and give yourself a break.

Entrepreneurs are notorious for being in “work mode” 24/7. They sacrifice their time, relationships, and financial security along the road to success. According to a study by Michael Freeman, entrepreneurs are 50 percent more likely to report mental health conditions. So, when you feel yourself getting to the point that things just aren’t working for you, you’re burned out, frustrated, and overwhelmed, get off that merry-go-round, look at what’s causing it and take the steps necessary to manage that stress.

Are you ready to transform your business and start living your BEST life? 

Book your FREE 30-minute Business360 Method Strategy Session with Tammy!