You’re not the only small business owner feeling a little stressed this year. Many are panicking at the state of the economy, and their apprehension is negatively impacting their businesses. The difference between your experience and that of others can be found in the manner in which you handle your stress. Unless you take active measures to alleviate and manage your anxiety, your anxiety will manage your business. Here are six suggestions in coping with job-related stress:
1. Exercise
This is an age-old stress-relieving tactic. It releases endorphins in the bloodstream which will enable you to feel more energized. It releases serotonin in the brain which will enable you to be more alert. It increases your body’s immune system which will enable you to better fight illnesses, both small and large. And last, but definitely not least, exercise is a natural relaxant that will alleviate stress.
2. Engage
It’s important that you find a passion to which you can dedicate a little down time. BusinessWeek.com, in their slideshow entitled “8 Ways to Reduce Stress,” told of Tim Castaneda, owner of Zumba Mexican Grille, who is inspired by live music and performs weekly in a local band in order to keep his stress at bay. Laura Wright, president of CSW, finds her solace riding horses two to three times a week. While accounting may be your passion, you should search for something on which your livelihood does not depend in order to decompress and distress. It will prove to be a healthy distraction.
3. Meditate
Whether you yoga, practice visualization, or pray, meditation is a soothing exercise that will not only release stress but inspire creativity and a stronger connection to your own intuition. Meditating just 15 minutes a day can enhance your outlook, energy level, and ability to cope.
4. Volunteer
When you volunteer, you remove yourself from your own stressors in order to focus on someone or something else. This alone will distract you from your own concerns in order to alleviate another’s. In addition, the positive feelings that come from helping someone else will enhance your mood and make you more positive, emotions that will definitely improve your ability to better manage your business as well as your stress.
5. Laugh
Laughter is the best medicine. Not only has it been shown to improve a body’s ability to overcome illness, but it lowers levels of stress hormones in the body, inducing relaxation and enhancing your mood. To inject a little humor into your life, try watching comedies, reading the occasional humor column, or telling a daily joke.
While there’s no cure-all solution for stress, it’s important thing that you take measures to better manage it. Whether you meditate, volunteer, or exercise, you must take action to alleviate some of the stress you may be experiencing right now. You may feel you can’t take the additional time to implement any of these tips. But maybe the question you should be asking yourself is, can your business afford for you not to?
Visit Universal Accounting Center (UAC)
If you were wondering how, exactly, Universal Accounting Center might benefit you and your business, visit our website and take an electronic tour. You’ll learn more about our programs, our products, and other services we offer. Don’t wait to find out how UAC could change your professional future. Take a tour today!ResourcesEvans, Teri. “8 Ways to Reduce Stress.” BusinessWeek.com