Tips For Stress Free Business Management
When you are starting or running a business, almost every aspect of its inception and growth has the potential to cause and keep you up at night. Slow sales, loss of income, marketing issues, and production details all threaten to rob you of your time, your resources, and even your mental and emotional health. Pressure to get off the ground and grow steadily can take its toll on the most experienced entrepreneur.
The truth is, running a business is stressful. Finding ways to streamline your daily duties and maintain your own health will be critical to the health and growth of your business. It is also incredibly exciting and exhilarating; you are building something greater than yourself--something that will hopefully stand the test of time and make the world a better place through the introduction of your product or service. There is nothing like the freedom of being your own boss, calling the shots, and seeing all of your valiant business-building efforts pay off.
If you’re in this business-building thing for the long haul, here are some strategies you can employ to take the stress out of your success:
Focus on what is going right. We entrepreneurs are very good at focusing on minute details that are not going well, and there is a reason for this. We are hard-wired to find solutions to problems, and without this valuable skill, we would not be able to build a business. Too often, however, we get caught up in all the negative details, the many things that need to be fixed and improved in order for our business to be more successful. Instead of always looking at the glass as if it’s half-empty, focus on what you are doing well, and keep this in the forefront of your mind to help you gain momentum in your efforts. A positive mental mindset will not only make you more productive, but it will also help to reduce anxiety in the most uncertain of times.
Rank your tasks in order of importance. Prioritizing your daily “to-do” lists will help you achieve important goals first, lesser ones when they get done. A little bit of pre-planning goes a long way; if you attend to every small detail when it comes across your desk, you are likely to be scattered and unproductive. Sitting down at the beginning or end of each day and making a plan for what you “will” accomplish should allow you to see the progress you are making. There is enormous satisfaction in being able to cross items off your list of goals, and this alone should reduce your stress as you begin to see your efforts pay off!
Dump the contents of your brain regularly. As a business owner, there is likely very little separation between work and home. You might find yourself awake at night, thinking about new ideas, planning new strategies, and at times, obsessing about what went wrong. You can’t afford sleepless nights, for they will quickly derail your efforts at home and work. Regularly purge the contents of your brain onto paper--write lists of goals, marketing strategies, “to-do” lists, and other items on paper for later contemplation. With your head in the clear, you’ll be able to get some much-needed sleep that can reduce stress and improve your health.
Take breaks. Go for a walk. Get a cuppa joe. Call a dear friend and chat about anything other than business for a few minutes. Research shows that taking mental breaks actually improves workplace productivity; if you remain on one task for too long, you’ll end up spinning your wheels in frustration. Come back to your tasks at hand fresh from lunch with your loved one and see how much more you get done.
Practice the fine art of self-care. This is an essential piece of your success puzzle. Running a business and contributing to a household can take a lot out of you, and if your tank is perpetually empty, eventually you’ll have nothing to give. Drink water, eat well, stay active, and get plenty of sleep. Foster healthy relationships and give yourself the occasional self-indulgent treat of a massage or an expensive trip to the hair salon. You’ll feel better, you’ll be able to project the kind of successful image that conveys competence to clients, and you’ll set a precedent for others around you to follow suit. Invest some time in yourself, and you’ll be able to give more when it’s expected of you.
Let us take some business-building stress off your plate!
At MaxGroup Business Solutions, we know just how stressful it can be to manage all aspects of a business. Marketing, order fulfillment, client relationships, internet visibility, branding…...it can make even the most experienced entrepreneur’s head spin! Let us develop a comprehensive marketing and sales program to take you and your business to next level success. Make a New Year’s resolution to expand and grow, contact us today to learn how. Visit www.maxgroupbusiness.com for more information!