When someone becomes a high-performing entrepreneur, people tend to see only the material things surrounding them. But what’s most often thrown into the shadows are the years of setbacks and challenges that took time and effort to overcome.
It is true that entrepreneurs are their own bosses, creating their own work schedules out of the 9-5 pattern. Yet, when your work becomes your life, each day it gets harder to jump out of the loop and live a more carefree life.
Some days just become so tiresome; your orders are late, customers are angry, and you can’t even find new products to fill up your store. Exhaustion and disappointment take over your body quickly and you end up in a pool of negative emotions. But it really doesn’t have to be that way.
If you want to know how to deal with stress, it’s important to first identify its sources. However, it’s usually a combination of factors, some of which you might not even be consciously aware of.
So, what can you do to improve your odds of keeping your health and your wits about you?
Stress Isn’t Always Bad, But It Gets Worse When You Don’t Handle It
According to the World Health Organization, stress is “a natural human response that prompts us to address challenges and threats in our lives.” It affects both our minds and bodies, and a healthy amount can help us perform better. But, when the loads get heavier, our body gets in a
state of exhaustion, leading us into unhealthy habits and behaviors.
Learning how to handle stress is crucial knowledge for any high-performing entrepreneur out there; if you let it take the best out of you, it’s just a matter of time when you will call it quits. Let’s explore some of the best ways you can handle stress and stay on top of your own game.
Learn how to manage time as high-performing entrepreneur:
The only thing you can’t return back is time. Time management may sound like an easy-to-master skill, yet it’s something most high-performing entrepreneur lack. Why? Because they don’t take time to perfect it.
1. Set Realistic Goals
Just like you can’t learn how to grill a medium-rare steak in one cooking session, or speak a foreign language after a single lesson, you can’t expect to deal with big tasks in one day.
Setting realistic objectives with the mindset of “I can do that” rather than “I could do that” will save you time agonizing about unnecessary expectations you’ve placed on yourself. Instead, focus on making steady development, small improvements, and being prepared to pick things up as you go.
Keep in mind that success is not an overnight event but rather the accumulation of several minor victories and consistent work. To attain your objectives successfully and sustainably, embrace the process, acknowledge your accomplishments, and have faith in the slow growth process.
2. Change the Perspective
Before spiraling into intrusive thoughts, it’s always best to break down the problem and change the way you see the situation upon you.
This may seem like a waste of time at first, but it will actually help you spend less time worrying and let you finish your tasks even faster. So, once the anxious emotions start rolling in, grab a pen and paper, a laptop, or just your Notes app and start decoding the problem.
Photo by Aron Visuals on Unsplash
If you divide a seemingly overwhelming activity into portions, you’ll find that it becomes a lot more manageable. That way, any enormous task that seems impossible to complete gets broken down into smaller, more manageable tasks, making it easier for you to notice the progress.
3. Start Delegating
In the long run, it’s impossible for a single person to run an effective business. Trying to do everything by yourself is unrealistic and will lead to burnout, even if you believe no one can perform the work as well as you.
As a high-performing entrepreneur, your long-term success depends on your ability to know when to hand over responsibility to others. Prioritize the tasks that can only be completed by someone with your specific set of skills and experience, and delegate the rest to someone else.
The internet is full of virtual assistants, freelancers and automation tools that can aid you in doing repetitive tasks that only eat up your time. Try hiring someone and employing an easy to use tool, and soon you’ll notice how much extra time you’re able to get.
And let’s be honest, sometimes good is better than perfect. We understand that you have a strong drive to be the best business owner possible. However, you should keep in mind that if it were simple, everyone would do it. Put out your best effort, yet recognize when it’s time to go on.
Self-Care Practices
Self-care and a healthy, sustainable work ethic are two of the most important things even a high-performing entrepreneur can do for themselves and their businesses.
Even the Latins said that a healthy mind is in a healthy body. And it’s not just about treating the one. When mind and body are disconnected, you can’t expect a high-performing career. As an high-performing entrepreneur, you need to prioritize your own physical and mental well-being. Mindfulness practices, regular exercise, and adequate rest all contribute to better mental health, which in turn improves attention, judgment, and productivity.
1. Practice Meditation and Yoga
In our daily rush, we almost always forget to take a step back, listen to our body and do something good for it.
For good reason, meditation has been practiced for thousands of years as a way of dealing with stress. Combined with yoga , it’s bringing a wide range of health advantages to practitioners. Using yoga as a stress management approach has many benefits, including lowered stress levels, blood pressure, heart rate, and anxiety.
Even if you’ve never tried yoga or meditation before, there’s no reason you can’t join a beginner’s class or learn the basics from a YouTube video. Just try it out and see what happens!
2. Take Breaks and Disconnect
Taking time away from your work on a regular basis is beneficial to your health and productivity.
Burnout is a common result of working nonstop. When you don’t take breaks from your work, stress builds up and your emotional and mental supplies run low. Taking time off at regular intervals is recommended in order to avoid burnout and keeping a clear perspective on what’s yet to come.
The day-to-day grind can make it easy to lose sight of the forest for the trees. You may improve your business expertise, creativity, and insight by giving yourself time to think during breaks.
3. Choose a Physical Activity That Makes You Feel Good
Making time to disconnect from the usual stressors and taking part in something that’s purely physical can help you damp down the overwhelming anxiety hits.
Not everyone can be a marathon runner, cyclist or a fitness guru. But everyone can decide on which sport makes them feel better in their own body whilst relaxing the mind at the same time. But in case you’re someone who likes to keep their brains active, choose a sport like golf.
Golf courses are known for being the number one stop for successful entrepreneurs. On them you can meet colleagues from different branches, with different stories and experiences. However, most of them will come more often to make a new business deal, but there are people who came just for fun.
And how to connect with people on the grass without mentioning business? Perhaps the best ice breaker is to ask people if they know decoding the numbers on your golf clubs. They may seem confused at first, but once you share your knowledge, you may end up with a new golf buddy by the time you hit the 18th hole.
Surround Yourself With a Supporting Network
Sometimes we really can’t get over the things that bother us on our own. That’s why it’s important to have people around you who you can turn to when you need it – whether it’s family, friends or professionals who can help you with your mental health.
1. Build Strong Relationships With Family and Friends
As an high-performing entrepreneur, your mental and physical health depend on your ability to maintain healthy connections with those closest to you. When you’re going through tough times or feeling overwhelmed, they can provide emotional support, an ear to listen, and a new way of looking at things. Having someone to talk to about the highs and lows of being an entrepreneur might help you feel less alone and more supported.
Start having dinners together, or going to the movies. That way you will enjoy listening to other people’s stories, and even just for an hour disconnect from the obligations that are upon you.
2. Join Networking Communities
Joining a community or networking group can be an outstanding experience. Sharing stories and advice with like-minded business owners might help you feel less alone on your entrepreneurial path.
You can find communities like these at conferences, on online forums, and in other similar settings. Having meaningful interactions with others might help you feel more connected to the group and improve as an individual and professional.
3. Seek Professional Advice
When you need help, don’t be afraid to call out to specialists. Expert advice from a therapist, coach, or mentor can go a long way toward improving your mental health and reducing the negative effects of stress.
Photo by Luis Villasmil on Unsplash
You can talk freely about your emotions, thoughts, and worries about handling your business with the help of professionals who will not pass judgment. They are able to:
- help you with stress management
- process difficult emotions
- treat any potential mental health issues.
They provide an outside, objective viewpoint on your business’s activities. Additionally, they may assist in the development of insight, the discovery of previously hidden biases, and the disruption of harmful thought habits. You may rely on their knowledge to assist you overcome the difficulties of constantly having to outperform yourself.
Keep Moving Forward
As high-performing entrepreneurs, we must understand the significance of looking after our mental health and wellbeing. Building solid relationships with family, friends, and colleagues is essential since the road to success is not meant to be taken alone. Seek the assistance and direction of therapists, coaches, or mentors who can offer insightful advice and assist you in navigating the difficulties of entrepreneurship.
Getting involved in networking groups and hanging out with people who share your values can help you feel like you belong and offer chances for development. Remember that you are not traveling alone and that finding people who share your experiences can be powerful.
Put self-care routines first and partake in activities that advance your physical and mental health. These activities, whether they involve mindfulness techniques, physical activity, or simply taking time away from work, can improve your general health and make it easier for you to manage stress.
Finally, accept the gradual process of progress and recognize each modest success as it occurs. Success requires continual effort, learning, and tenacity; it does not come easily. Maintain your dedication, ask for help when you need it, and have faith in your capacity to overcome obstacles. You may succeed as high-performing entrepreneur and lead a satisfying life both emotionally and professionally by putting your health first and developing a solid support system.
