5 Ways for Entrepreneurs to Reduce Stress and Avoid Burnout

I believe many entrepreneurs are dealing with high amounts of stress. The same character traits that make you a successful entrepreneur and enable you to go the extra mile when needed are what put you at risk for burnout. Because naturally, you would choose to push through rather than slow down and pace yourself. 

Aside from the state of the world, we often have a clear vision and ambition of how we want things to go and what we want to achieve or contribute. Couple that with a high sense of responsibility, a liking to be in control, and perhaps a perfectionistic tendency—and you can see how that’s a volatile combination that doesn’t promote relaxation.

You might be the rare exception, but even if you are, chances are you learned how to deal with stress the hard way. Most of us didn’t grow up learning how to take good care of ourselves…

It’s been said that 90% of diseases are caused by stress. According to McKinsey Health Institute, globally, one in four employees is experiencing signs of burnout. Stress hormones weaken the immune system, increase aging, and the risk of (chronic) disease.

Here are some common signs of stress:

Physical signs:

• You often get a cold or headache
• Trouble sleeping 
• Fatigue

Chances are your breathing is relatively shallow and high up in your chest rather than deep in your belly. 

Emotional signs:

• Feeling overwhelmed
• Irritable or moody
• Mood swings (e.g., crying, bursts of anger).

Mental signs:

• Difficulty concentrating
• Worrying
• Your thoughts are going a mile a minute.

Most likely, you’re not as productive or creative as you normally are. And you might find it difficult to relax. 

Using alcohol, food, shopping, gaming, or social media to unwind and destress (or distract yourself) is another indicator that your stress level is out of control. These are all red flags.

Please note this list is not conclusive. You might experience other signs of stress. Trust your body and what it tries to tell you. If you stop to listen, you’ll know when you’re putting a strain on yourself.

The problem with stress is that when you’re functioning on adrenaline, it seems you’re doing fine. Your body does its utmost to keep you functioning—as it believes you’re in danger—and it will provide you with (false) energy to get you through the day.

If you’re stressed, you need to do something not just to relax but to get rid of the stress hormones you’ve built up in your body. You need to tell your body that you are safe.

Things you can do to combat stress:

1. Ground yourself. Doing so helps you become aware of your body and what it’s trying to tell you. Many of us spend most of our day in meetings, behind computers, or on the phone. As a result, most of our energy and focus is centered in our head. There’s a reason we find it hard to shut down our thoughts. 

Grounding helps you spread that energy and focus evenly throughout your body. You can listen to this complimentary 3-minute audio recording to ground yourself right now.

When you’re grounded, you’ll be able to pick up on the signs your body is giving you, so you can take better care of yourself and steer clear of stress in an early stage. 

2. Take three deep breaths into your belly. Doing so signals to your nervous system that all is well and it helps your body relax. It helps you shift from fight-or-flight mode into relaxation. 

This only works if you shift your breathing from your chest to your belly. It’s probably easier to do when you’re already grounded. Placing a hand on your lower belly helps deepen your breathing. 

3. Give yourself a proper lunch break. I know your to-do list is probably endless, and it might feel counterintuitive to take time out for a proper lunch, but I assure you it’s time that will win itself back. 

Taking even a short twenty-minute break helps increase your concentration and your energy level. It also has a positive effect on your productivity and creativity. Several years ago, I remember reading about research that concluded that people who took a forty-five-minute lunch break were more productive than those who continued working and ate behind their desks. 

While you think you are saving time by not having a lunch break, you are slowing down your productivity so much that your friend who went for lunch and perhaps a quick walk will still get more done during that day. 

4. Do something just for fun. If you like massages, schedule a time for that. If you enjoy singing, dancing, painting, or any other creative endeavor, give yourself permission to do that. If you long to spend (more) time with family or friends, make that a priority. All these things—relaxation, creativity, connection—will help you wind down and release the stress hormones you’ve been building up.
5. Immerse yourself in nature, especially around trees. Forest bathing was studied in Japan, and being around trees showed many positive effects on health. To be clear: this means no running or workouts. Just quiet contemplation around trees. The oils trees emit support our immune system, lower blood pressure and reduce stress hormones. It lowers depression and increases your energy. 

I realize doing these things takes time. Time you probably think you don’t have. Think is the operative word here.

The belief that you need to work harder to get better results is simply not true.  

When you’re stressed and working long hours, you’re less effective and efficient. Your productivity and creativity go down the drain. Something as simple as a nap increases your ability to solve problems and come up with a solution. 

Many cases show a shorter workweek leads to an increase in productivity, quality, revenue, health & well-being, and (job) satisfaction. 

If you’re a solo entrepreneur, you might need to outsource certain activities or become more realistic about the amount of work you can do without impeding your health. 

If you have the staff, this is your cue to start delegating more and checking in with your employees. Chances are you need to support them in managing their stress and workload, too.

Either way, this is the moment to take action and ensure the new year will be happier, healthier, more successful, and less stressed. 😊

What will you do today to take better care of yourself? 

Share your strategies to reduce stress in your business and life in the comments. Learning from one another benefits the community!

---

 

Blog header photo by RAMSHA ASAD on Unsplash.