Posted on Apr 15, 2019

11 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Start to Relieve Stress Today

Did you know that entrepreneurs are 30 percent more likely than other types of workers to experience depression? And that more entrepreneurs report being stressed out most of the day, compared to other workers (45 percent vs. 42 percent)?

If you’re a stressed-out entrepreneur, you’re not alone. Here are eleven ways you can start to relieve some stress today.

1. Create a Comprehensive Website

When you build your own website with reliable web hosting, you can offer self-service options to your website visitors, including:

  • Book appointments online
  • Submit forms and inquiries to your inbox
  • Place orders and process order payments
  • Read about your experiences and interests
  • Review your portfolio
  • Connect with you on social media outlets
  • Subscribe to your emails and newsletters

With a comprehensive website that engages your visitors, you can save a lot of time by allowing technology to manage repeatable tasks that are more administrative. Instead of waiting for checks to arrive in the mail for you to deposit at your local bank, for instance, you can securely and easily collect and process online payments through your website.

Read What Every Entrepreneur Needs Their Website to Do for even more details on how to create the perfect website – a website that works for you and prevents you from encountering a lot of headaches.

2. Rely on the Right Tools and Platforms

If you want to be less stressed out as an entrepreneur, then you must rely on the right technology, digital tools, and platforms for your day-to-day operations. Learn more about what apps and tools will keep you better organized and less stressed in 25 Essential Apps and Tools Your Small Business Needs. You can easily set up most of these tools in one day, or even within five minutes, so don’t wait.

3. Understand How to Properly Manage Your Time

Most entrepreneurs get burned out because they fail to properly manage their time. They are constantly running to meetings or working odd hours, yet still never seem to have enough time to do anything important or to complete projects. If you want to become less stressed today, learn more about time management best practices: prioritizing tasks, delegation, and SMART goals. Look at Time Management Basics for Entrepreneurs for more information.

4. Book a Vacation – and Actually Go on It

If you really want to relieve stress, book a vacation right now. And then make a commitment to actually go on that vacation. Go see family you haven’t seen in a while. Travel to a place you’ve never been before. Or simply hang out by your pool with a good book and drink iced tea for a week. The point is, a vacation away from your everyday stressors and obligations will help you decompress.

5. Take Personal Breaks Throughout the Day

To relieve stress, take mini-breaks throughout the day. If you have a lot of meetings, build in 10 or 15-minute breaks in between them to catch your breath and gather your thoughts, or to watch funny videos online. And if you find yourself staring at a computer screen too long, take a break and walk around your neighborhood park. Whatever you do, just make sure to take some time throughout the day to recharge, or you will get stressed and quickly burn out.

6. Make Sure to Unplug Often

Did you know that the average American checks his or her phone 80 times a day, at an average of every 12 minutes? This, according to research conducted by the American Psychological Association, stresses people out and causes them anxiety. So, if you want to relive your stress right now, turn off your phone after you read this post and walk away from your computer for 20 minutes. Make sure to do this every day, a few times a day. Also, silence your notifications and noncritical alerts. If possible, take an entire day every once in a while where you don’t even look at an electronic device.

7. Outsource Help

According to one survey parsed in Entrepreneur magazine, 70 percent of entrepreneurs claimed that they preferred to do everything themselves rather than delegate tasks and responsibilities to others. But if you want to be efficient and less stressed as an entrepreneur, you must learn to delegate tasks to others. Outsource help and hire or rely on others to do things you don’t have enough time to do.

8. Hire an Assistant

Hire an assistant to manage your calendar and routine emails, help you plan events and prepare for meetings, update content on your website, etc. You can even hire a virtual assistant for most business-related tasks. Don’t let the day-to-day requirements and responsibilities of being an entrepreneur bog you down. Instead, let someone help you keep up with everyday life and stay organized.

9. Invest in a Great Healthcare Plan

Stress is inevitable for an entrepreneur. So, invest in a great healthcare plan that will cover costs related to maintaining good mental and physical health. You might need to seek out a therapist or work with a sleep specialist, for example, to help you better manage day-to-day stress.

10. Get Enough Sleep, Exercise, and Keep a Healthy Diet

Most entrepreneurs don’t get enough sleep and think that working 15-hour days, seven days a week is expected and good. It’s not. Getting enough sleep on a routine basis helps you recharge your batteries and make better decisions. Exercising regularly and keeping a healthy diet are also time-tested stress relievers.

11. Build and Nurture a Diverse Support Network

If you need to relieve stress right now, call your mentor and ask him or her about a problem you’re trying to work through. Or if you need an emotional boost, call that one supportive friend who is your cheerleader and always reminds you to reach for the stars. An entrepreneur must constantly build and nurture a diverse support network that encourages you to remain determined and resilient while alleviating some of your stress levels. Failure, setbacks, dilemmas, challenges, etc. are all a part of entrepreneurship. You’ll always need a support system to help you navigate through the more stressful moments.

If you’re an entrepreneur, you’ll want to keep the above stress-relieving tips in mind in order to make the most of every day.

Feature Image: Pixabay

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