Coping with stress is a skill business owners must develop, as stress generally increases along with the responsibilities of owning a business. How you deal with the stress is the key. It is important to remember that there is good stress, which is positive and can enhance performance, and negative stress, which usually comes from reaction to stress rather than the stress itself.
We all know worry doesn’t help anything, but it is a normal reaction. We worry about things that may not happen and things we cannot change. Sometimes business owners think they must have the image of knowing everything and being able to do everything perfectly. Leave some room for error for you and your employees. Trust your employees to do their work, even if you think it is easier to do it yourself.
Pressures come from inside and outside the organization. Inside pressures come mostly from dealing with employees and daily issues within the business, while external pressures include competitors, economic cycles, and the marketplace, as well as family and personal problems. If you have a good, workable business plan, you can avoid much of this stress. Having written goals and expectations eliminates that worry about what you and your employees should be doing. You then only have the stress of meeting the goals according to your plan. That is very important for your business.
Business owners often feel stress, Type A personalities more than Type B. Type A personalities are competitive, overachievers. They lack patience, are nervous and obsessed with goals. Type B people tend to be more passive and show more sensitivity to the feelings of others. They are calm, patient, and tend to enjoy life. One personality is not better for a business owner than the other, and not all employees work better for one personality over the other. It depends on the personalities of the employees. Type A business owners are most likely workaholics and may prefer employees who are also workaholics. Workaholism may be considered a virtue, because workaholics can seem industrious. Type B business owners may prefer Type B employees, as they may be more like the business owner. The reason you need to recognize your personality type is so you can make adjustments when running your business.
Before you can act effectively, you must be able to control stress. Worrying about the past or future is not productive. When you concentrate on the present, you don’t allow time for stress. Do your personal best and trust yourself and your abilities. Take short breaks and encourage positive feedback. Don’t let tensions build up inside until you feel like bursting. Get another person’s opinion to help you put the situation in perspective.
Your life isn’t your business. At least it shouldn’t be. As a business owner, you are a risk taker and probably somewhat of a workaholic. You like the feeling of being in control and will do everything possible to be successful. Sometimes, however, things will go wrong. When they do, rely on your home life and personal relationships to bolster you. Be sure to leave your wok at the business. That seems a given, but it is easy to continue to keep the brain on the business you own and never turn it off. That is especially true if a husband and wife work together in the business.
Expand your world and develop leisure interests. Exercise and keep physically fit, take up a hobby, go to a movie, and plan regular evenings out with a friend of loved one. Visit your doctor for annual physical checkups. The human body tends to internalize stress, and signs of stress may not be readily apparent. Some physical symptoms of stress include back pain, headaches, insomnia, muscle spasms, fatique, and shortness of breath.
Keep a good sense of humor and a positive attitude! Laughter is a great stress relief.
