Stress Management Techniques for Small Business Owners

Small business owners and solopreneurs are busy bees. They are prone to forgetting their self-care, letting stress bubble up until it overflows.

Ever heard of the plane analogy? The idea is that your own "oxygen mask" should go on first in the event of an emergency. You can’t help others without first helping yourself, and being at your best self is a recipe for success and longevity.

Your mental and emotional health is a big part of running your business. Here, we’ve gathered some stress management techniques designed for small business owners just like you.

Find an Exercise Regimen You Love

Small business owners are prone to being “on-call” and tied to the desk. But remember that working doesn’t have to mean sitting the entire time! Standing desks, walking pads, and unique seating options are available to use as part of your office furniture.

Of course, scheduling time for regularly scheduled walks, runs, or fitness classes is also an essential part of your schedule. Need help finding the right fitness routine for you? Join a local gym and do a “sampler” of each class to see what works for you (and doesn’t feel like a chore). Your best friend may love cycling, but barre or pilates is just as beneficial.

It’s Okay to Say No (Really)

Does it feel weird when you say no? Like you’re betraying your identity of being a kind, agreeable, and awesome business person by denying a request?

You’re not. Saying no is okay. We promise.

You don't need to attend every webinar event or networking party. Yes, you should make an effort to go places to connect with others, but it’s okay to take time off.

Practice saying no in the mirror. Get used to the way it feels. It’s scary, but gets better with each time you say it.

The same goes for establishing healthy boundaries, like business hours or notification pauses. Setting and enforcing your boundaries gives you a sense of peace and space away from work. Go enjoy your personal time!

Make Time for Your Hobbies (And Find Some New Ones)

Life is meant to be lived to its fullest. Along with family and friends, enjoying your hobbies should always be part of it, too.

Revive an old favorite hobby or discover a new one through local events. Check out apps like Meetup that offer free or low-cost local events where you can find new fun hobbies and meet new friends along the way.

Set a Timer

Where did all of the time go? It’s easy to let it slip by when you aren’t keeping a close eye on it. That doesn’t mean you have to look at the clock 24/7. Simply set a timer for how long you want to devote to a task. You can also set timers to ensure you take stretch and water breaks.

Remove Distractions

Whether distractions are temptations from your inner desires (Hi, TikTok) or those out of your control (Hello, Neighbor-With-A-Really-Loud-Motorcycle), removing them is the key to getting your work done and out of the way, leaving time to recharge.

Keep your personal phone away from your desk or enable an app-blocker to prevent you from browsing your favorite social media sites during work time. Take a day to work at a local cafe or your local library (the librarians will love it). To really put the icing on the cake, try using noise canceling headphones. They’ll change your life. These are our favorite.

Use Automation to Streamline Your Processes

Software subscriptions, like CRMs or task-management tools, can make your life easier by taking your business’ information and putting it all in one place. For accounting and other finance wrangling, invest in a Quickbooks subscription. Need a clientflow software where you can book clients and get paid all in the same place? Honeybook is great for sending invoices, contracts, informational brochures, and more. Need to delegate tasks and keep a massive information hub in one place? Notion is for you. Explore free trials of each to understand how they can work for you!

Hire Help

Hiring help tailored for overwhelmed small business owners is like cloning yourself, except better. However, hiring help can be an intimidating process. Doing it yourself is possible, but time-consuming to interview so many people just to see if they are a fit. Want a full team at your hands that can get to work immediately and do the tasks you need with ease? We can help. We’ve been on this road, and have made it on the other side to help you.

Book time with us today to create the most accessible dream team you could ask for.

WRITTEN BY: GRETCHEN GALES