Entrepreneurship is something that has obviously been praised over the past decade. With the Silicon Valley boom and so many new opportunities within the ever-expanding internet, why not take a risk and try to launch an innovative business idea? Well for every Google and Facebook, there are thousands of other companies barely scraping by and creating enormous amounts of stress for their owners. Entrepreneur.com rightly called out this stat in a recent article, highlighting the increasing amount of anxiety factors small business owners have to deal with.
To start, it’s important to outline the universal issues that people in these situations consistently face. Things like rising debt, difficulty keeping employees, operational concerns and an initial lack of profits. These are things ALL new businesses struggle with; but for people who are susceptible to stress and anxiety, they can be especially devastating.
Our advice is to most certainly seek out emotional support whenever it’s needed. There is absolutely no shame in acknowledging the emotional turmoil running a small business can cause. But beyond that, Entrepreneur did nicely lay out daily reminders that can hopefully keep the stress levels down.
1. Remember What’s Going Right
Though there will always be times when it feels like everything is working against you, it’s important to keep a “glass half full” mentality. On a regular basis, try writing down lists of the accomplishments that the company has had thus far. They could be very minimal at first (adding a new email to the database, perhaps), but these victories can help be a positive reminder of why you’re following your passion.
2. Rank Your Goals
Feeling overwhelmed is another major stressor for startup owners. Sometimes when there is so much on your plate, you can feel paralyzed and, ultimately, nothing will get done. The article emphasizes the importance of writing every major deadline down and then ranking them accordingly. Think of it as a priority checklist outlined in front of you. It will all begin to appear much more achievable as you begin crossing specific items out.
3. Take Breaks And Don’t Neglect Your Health
Startups can require endless hours of work (we all know this). But there are always tasks that can be postponed to another day. Try to make self-care a top priority, even if it’s for brief moments throughout the day. Take an afternoon walk. Slow down for a 10-minute coffee break. Even watch a few funny YouTube videos. These don’t have to be all-day things, but they can certainly help keep the stressors down.
And above all (as mentioned above), do not be afraid to reach out for help whenever it is needed.