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Small Business Articles from Make-it-Fly®
 How
to Survive and Thrive in a Stressful World
By Victoria Munro
Printable version
Owning and
running a business can be stressful—after all,
the buck stops with you. But in an uncertain
economy, the challenges of entrepreneurship can be doubly
stressful.
When ignored over time, stress takes
a serious toll on your physical health, your ability
to concentrate and on your relationships, and can ultimately
lead to burnout. If you’re
to be successful in the long run, you must take care
of yourself and learn to handle stress in a healthy
way
10 Tips to Help You Thrive in a
Stressful World:
| 1. |
Take
time daily to reflect on your life—look
at the big picture. (This seems counterintuitive
when you’re busy, but stress results in tunnel
vision.) |
| 2. |
Exercise
regularly—it relieves tension. Asking
a friend to exercise with you will provide accountability
and make it more fun. |
| 3. |
Don’t
fly solo—surround yourself with positive
and supportive people who’ll share their ‘been-there-done-that-wisdom.’
Talk difficult issues over with a trusted friend
or board of advisors. |
| 4. |
Take
time out for yourself—meditate, journal,
pray or go for a walk and observe nature—the
trees and flowers, listen to the birds, watch the
ever-changing cloud formations. Spend time with
people, get to know them and develop deeper relationships.
Encourage someone. |
| 5. |
Get
adequate rest and sleep at night |
| 6. |
Plan
time for fun—laughter is good medicine.
Taking time out to relax and play shouldn’t
be considered a luxury. |
| 7. |
Focus
on what is positive and see the glass as half full.
Turn your attention to things that have gone well
and praise yourself. Make a list of things you’re
grateful for. Instead of watching the news, read
or listen to inspiring books. |
| 8. |
See
stressful situations as opportunities to learn.
Stop, step back and think about ways you could benefit
from them. Velcro®
and Post-It® notes
were invented as solutions to frustrating problems. |
| 9. |
Take
five-minute vacations. Stop work for five
minutes, relax, breathe deeply and think about something
fun and pleasant. This can refresh your mind and
you’ll return to the project with new clarity.
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| 10. |
When
you’ve completed a stressful task, reward
yourself with something you enjoy. |
Stress is
generally a reaction to events, and we may have a choice
of how we respond. List the things that cause
you stress and ask yourself if eliminating, or at least
minimizing, each of these stressors is even within your
control. If it is, then brainstorm and write down possible
solutions, making note of how you’ll handle them
differently in the future. If the stressor is beyond
your control—you just can’t do anything
about it—remind yourself that getting upset
over it is a waste of your energy and let it go. Take
action that will lead to peace of mind.
(559 words)
© 2005-2007 Victoria Munro.
Click here
for printable version.
About the Author: Victoria Munro is
co-founder (along with husband Dave Block) of Make-it-Fly®
LLC, a company dedicated to creating success for
small-business owners through creatively designed programs
and tools. Victoria has started and run nine different
businesses. To receive FREE business success articles
with tips to help you with your business, sign up for
their award-winning ezine, “In-Flight Refueling,”
at: www.Make-it-Fly.com,
and receive a free copy of the eBook, Get
More Done in Less Time: 101 Quick and Easy Time Tactics
& Tips.
You’re welcome to “reprint”
this article in your ezine, print publication
or on your website, as long as it remains complete and
unaltered (including the “about the author”
info at the end). Please send a copy of your reprint
to info@make-it-fly.com.
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