For most people, everyday life will produce some stress and anxiety. In the most recent years after the pandemic, stress levels are on the rise, mostly for younger populations like Gen Z and Millennials. More than one in four (26%) reported they anticipated experiencing more stress at the start of 2023, up from one in five (20%) last year. These results are from the latest Healthy Minds Monthly Poll by the American Psychiatric Association. What is important to understand is the difference between stress and anxiety.
Stress and anxiety are part of the same bodily reaction and have similar symptoms. That means it can be hard to tell them apart. Stress tends to be short term and in response to a recognized threat. Anxiety can linger and can sometimes seem as if nothing is triggering it. It seems as though stress and entrepreneurship can go hand in hand. The symptoms of mental stress that come from building a successful business can include anxiety, depression, poor sleeping habits, weight changes and other health concerns. But these effects are not inevitable, and being a successful owner and/or executive doesn’t require them.
As a matter of fact, just working seems to produce a fairly high level of stress in people. According to recent research from The US Department of Labor, Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), approximately 65% of U.S. workers surveyed have characterized work as being a very significant or somewhat significant source of stress in each year from 2019-2021.
So, lets assume you were not born to do anything specific anyway. It appears you will be stressed if you work for someone or if you create a startup. The choice is yours. If you choose entrepreneurship, here are some key things you can consciously do to try and manage your overall stress and not let it develop into lingering anxiety.
It’s okay to not be perfect. Trying to do every little thing well may be your goal, but in the end it can be counterproductive. Do the important things well, let some other little things go. How can you get comfortable with this? Put in an honest, hard day and tell yourself you did just fine today, there will always be tomorrow. Manage your stress rationally and keep anxiety at bay.
Change your attitude, change your latitude. Ok, quoting Jimmy Buffet here but if you want to keep your attitude high, you need to move your body. Research has shown out that fitness and being healthy contribute mightily to keeping your stress levels in check. Exercise has been proven to decrease tension and short-circuit anxiety. It also causes the body to release endorphins, which are not only natural painkillers but also produce a feeling of wellbeing.
When you can, delegate. Don’t take on $100 tasks if your job needs to be focused on $10,000-plus projects and the bigger picture. As an entrepreneur, you must learn how to delegate. The ability to trust others to handle smaller tasks is essential to unburdening yourself and fostering creativity, and managing such talent is an excellent way to improve your overall mental health. Give smaller tasks to people you trust and get out of their way.
It’s a marathon. As passionate as you might be about seeing your business succeed, you are physically incapable of going 100 miles per hour all day every day. You are not a machine, and if not careful may end up feeling exhausted; so embrace a steady speed, as well as understanding your limits. It’s essential to know when to turn off the laptop, take time to decompress and enjoy yourself and the ones you love.
Create an entrepreneur wolfpack. Sometimes you just need to vent, or receive empathy or helpful feedback. It’s always beneficial to hear others’ experiences with similar struggles — a recognition of the stress you face is an excellent way of gaining perspective and reducing anxiety. So, make an effort to surround yourself with other entrepreneur peers you are comfortable with, maybe a few with already thriving businesses so you can gain more insights and inspiration from their success.
The hobby of Zen. A good outside-of-work passion or hobby allows your mind to rest. Akin to recess when we were young children, taking on hobbies offers an opportunity for fun and light-hearted activities that can punctuate and brighten an intense day. It’s also a potential way to find a Zen state where you are having such a great day, you let your stress and anxiety melt away. Whether its mountain biking, fly fishing, surfing or even painting, find something you love that also gives you peaceful moments.
Make the call. While certain amounts of stress are healthy and too much is bad for you, what could compound your stress levels is simply not making timely decisions. If stress turns into anxiety fueled by indecision, that could paralyze the company. Don’t let decisions linger, take action. Be decisive: The result may not be the best decision or choice, but it is better than being mentally hobbled by no decision.
Just say no. The key to building a successful company in the early days is to be maniacally focused. It’s easy for entrepreneurs to become overwhelmed. Time suck and wasted resources are your enemy. You can’t afford either one. So, don’t. Learn to say “No,” because each time you do, you say “Yes” to things that are necessary. Other people may not be comfortable with your “No,” but that’s ok. In the end, you are responsible for your own wellbeing, as well as that of your startup company.
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