Exercise, an excellent stress-buster
Entrepreneurs who drive themselves too hard need to be afraid, very afraid.
Unmanaged stress is an entrepreneurial killer, wrote Nidhi Ann Raj for Gaebler Ventures.
Someone who works long hours, keep irregular and frantic schedules, sleep little, worry over payrolls, clients, workers, and a hundred other things are lighting up their candles on both ends, in a manner of speaking. These are bound to take a toll on their productivity, their health, their lives.
Overstress can cause migraines, insomnia, ulcers, a weakened immune system, depression, and hypertension. And as we all know, hypertensives are susceptible to brain stroke which can debilitate, at least, and kill, at worst.
In the first part of this article, two busy entrepreneurs, Maldwyn de Pano and Ariel Claudio, shared what they have learned to do in order to relax: Learning to delegate. Taking up a hobby or sports. Taking holidays. Early to bed and early to rise. Weekend hideaways. Avoiding business-related phone calls during the weekend.
Nidhi Ann Raj has her own take on what busy entrepreneurs can do to deal with stress.
She confirms that starting the day early helps, while emphasizing the benefits of early morning exercise before work for keeping mind and body fresh all through the day. And don’t forget a good breakfast, she reminds.
Also important to her is taking failures — and successes — in stride, keeping in mind that being in business inevitably has its ups and downs.
Here are other stress busters she thinks can help:
- Take things slowly during the course of the day. Do not rush over things, whether it be attending to situations or making vital management decisions.
- Try to maintain a cheerful and positive attitude in office. Failing to close a deal or not meeting up with targets or deadlines are part of the business. Accept success and failure with the same attitude. Be happy about your achievements and learn from your downfalls.
- Manage your time and work for the day so that you are not overloaded with work especially towards nighttime Decide on what tasks are most important for the day and complete them first before moving on to a new one.
- Decide what your business hours should be and stick on to them. If you need to work overtime for a few days, maybe, for example, a couple of weeks before your project’s release, then make sure you reward yourself by taking a day off from work.
- Have a social life. Talk to friends about your problems; do not be afraid to ask for help if you think you need it. Spend time with family and friends as much as possible. This will not only relax your mind but will also strengthen your ties with your loved ones.
- Finally, try to practice meditation on a daily basis. It is a proven stress reliever that you can practice anywhere at any time. All you have to do is find a comfortable place and position, close your eyes and allow your mind to relax for some time. It not only reduces tension but also improves concentration and re-energizes the system.
Photo: “10.Physical.Dupont.WDC.26jun07” by Elvert Barnes, c/o Flickr. Some Rights Reserved