Reducing the Stress of Being an Entrepreneur

Starting and running your own business can be exciting and rewarding, but it can also be very stressful. For most of our almost 40 year marriage my husband has been an entrepreneur and I have sometimes worked with him. Having built my own business as a Stress Reduction Coach I have been reflecting on the stresses of being an entrepreneur.

Signs and sources of stress

Some of the signs of stress overload include irritability, anxiety about the sustainability of the business, and/or high business debt. Relationships within the family can suffer if they do not understand the entrepreneurial drive or the time and effort it takes to start and run a business. For women entrepreneurs, the job of running the household and balancing work and home can create enormous stressors. When you work from home, all the household tasks that need to be done can pull you away from your business. People who are drawn to be entrepreneurs are sometimes idea people who don't like detail and repetitive tasks. Having to work on those things can create stress as well. And when you're stressed it's harder to concentrate and focus.

Organize your environment

One of the solutions is to reduce the stress and create an environment that discourages stress. Have a place where you can keep everything together and organized. A written plan of action for the business posted where you can see it along with a daily plan can help you focus the time you have available.

A system that works for me

I am not a person who comes to organization easily and I have struggled to find a way that works. Daytimers and lists help for a short while, but I have never been able to keep up with them. One thing I have found that works is to have a "big picture overview" of what needs to be done where I can see it. I have a poster board size piece of "static cling" presentation sheet that adheres to my door. It can be easily rolled up and removed if needed. I have several categories that I've posted at the top of the sheet, such as "website," "presentation," etc. These are written on standard sized post-it notes so they can be easily removed and changed. I brainstorm everything I need to do on small post-it notes. After I brainstorm, I then organize the notes in the appropriate columns. I also have a category that says TODAY for the urgent and important things. I can glance at the poster while I am working and see what else I might need to do and when I finish what I need to do, I can throw the post-it away. If something comes up that is not posted, I can put it on a post-it note and put it where it needs to be.

This "system" helped me write many graduate papers and I used it when I planned and wrote my dissertation. Now it helps me as I plan and work my business. This is just one technique that helps me reduce the stress of being an entrepreneur.

Lorna Minewiser, Ph.D has been helping people reduce their stress for more than 15 years. She offers individual and group coaching, workshops, CDs, e-books and a Stress Reduction membership site.For more information you can reach me at http://www.thestressreductioncoach.com

---

The Magic of Thinking Small

Hey!Many of you might disagree and I'm prepared for that.Many... Read More

Does It Really Take Money To Make Money (Online or Offline)? A Reality-Check of 2 Case Studies

The short and simple answer to this question is NO!Now,... Read More

The 7 Major Reasons Businesses Fail and How to Overcome Them

This year, over 800,000 of the approximately 2,000,000 start up... Read More

Top 10 Business Plan Myths of Solo Entrepreneurs

Don't let these stop you from having a business plan... Read More

Six Steps to Guarantee Your Business Success

Many of us slave away for years for one uninspiring... Read More

Beware the Opposition!

Any time you make changes in your life you are... Read More

Independent Auto Detail Shop VS Biz Op or Franchise

Owning a detail shop can be an exciting and rewarding... Read More

7 Small Business and Self Employed Law of Attraction Principles For Success

It is widely held that one of the most important... Read More

The Secrets to Becoming a Successful Creative Entrepreneur: JJK Secrets #19-21

Hello Creative Entrepreneurs!Welcome to the e-class on Creativity & Entrepreneurship:... Read More

Become a Recognized Authority in Your Field - in 60 Days or Less!

You don't have to be rock-star famous before you are... Read More

7 Lean Marketing Laws For The Inspired Entrepreneur

The following laws will provide guidance on how to act,think... Read More

Lessons Learned from One Entrepreneur on Vioxx

For the past ten-months, I tried every drug from the... Read More

Self-Esteem and the Entrepreneur

Isn't it funny how people think that being self-employed is... Read More

Angel Investors: 7 Online Business Plan Scams and 1 Real Deal

We've all seen the hype: "We'll put your plan in... Read More

Entrepreneurship: Insight and Closer Look At The Entrepreneur

Life as an entrepreneur is the American Dream. To be... Read More

The Perfect Little Coffee Shop: Are You Afraid of Failure? Are You Letting that Failure Cripple You

Ah, coffee, the drink of choice when I want to... Read More

What Online Millionaires Tell Me They Are Worried About

I just arrived back from the best seminar I have... Read More

10 Tips for Would-be Entrepreneurs

Every evening as the sun sets beyond the mangroves that... Read More

Developing A Contract

As a service provider, the most important type of "boundary"... Read More

Empathy - Not Business Plans - Key to Your Home Based Business Success - Do You Have Empathy?

EMPATHY is a Natural Talent, you were born with it... Read More

Customers - Why Should They Buy From You?

There are a whole range of reasons why customers buy... Read More

The Reluctant Entrepreneur

It seems odd to think of a person opening a... Read More

The Entrepreneurs Prayer

As I awaken with the gift of yet another day... Read More

Creativity & Entrepreneurship: The Secret to Discovering Your Purpose in Life!©

Hello Creative Entrepreneurs!In the second course on Creativity & Entrepreneurship... Read More

10 Ways Entrepreneurs Shoot Themselves In The Foot

Entrepreneurs and their businesses have a tendency to ambush themselves... Read More

Build Your Own Board Of Experts

The most successful entrepreneurs rely on their advisory boards to... Read More

Entrepreneurship Story; Over Regulation in Franchising Part I

Jim and Sally run a successful auto business, which they... Read More

Entrepreneurial Business Plan The Down And Dirty Way

Does the idea of running your own business sound exciting?... Read More

Hurricane Katrina, Death, and a Different Type of Entrepreneurship

I've seen terrible images today on the television and internet-bodies... Read More

What is Entrepreneurship?

In discussing entrepreneurship and writing articles on the subject, I... Read More

Raising Capital for Your Business ? How Long Does it Take?

Most companies vastly underestimate the time commitment necessary to successfully... Read More

How Entrepreneurs Make Money Selling Global Brands On and Off-line

Did you know that thousands of companies from all over... Read More

Methods of Generating New Ideas for Entrepreneurs

Summary: Even with a wide variety of sources available, coming... Read More