Five Steps You Can Take To Stress Less and Live More

If you are a small business owner/entrepreneur, ask yourself these three questions:

- Am I prioritising my business success over my wellbeing? - Do I define myself and my self-worth through the success of my business?

- Am I feeling isolated or overwhelmed in my business &/or life? Did you nod your head with a ‘yes' to one or more of these things? If you did, please know that you are not alone!

It's Time to Shine a Light on the Hidden Cost of Small Business.

At the end of 2017 the Whitepaper was released, revealing the hidden cost of running a small business. The paper found that people working in the small business sector may be more likely to be affected by poor mental health than the general population.

Statistics show that 1 in 5 Australians will suffer with depression this year. With over 2.1 Million small businesses in Australia, there are a lot of Small Business Owners impacted by Depression and other mental health issues whilst managing a business. Further studies have been conducted including a study by Suncorp which indicated that "small business owners sacrifice their personal wellbeing in order to achieve success in their business."

This study of 500 small businesses shows more than two-thirds of small business operators have experienced personal challenges including fatigue, financial stress and relationship strain because of their business. (Reference)

As a Psychotherapist, Small Business Owner and Coach who works with Fempreneurs and Mumpreneurs I am very familiar with the unique stressors and vulnerabilities that small business owners grapple with. However, there are also many strengths and advantages of being a small business owner. As I have embraced my more entrepreneurial side, I have noticed how much meaning and enjoyment I get from growing my bizz!

Business Ownership is a complex beast though because a strength can also quickly become a vulnerability if it becomes unbalanced and out of our awareness:

STRENGTHS:

Flexibility around hours and schedule

Meaningful work

VULNERABILITIES:

Blurring of boundaries between work and home can lead to overworking and lack of rest.

Feeling like you can’t take time off work when you are sick.

Potential for business to become our whole identity.

Potential for isolation, often working alone

Uncertainty about the future (particularly difficult for anyone who struggles with anxiety) but for some may be seen as a positive.

WE NEED TO START HAVING MORE REAL AND VULNERABLE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE IMPACT BUSINESS OWNERSHIP CAN HAVE ON OUR MENTAL HEALTH.

One of the unique challenges for small business owners is that we often need to be visible as the face of the business. There is often a lot of pressure to be "authentic" but we still live in a world where productivity is worshipped over wellness. The problem is when we feel like we are always representing our business we can tell ourselves that we need to wear a mask of success, basically walking around talking about how great our business is and like we always have it together. This can make it difficult to reach out and ask for support.

A report by Pricewaterhouse Coopers has shown that for every dollar you spend creating a mentally healthy workplace, on average there is a positive return on investment (ROI) of 2.3. The question is how does this apply to small business owners? Or solopreneurs? As a small business owner do you invest in your wellness? Not just money but time? So how does this apply to us as small business owners? When we are the business? Do we invest in ourselves?

The main takeaway here is that we need to shift our mindset around business and selfcare. Looking after ourselves and taking regular breaks is not a luxury or an indulgence. It is a necessity.

"I'm too busy" or "I can't afford it" might be things you tell yourself. But if you are a business owner you literally can't afford not to look after yourself because it will be having an impact on your business and your productivity. So, without further ado here are three steps you can take for self-care and less stress!

FIVE EMPOWERING STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO STRESS LESS AND LIVE MORE:

1. Don’t Wait Until You Are Stressed to Practice Self-Care. Have a Plan (for the good times and the bad)

I'm sure I am not the only one who has experienced the rollercoaster ride that is business ownership! There are times where everything is awesome and then there are times when I am just keeping my head up above water. But we know that prevention is key when managing our stress levels. So, it's important to have resources and a plan in place for the tough times.

I highly recommend this free plan found here created by Ahead for Business. It is designed for small business owners and will take you through a whole process to reflect on you and your business. It even includes making a plan for when you need to take sick leave!

2. Don't Go It Alone. Reach Out and Get ConnectedUltimately one of the best things you can do for your business and you is to find your community of like-minded business women who you can really talk to and share the highs and lows of business ownership. When we connect and share our struggles, we no longer feel shameful of our experience. There is no shame in struggling and we need to all work together around ending the stigma to speak up about our struggles.

This includes making sure that you have frequent contact with other people (in your business community/family). If you feel bored or lost working at home change up your environment regularly. Try working in a co-working space or café one day a week. Make sure you have a plan for networking and connecting with like-minded business owners. Make sure you have time allocated for seeing friends and family outside of the business.

Seek help. If your business is struggling and you don't have the experience or confidence to problem solve the issues find a good solid business coach with experience. Problem-solving is essential when things are going wrong, don't just bury your head in the sand. If you are struggling with your mental health or wellness find a qualified mental health professional to support you with this. Your GP can be a great starting point.

3. Increase Your Self-Awareness Around Your Choices

We always have a choice and this is an incredibly empowering concept but often we are so busy living on autopilot and we are stuck in old patterns so we don't even realise that we have choices. So, stepping back and really reflecting on the choices you make is an important step in managing your stress.

For example, we can choose to say No and we can choose to ask for help and to delegate.

If you struggle to say no it might be worth writing a list of thoughts and beliefs that you have around saying no. These might be barriers. When you look at those thoughts what do you notice? Are all your thoughts true? Are they helpful? You also might need to consider practising saying no in front of the mirror so you get used to saying it. Or you could try saying "I will think about it" so that you have some time and space to reflect and then say no if you need to. If you are a people pleaser you are going to feel uncomfortable saying no. Even though it's uncomfortable it's an important stress management strategy.

4. Pay Attention to Your Mindset and Talk to Yourself Compassionately

Our minds are meaning-making machines. We have over 50,000 thoughts a day, most of them happen without awareness but our thoughts impact how we feel and what we choose to do. There are often stories we tell ourselves about self/others/the world that actually get in the way of achieving our dreams.

This is why it's so important to pay attention to the way you think/talk to yourself during times of stress.

To help become more aware of your thoughts you might like to start writing down or observing your thoughts. Do they sound kind or are they mostly mean? Ask yourself "Is this thought true/is there any evidence." (because our brains tell us a whole heap of rubbish sometimes and it's up to us to go through and check what's true and what's not).

Ask yourself "Is this kind? What I am saying to myself right now? Would I say that to a friend?"

AND finally, my favourite question to ask myself: "Is this thought helpful?"

At a deeper level-underneath our thoughts, sits our belief system. Sometimes when we are really stuck in unhelpful mindsets it may be because we have some beliefs that we developed in childhood and you may need to work on those too. For example, unless you believe that you are important, that you matter, you are not going to prioritise taking care of yourself.

5. Plan to Move Your Body and Exercise in a Way That is Right For You A simple strategy I use to help to get me exercising is what I call "follow the plan, not the mood." The idea is that if we wait until we are in the mood OR have time to do something we will often be waiting for a long time. So, I plan my exercise every week on a Sunday evening. Then I aim to follow the plan, not the mood. I make this a priority in the same way I prioritise a business meeting.

What do all these steps have in common? They are going to empower you to have more energy and joy for your business and life. Which ultimately will make you more productive.

IN THE WORDS OF LALAH DELIA "SELF-CARE IS HOW YOU TAKE YOUR POWER BACK."

This couldn’t be truer for small business owners. When we take care of ourselves we nurture our business and make space for more inspiration and more energy!

BIO

Sam is an Empowerment Coach, highly qualified Psychotherapist, business owner, and speaker who works with modern-day businesswomen juggling many roles to go from overwhelmed and stuck to energised and aligned. Sam's mission is to support as many women as possible to learn to have compassion for the woman deep within, building their capacity to put their own needs first so that they can thrive in both life and business.

With over 15 years experience empowering women from all walks of life, Sam combines her knowledge of Positive Psychology, Mindfulness and Psychological Therapy with her own life experience juggling Mum/Biz Life to help her clients create the life and business of their dreams. For Coaching connect with Sam at www.samanthadhucoaching.com

For Psychotherapy connect with Sam at www.samanthadhu.com.au

Helpful Resources: https://aheadforbusiness.org.au/ https://everymind.org.au

All links from this article are in Generative Woman's original free online magazine at www.issue.com