Jul 01 2008
7 Ways to Turn Stress into Energy
Ah, the paradox of the driven entrepreneur: Work hard and endlessly to reach your goals, and don’t get stressed! How on earth can both happen without losing energy? Here are 7 tips to stay energized and keep stress in check:
- Stay Passionate. It’s easy to get distracted by the bills coming in, the employees who don’t quite get it, and of course, the small failures that can look huge. Remind yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing. Make a list of 10 good things about your business, and put a star next to all of the ones you played a part in. Thumbs up to you; keep that passion going!
- Make a list. When there’s a lot on your plate, it can be too much to manage. Yes, you have your assistants, your calendars, your emails, your post-its, your notes on your bathroom mirror…sometimes it’s too much! Simplify and make an a list of tasks that are important for the week. Then, make a separate list of what you can conquer TODAY and DO IT. Then, (the best part) check each task off when it’s done! Cliche, but it works.
- Exercise. I know, I know, you don’t have time. You don’t want to get sweaty. You’re not in shape and now’s not the time to start. Big deal. Even 10 minutes of stretching can clear your mind and get those endorphins working. You can check out this link of basic exercises, and try out a new passion. I like jumping rope, using an exercise ball, and doing my guilty pleasure Tae Bo dvds.
- Sleep. It’s easy to be stressed when you’re running on no rest, and the only type of energy you can have is the delirious kind where you can’t think straight. You should shoot for 8 hours a night. This will also help prevent some chronic illness, decrease your need for stimulants, improve your mood, and make you less vulnerable to accidents. Sounds good to me. Read a book or count sheep if you have trouble…they both actually work.
- Cut the caffeine. It’s a drug. Some is ok, but when you become addicted and dependent, that’s a problem. You can crash, blow situations out of proportion, and frankly make others around you tense, which certainly raises stress levels. Training yourself to rely on your own energy tunes you in to your own limits and saves your pocketbook some extra cash.
- Step back and Evaluate. What’s the source of your stress? On the surface, it’s clearly that the big deal didn’t come through. But given some additional thought, maybe it’s that your records were being kept poorly or you were late for a meeting. How can you or your company correct these flaws? Stepping back and making deliberate small changes can not only affect the course of your business and increase morale, but it will decrease your stress and give you back the energy that you wasted sweating the small stuff.
- Clean and Organize. This is the biggest one that I’m awful at. Don’t just put papers where ever it’s convenient or save something only on the computer. Take the extra few minutes, buy a filing system at your local Staples, match your electronic and print records, vacuum and dust, and leave only the essentials on your desk. PHEW. You’ll be able to find everything much easier, and if you take the afternoon off for a round of golf or memorial day picnic, you can be sure that anyone in the office can find what they’re looking for without you.
I hope you’re fired up! Ready, set, go to it!
