5 ways to worry less and accomplish more as a small business owner

Whether you’re at the helm of a family business or a brand-new startup, odds are you’re well acquainted with stress. Somehow always present when you least need it, this unwanted interloper is notorious for bothering busy professionals between meetings, calls and business dealings. Wouldn’t it be great to just leave stress at the door? We know it’s easier said than done.

For small-business owners, dealing with stress is a common issue. In fact, increased responsibility and long hours can take a real toll on entrepreneurs’ mental and physical health. While it may be impossible to ban stress outright, the real trick is not avoiding it altogether, but instead learning to cope and deal with it strategically.

Here are five tactics every small business owner should use to keep their stress at bay and focus on getting more done:

Practice positive thinking.

As those who actually own a business know (not to mention the many others who have tried), running your own enterprise is a challenge. If you are doing it, that means you’ve succeeded when others have failed, which is reason alone to look on the bright side.

When you feel stress creeping up, remind yourself why you started in the first place to take control, reframe the situation and avoid getting overwhelmed. That passion you have is perhaps the best tool in your arsenal, so wield it positively and proudly to not just stay afloat, but also to keep propelling forward.

Take organization seriously.

Organization is an essential skill in most lines of work, but for a small business owner it’s as critical as air. Like many skills, organization is something that can always be improved as you test out new methods, software and tactics to find what works best. An organized workplace and life can reduce stress by making it far less likely you’ll lose, misplace or forget something. Even simply being in an aesthetically organized place acts as a stress reliever (and the opposite is true for a mess).

That said, taking organization too seriously can be a stress factor all on its own. Expecting perfection is to expect the impossible, so be flexible and learn from inevitable mishaps.

Know when to outsource.

They say entrepreneurs wear many hats, and that’s often true out of necessity. But most business owners ultimately reach a point when they’re able to outsource tasks, although doing so proves challenging. This is totally normal: Your business is your baby, and you don’t want just anybody looking after it. But as parents will attest, getting help when you need it can make you better and more effective, allowing you time to de-stress and relax.

The key is finding people whom you can trust, building that trust over time and baking it into your company culture. Down the line, you’ll want to solidify processes that allow you to delegate strategically and trust everyone you hire to do an excellent job.

Make your space work for you.

It isn’t uncommon for small or early-stage businesses to start in scrappy circumstances and grow from there – just think of all the huge tech companies born in garages. There’s plenty you can do in any space to help reduce stress, starting with obtaining quality essentials and setting them up to prioritize functionality and comfort.

Investing in high-caliber equipment can save you huge headaches, especially if the machinery is low-maintenance and high-powered. Brother’s INKvestment Tank compact printers, for instance, will take care of your printing needs for up to one year without requiring additional ink: one less thing to worry about.

Take time for yourself.

Finally, self-care can never be overestimated. When you’re a business owner, it can sometimes seem like your business is your life, however it’s important to remember that it’s not everything. Taking time for yourself doesn’t just mean the occasional spa day; on the contrary, it means making time for the other things in your life that are important to you, like your family, your hobbies, sleep, food, exercise and the activities that bring you joy.

It may sometimes seem impossible — selfish even — to put time and energy into yourself when you could be working. In reality, these breaks will recharge you and round you out as an individual, generating good energy you can pour back into your job when you return to work, stress-free.

Visit the Brother INKvestment Tank website for more information on how the Brother INKvestment Tank can contribute to a worry-free environment for small business owners.