Less Stress Can Mean Achieving More for Busy Professionals and Business Owners

How to Reduce Stress Levels for Better Productivity

Many of us believe a key to success is the ability to live with stress. When you’re a busy professional or business owner, sometimes running the show can mean running yourself ragged. However, stress can get in the way of achieving your goals. Here is how you can reduce your stress levels for better productivity and performance.

1. Manage money. Finances are a common source of stress for business professionals, so getting things under control can mean alleviating worries. Are you constantly putting out financial fires? Reconsider your priorities and whether it’s time to up your savings for emergency expenditures. Or perhaps you need to tighten your belt and revamp your budget. Inc.com offers several suggestions for nipping problems in the bud.

For instance, you might be able to get a grant to assist you with particular projects or if your business meets special criteria, such as being owned by a woman, veteran or member of a minority. Another solution is to evaluate whether you are living above your business income. Get your spending in hand and address any issues with your credit. It’s smart to repair problems and pay off debt to keep your credit score attractive for when you need more capital down the road. Consider contacting a credit repair company to resolve issues properly.

2. Identify concerns. Money is a common problem, yet there are other common stressors business people face, which you might be better off handling differently. For instance, you might feel like many important concerns are outside your control, which leads to a great deal of anxiety for business owners and professionals. Even though you make difficult decisions on a routine basis, your clients’ and investors’ choices, as well as other influences, are beyond your scope. It can help to keep in mind that you will not always see things go your way, and along those same lines, you should celebrate when you do see successes, even if they are small.

3. Ramifications of stress. While you might think being stressed is just a part of the overall picture, our bodies and minds were not designed to be chronically stressed, and it takes a toll. The effects of stress can be seen throughout your body, weakening your immune system, leaving you at increased risk for a heart attack, high blood sugar, fertility issues and insomnia. People suffering with chronic stress are more inclined toward irritability, anxiety and depression as well. Being chronically stressed can affect your workplace performance, reducing your daily productivity and potentially making your attendance drop due to stress-related issues.

4. Set the bar. Organizing your goals can help you be less stressed and more effective in your achievements. As The Balance Small Business points out, , it gives you direction and helps set a course for managing your affairs. Start by breaking your big goals into steps, and then monitor your progress along the way. By tracking your journey, you can better navigate and govern the overall process. Stay flexible along the way, adjusting your sights and actions as needed to continue in the right general direction.

5. Keep a schedule. In our electronic age, it can be tempting to stay on top of everything, morning, noon and night. After all, thanks to the internet you can check email, make calls and do your work on almost any project from almost any location. While this is an advantage, it’s a slippery slope to working almost all the time. Make sure you set a work schedule, keeping part of your days for tending your personal needs. You should spend time with people you love, eat right, exercise and get enough sleep. In the long run, you’ll be happier, healthier and more productive.

6. Less is more. Reducing your stress can mean better health and more productivity. Address the issues impacting your stress levels and adjust where needed. Manage stress better so you can hit the ground running and realize your goals.