Nicole Blanckenberg — December 1, 2016 Follow @https://twitter.com/StoreYaComIt’s crunch time and chances are you were (hopefully) run off your feet this Thanksgiving weekend. However, as Christmas shopping intensifies, so does the stress of a small business owner.
According to the American Institute of Stress (AIS), 62% of Americans are stressed due to work related issues and with the busy season upon us, the amount of stress can increase exponentially for an online store owner. Especially in the case of a small business owner who may be doing the job of twenty!
AIS reports that the results of stress can lead to being less productive, which can cost you in sales and lead to increased health problems; all of which will make your journey to success much more trying.
Instead, take a breath, enjoy the increased business, and do these 6 stress-busting tips to keep you sane and productive for the last stretch of this quarter.
1: Get Enough Sleep
The American Psychological Association states that, “When we do not sleep long or well enough, our bodies do not get the full benefits of sleep, such as muscle repair and memory consolidation.” I get it. It’s easy to get caught up in the multitude of tasks during the busy months. But without enough rest, your stress will only increase and productivity will decrease. Prioritize the must-do tasks for these coming weeks and make the time to get sufficient sleep to keep you feeling fresh and on top of your game while you convert those sales.
2: Make Time for Exercise
Busy entrepreneurs like Richard Branson and Gary V all ensure they have exercise built into their schedule. Why? Because exercise is a proven stress-buster. Exercise pumps you full of endorphins, your brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters. So, when you feel like you just have too much on your plate, recharge with a run, some yoga or even just a ten-minute walk outside in the fall sun.
3: Learn to Let Go
If you’re like me, a perfectionist, this is a hard one. However, perfectionism can generate a lot of unnecessary stress, especially when you have orders coming out of your ears. Remember, it’s impossible for one person to know it all and do it all. Prioritize tasks and make your plans ahead of time, and when something unplanned pops up and pushes your stress-button, ask yourself these two questions: Is it something in my control and does it have to be dealt with now?
4: Use Stress Positively
Although too much stress can be harmful, it can also be a motivating force. Face your busy days as a challenge while remembering that busy, means sales. So if you know you have a packed, stressful day ahead, wake up in the morning and set your goals for the day over a good cup of coffee and say to yourself, “Boom, I’ve got this!”
5: Free Up Time With Tech
It’s not too late to implicate automated emails and save time. The more tech, platforms and apps you can use to make your job easier, the better. From transactional automation, to Google reminders, you can free up a lot of time this season and reduce your stress ten-fold.
6. Learn to Unplug
And lastly, no matter how busy you are, learn to unplug. When you’re sleeping, when you’re spending time with friends and family, allow yourself a couple of hours without your emails, phone and conversion tracking. A couple of hours every week, whatever you can spare, of downtime can do wonders for managing and reducing stress!
So… Stop reading this blog, switch off your phone, take a walk outside and reduce stress. You’ve got this!
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