If your early visions of small business ownership began with daydreams of laughing over long lunches, cheersing coffee cups in the sun and working a nine to five schedule, then you’re not alone.
But let’s face it, small business ownership is hard.
And balancing your home life with all of your business responsibilities can really take it’s toll. BUT (and this is a big but that does not lie) you’ve totally got this and implementing my top five stress relieving hacks for small business owners will have your productivity levels reaching for the stars.
Let’s get to it!
1. You Time
You’d be surprised how often I see flabbergasted faces and bamboozled looks when the concept of ‘you time’ arises.
‘Do you want me to pull this mystical free time out of thin air?’
Well, yeah, kinda. Although taking ‘you time’ may feel selfish, it’s one of the best things you can do for your productivity and stress levels. Not only does taking breaks afford you the ability to switch off and return with a clearer mind, this stress relieving hack will actually make your time more valuable.
Think about it. How many times have you sat at your desk with fiery red eyes and an aching back while stuck in a vortex of yawns?
For productivity, recognising that you have reached a dead end is the first step. A drained mind is a plain mind and without time to replenish, you could be sending your productivity levels down the gurgler.
Make ‘you time’ non negotiable and reap the benefits of increased clarity and focus throughout your day.
2. Organised Systems
Having well organised files, email lists and document folders can save you oodles of time, not to mention stress.
Which system failed you this week or left you in the lurch? Perhaps you sent a duplicate email or forgot to pay an invoice hidden under a mountain of paper.
By simply taking ten minutes per day to ensure that you’re on top of your most time consuming tasks and implementing organised systems, you’ll not only feel less stressed, but you’ll also be more productive in the long run. And who doesn’t love a drawer filled with colour coded file separators. Am I right?
3. Apps
Making use of apps can also be a useful way to relieve stress and increase your productivity levels. Why keep all that info in your head if you can send it to the all mighty internet?
Some faves:
Planning & Recording: ReQall
Project Management: Trello
File Sharing: DropBox
Accounting: Wave
Time Management: Rescue Time
4. Templates
If the idea of simply filling in a name here, and a number there for every business document sounds like heaven, then this stress relieving hack is for you.
By creating a selection of pre-formatted templates for regularly used documents, your stress levels will reduce right before your peepers. And guess what? I can whip these up for you in a jiffy.
5. Outsourcing
Admin tasks bringing you down? Social media, data entry and newsletter distribution eating up your time? Luckily for you, a tick next to each is just an outsource away.
One of the most efficient stress relieving hacks for small business owners is to pass these tedious tasks onto someone else. Did someone say productivity heaven?
Did you find my top five stress relieving hacks for small business owners useful? Leave your favourite productivity tips in the comments box below!
Owning a small business can sometimes feel like an endless somersault of responsibilities, deadlines and invoices. So, taking the time to relieve these stressors is pretty darn important.
