Stress management is very important to African entrepreneurs considering the challenges they face. This post will show you five simple hacks to manage stress better.
Whoever has chosen to be an entrepreneur, must know that it requires a lot of time, focus, and dedication which can at times be stressful. Entrepreneurship comes with challenges and to keep the passion for the business alive, you must take a break. Taking time off once in a while has proven to be one of the best hacks for Stress Management for African Entrepreneurs.
There are times, you feel overwhelmed with lots of business activities and you’re on the brink of giving up, you just need to take it slow, cool your head and do whatever makes you happy, and also take your mind away from work. Also, make sure to set goals that are realistic and achievable, it will help reduce your stress level.
Simple Hacks to Stress Management for African Entrepreneurs
In this article, we would be sharing 5 Simple Hacks to Stress Management for African Entrepreneurs. Without further Ado let’s dig right in.
- Exercise
- Take some time off
- Slow down
- Talk about your Problems
- Eat Healthily
Exercise
Exercise has proven to be one of the best hacks to stress management as it releases endorphins which can make you feel better and relaxed. As an entrepreneur, whenever you feel tired or stressed all you have to do is exercise. Exercise doesn’t involve going to the gym. There are other ways to get the blood pumping;
- Playing football or basketball with your friends.
- Playing with a fidget cube can also get the blood pumping
- Running
- Yoga, etc.
Exercise helps to brighten your mood, but you have to be consistent about it.
Take some time off
Whenever you feel stressed out, take a break. For example, you can plan on some real downtime to take your mind off stress.
Restful things you can do include:
- Listening to your favorite music
- Spending time in nature
- Take a walk
- Go outside for fresh air
However, the break might be short, but it will help you be relieved and improve your mood.
You can also plan a vacation. You can take a one-month leave from all business-related activities. This will help improve your quality of work and life. You can decide to skip emails and send calls to voicemail while you’re on your vacation. This will do wonders for your mental health. Going on a vacation can give you fresh ideas about your business.
Slow down
Irrespective of how passionate you are about the success of your business, you need to slow things down and relax. You aren’t a robot who does everything, also you can’t work throughout the whole day otherwise you might develop some health issues. One of the best ways to ease stress is to delegate duties to your employees and break down big jobs into smaller ones.
As an entrepreneur, You need to know when to relax. Most importantly, shut your computer and go home to spend time with your loved ones. If you fail to slow down, it decreases your productivity and your stress level will increase making you unproductive and incompetent to handle your business the way you would have loved to. You also don’t need to reply to all your emails at a go, just answer a few of them. And also make sure to sleep well. It helps to calm the nerves and ease off your stress.
Talk about your problems
A problem shared with the right people is a problem half solved. Connect and talk with entrepreneurs who are in the same line of business as you and who also have been in the same situation you’re in. They will be able to give you good advice on how to solve the problems you’re facing in your business. If you keep thinking about your problems, you might develop health issues that will affect your business in the long run. If certain things are of concern to you, talking about them can lower your stress. You can talk to your family members, experienced mentors, friends, a therapist, doctor, etc.
You can also have self-talk, where you tell yourself only positive things and not negative things. By telling yourself “I can do it” rather than “I can’t do it”. Be optimistic, keep an open mind, and choose to see your business in a different light. Don’t dwell on your company’s losses, rather talk about the wins. By doing so your stress and anxiety will be reduced.
Eat Healthily
Eating healthy is one of the simple hacks to stress management. Taking lots of fruits and vegetables with a well-balanced diet can help brighten and improve your mood. Indulge in a healthy eating lifestyle. You need to eat healthy for you to stay healthy and staying healthy reduces the risk of stress because your body is provided with the right vitamins and minerals that help to deal with stress.
Skipping meals or eating too much junk food can increase your stress level, you need to make sure you always eat healthily and adopt a healthy lifestyle.
Conclusion
Stress often arises as a result of a continuous activity that is sustained for a long time. Many African entrepreneurs fail to set realistic goals that’s why they end up being stressed out. You need to set realistic goals so that they can be achievable. For you to ease off stress, feel free to check out any of the aforementioned hacks to stress management and see the one that works best for you.
Meanwhile, check out other exciting business articles at SME360 to help you grow your brand.