Life can be overwhelming at times for everyone. And if you’re a small business owner, chances are you’re overwhelmed more often than not. Knowing how to manage your emotional responses can make life so much more pleasant for you, and those around you.
I managed to make it through 2009 relatively stress-free. There are a couple of approaches I used and they worked well for me, so you may want to give them a try.
First, identify the situations that usually make you uptight, anxious, angry, etc… Just knowing that these are your hot buttons will help you to stay calm. I don’t know exactly why this is. Maybe in part, it’s because you can see the incident coming so you have a chance to gain your composure at the beginning, before your emotions get out of control.
The other thing I did was to step back and breathe. Just for a minute or two, deeply and slowly. When you feel the need to clear your head or regain control, breathe in to a count of four, hold your breath for a count of four, and exhale to a count of four. Do this twice and you should feel better immediately.
Lastly, get outside of your house or office on a regular basis. A study shows that the closer you live to nature, the less likely you are to suffer from anxiety. If you don’t live in the country, take a walk several times a week. This will decrease the likelihood that you’ll have big reactions to little things.
Try one or all of these tips. Consistency is key to their effectiveness. After a while they will become a habit and part of your routine. Bring some peace into your life in 2010 and your problems will feel a little bit smaller.
