There are good days, and then there are bad days and those difficult days always seem to have the most lasting effect. Entrepreneurs especially must juggle multiple plans and projects while maintaining a positive attitude with clients, coworkers, family, and friends. Struggles and hardship can damage these relationships regardless of how professional a person might be.
When things go wrong, people sometimes turn frustration from bad days at work into anger at home. Likewise, stress at home may facilitate untoward irritation to coworkers. Situations like these create relationship strain and impair a person’s ability to function properly. Here are six habits that entrepreneurs should adopt to eliminate those dreadful days:
1. Communicate
If the negativity arises from work, try talking to management about the problem. Talking to your team member in their communication style can improve the way you interact. Not only can you boost your relationship with your team member and reduce the chances of future altercations, but you can also learn how to be flexible in communicating with anyone.
If the stress comes from home, sit down with your family and talk to them about your troubles. Familial relationships are much like professional ones and need effort to be strong and supportive.
2. Avoid Undue Stress
Take a day to reevaluate your current lifestyle. Ask yourself: what is causing the most stress and do I need to experience it? Look for ways to make life easier. Avoid the gossip circling around the break room at work or refuse to feed into the fire. Adjusting personal habits can improve workflow as well.
For example, hectic lifestyles can take a toll on health and sleep. Just by waking up at the same time every day, you can improve your body’s immunity, mental health, and concentration. Adjusting small things in a busy lifestyle can make huge differences.
3. Take a Day Off
Overworked? Is there even an alternative? Take a day off to indulge in yourself. Rekindle your passions for art, nature, literature or your favorite hobby. Soak in the sun or lounge in the living room with popcorn and a movie.
When times get particularly difficult and unwinding doesn’t seem possible, simply rest. Tackle personal problems on days off to better focus on the work at hand. Psychologist Alison Ross says that taking a mental health day can “provide a distance, literally and emotionally, in ways that can facilitate better coping mechanisms.” Focus on your work-life balance, and lead by example at home and at work.
4. Get Some Sun
No matter where your stress stems from, taking a 10-20 minute walk outside can enhance bone health, heart health, and overall mood by increasing vitamin D levels. Vitamin D plays an important role in the way cells interact. Unfortunately, human bodies cannot produce vitamin D on their own and require the help of food sources and the sun. This is especially vital for people who work graveyard shifts or find themselves indoors more often than not (kind of like Scottsdale in the insane hot summer).
If a coworker or family member looks stressed too, try asking them to take a walk with you. Sometimes the remedy to a bad day lies in fresh air, sun, and a good friend.
5. Physical Stress for Emotional Stress
When the body feels distressed, a fight or flight response is triggered, but with emotional stress, there is no outlet for the body to take. By exercising, the body can release stress and improve health. Exercising increases blood flow and oxygen, thus improving brain function, immunity, and well-being. Physical exercise releases endorphins into the brain, putting your body into a calmer, happier state.
If you find yourself without the time to hit the gym, practice breathing exercises. Deep breaths will coax your body into relaxing. These exercises can be done at any time and anywhere. By taking two minutes to focus on breathing, you can easily reset your feelings and feel rejuvenated to tackle the day.
6. Write
When none of the other options seem viable, take notes! Think about keeping a journal. Write your unrestrained feelings on paper, and once you no longer agree with the entry, throw it away with the negative feelings attached to it.
Alternatively, state the problems you see in your life, and write down ways to fix it. The act of writing overcomes emotional inhibition and frees the mind by putting organization and words to feelings. Start by reflecting on what bothers you and where stress arises.
Healthy lifestyles with a good balance of work and personal life must be worked for and made into a habit. Entrepreneurs we’ve got to put our health first, and when people are happy and healthy, they will be better equipped to handle the bad days.
I’m always up for learning new things and tips on leading a healthy entrepreneur lifestyle, I’d love to hear from you about what you do!
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