7 ways small business owners can avoid stress and burnout
It’s not easy to run a small business or work as a solopreneur. When you only have a few employees, you have to wear many hats and deal with a lot of different issues. You need to make difficult decisions, and long hours and financial stress are common.
All of this can put small business owners at risk of burning out. Even if you’re able to bear the stress, it can affect your mental and even physical health and sometimes, your relationships with the people you love the most can suffer from the pressure.
That’s why it’s important to find ways to deal with the stress and prevent burnout from creeping up on you.
Here are seven ways SMB owners can combat the strain of running their own business.
1. Set boundaries
When you’re a small business owner, the lines between work and personal life can get blurred. But it’s vital to set boundaries between work and personal time. Decide when your work day begins and ends, and keep to those hours. That means refusing to schedule meetings, take phone calls, or even reply to work emails outside of “work time.”
Small business owners often feel pressure to say yes to everything, including requests from customers, employees, and suppliers. But that’s the fast track to burnout. Learn to say no to requests that are not essential or are outside of the scope of your business. Saying no can also help you focus on the most critical tasks and avoid overcommitting.
2. Prioritize self-care
Small business owners tend to be highly motivated individuals. It’s a wonderful trait, but it also makes them reluctant to invest in their own needs. Unfortunately, neglecting self-care can lead to burnout and stress, and that can negatively impact your business in the long run.
That’s why it’s essential to prioritize activities such as getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and eating a healthy diet. Each person has different ways to wind down and de-stress, like knitting, practicing guided meditation, or running. Find what works for you and make time for those activities in your life.
3. Delegate tasks
Delegation is a crucial skill for small business owners. If you hold on to too many tasks because you think no one else can do it as well as you, you won’t have time to complete them, so identify tasks that can be delegated to employees.
If your employees are also overloaded, perhaps it’s time to hire another person, or outsource to external contractors. When you hand tasks on to somebody else, it can free up your time and energy to focus on more critical tasks that require your attention.
By using Payoneer, you can streamline your international payment processes, reduce stress and avoid costly fees. Check out how Payoneer can help your business, click below or open an account today.
4. Automate as much as possible
Automation is like delegation on steroids, because automated tools and platforms never get stressed or burned out. When you automate repetitive tasks, such as invoicing or payroll, you can save yourself time while also reducing the risk of manual errors.
For example, Payoneer can help you automate payments management with recurring payments, so you won’t have to remember to send funds to your suppliers or contractors every month. This can relieve an immense amount of mental load, and help you stay organized and efficient.
5. Schedule physical movement
Physical movement and exercise can bring significant benefits. As well as increasing your physical health, regular exercise can improve your mental health, relieve tension throughout your body, and help you focus better when you get back to work.
You don’t have to run a marathon or bench-press your bodyweight. Gentle exercise like yoga or a short stroll can bring down your blood pressure and clear your head. It’s also a good idea to stretch every day, especially if you spend most of your time sitting down, to ease tight muscles and encourage blood flow.
6. Take a step back
You love your business, but you need to step away from time to time. This includes taking short breaks throughout the day to regain focus and energy, and longer breaks to recharge your batteries and relax more deeply.
Taking time off is essential for small business owners to avoid burnout. Schedule time off every week to spend on activities you love and the people you care about, and plan regular vacations that allow you more time to switch off and think about something completely different.
By using Payoneer, you can streamline your international payment processes, reduce stress and avoid costly fees. Check out how Payoneer can help your business, click below or open an account today.
7. Ask for help
Entrepreneurs can often be very reluctant to ask for help from others, because they see themselves as independent. But seeking support isn’t a sign of weakness. Nobody can do everything themselves.
Seeking support can help you to gain new perspectives and ideas for solving problems. That support can come from family, friends, colleagues, or professional advisors. What matters is that you have somebody who you can talk to about the challenges and stresses of running a business.
Stop your small business burning you out
Running your own business can be tiring, but there’s no reason to allow it to overwhelm you. When you prioritize exercise and self-care, delegate and automate tasks, and take care to set boundaries around your work time, you’ll find that you can manage a successful business without letting it take over your life.
How Payoneer can help
As businesses become increasingly global, managing international payments can be a significant source of stress for business owners. Fortunately, Payoneer is here to remove that stress by giving you a simple and cost-effective solution to help manage your international payments with ease. Some of the benefits include:
- Send and rerceive payments from international clients: With Payoneer, business owners can receive payments from clients in over 150 countries, in a variety of currencies. Then withdraw your funds easily and at low cost to your local bank account, or withdrawn using a Payoneer prepaid Mastercard.
- Pay international suppliers and contractors: Payoneer allows business owners to pay suppliers and contractors around the world using a variety of payment methods, including bank transfers, credit cards, and local e-wallets. This eliminates the need for costly wire transfers and currency conversions.
- Receive payments from international online marketplaces: Many online marketplaces, such as Amazon, Etsy, and Upwork, offer Payoneer as a payment option for their sellers. This allows you to receive payments from these marketplaces directly into your Payoneer account.
By using Payoneer, business owners can streamline their international payment processes, reducing stress and avoiding costly fees. To learn more about how Payoneer can help your business, click below or open an account today.