When I first started this business many years ago, I was afraid to take any time off work for fear of what would happen to my company when I was gone, says Sam Kahn. Sure enough, as soon as I did take a week or two weeks off, everything fell apart.
But we all need time away from work in order to give our bodies and minds rest.
Responsibility is like a weight that’s on your shoulders. It’s hard to take time off and shut down for even a few days, let alone for an extended period of time. When running a business, there are always “what if” scenarios in the back of your mind. You might want to be out of contact for days or weeks at one time.
I typically spend 50 hours per week managing my business, Sam says, it’s really hard when you are trying to be a loving husband and father, and it’s vital to stop and take a break from time to time so you don’t get run down by your professional life. It’s important to find some relaxation techniques that are useful for managing work stress and anxiety.
Here are five tips that I found helped me to relax faster: Says Sam.
- Meditating clears your mind of all the thoughts that clutter it. It is a powerful technique for relaxation. You can practice meditation even if your schedule is tight, but you need to be committed and active in order to get good results.
Sam Kahn says that research shows that people can benefit from meditation. Give your brain a break by taking 10-20minutes out of your workday to focus on nothing but peace and quiet.
- It’s important that you keep in close contact with your family, co-workers and clients. They’re important to your business and will be there for you when you need a listening ear and guidance. It’s important to have people around who care about you when bad things happen. These people will support you, and with the right amount of support, your days can seem much brighter.
- Reflecting on the achievements you’ve made so far and the goals you’ve achieved is one of the best ways of creating an optimistic perspective, says Sam Kahn. Remember your milestones, and don’t get disheartened at new challenges that come up in your business life. When you recognise your wins, you’ll be more likely to face challenges with a positive attitude. Business challenges will be less stress-inducing because you’ll be confident about overcoming them thanks to past successes.
- Sometimes you need to take a break. You may find yourself wanting to leave the office and take a walk, this will most definitely help clear the mind, says Sam Kahn.
- I enjoy playing the piano and exercising as a way to de-stress, says Sam Kahn. I’ve found that these activities can really help me find peace. If I don’t have time for both, I usually choose to exercise because it’s an easier way of handling stress and it has a variety of other benefits such as improved sleep and mood.
I have often been asked the question, “Why Work For Yourself” and “Why Not Work For Someone Else? Here is what I feel, says Sam Kahn.
The choice to choose when you want to work. So many people struggle with finding motivation, but what if you aren’t struggling with finding the time? You can choose when you want to work and get your tasks done. By choosing when to work, you are more likely to be motivated as your earnings depend on the time you spend in the business.
At the beginning of a new business you get to choose where you want to work, a lot of us don’t have the finances to have an office.
With more control over your income, you soon learn that the more time you put into your own business the more you will earn.
When you work for yourself, you do not get paid when you are not working.
When you are in business for yourself you soon learn that choosing the people you work with can make or break a business. It’s important to take into account the skills and talents of those you want to work with. You should also consider their personalities and how they will interact with one another because it is a huge factor in how your team will function.
So reading the above you are probably asking yourself, when do I get time to relax, the honest answer to that question is you don’t in the beginning, running a regulated claims management business as I do, says Sam Kahn, means you have to be on top of all the changes, all the time, luckily for me, I have been able to grow and have a team of employees that take the stress out of my day.
Making time for relaxation can be difficult when you’re a solopreneur. There are many benefits to taking time for yourself. Taking a break can help improve your mood and energy levels. It also reduces stress, which helps you to focus more on your work and the tasks at hand, as you are continuously growing.