Times are tough for small business owners. They’re being pinched and squeezed in every region of the country. With declining sales and disappearing profits and following one of the worst holiday shopping seasons many of us have ever seen, small business owners are feeling the psychological, emotional and physical effects that go hand-in-hand with high stress.

There is little that any one of us can do to change our country’s economic problems, but there are a few things we can do to manage the stress in our own lives. Here are a few examples.

  1. Be Flexible: Don’t get frazzled every time the plans have to be modified and things don’t turn out the way you had hoped. The life of a small business owner is always crazy and hectic. You have to be willing to roll with it and adapt to whatever changes come your way.
  2. Live Healthy: Eating right, getting plenty of sleep and exercising on a regular basis is a great way to relieve stress. Eating healthy, low-fat foods replenishes the energy that stress takes out of us. Getting the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep each night not only reduces stress, but it also increases your energy levels—allowing you to be more productive the next day. Regular exercise releases endorphins that can soothe your worried, racing mind and ease insomnia.
  3. Talk It Out: Discussing your stress can help you see things more clearly, get emotional support and release tension. If a friend or family member doesn’t understand your stress because he/she doesn’t understand your work and how tough things are right now, then talk it out with a mentor or someone likely to get where you’re coming from.
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