Do You Suffer Stress While Doing Business?

[ashleypryce]

How do you handle stress? Do you take a break? Do you go out of town when you have time?
For me, I find going someplace else whenever I get so stressed. But if your stress arise because of processes or tasks at your work place, maybe you can do something about it. Here, I read this article. A simple solution to reduce stress is to automate business processes (http://smallbusiness.uprinting.com/reduce-workplace-stress-automate-business-processes/). What are your views about this?

[huggytree]

I have 2 of stress with my business.....slow no work (how will I survive?) and over whelmed with too much work (how will I get it all done?)

i spend quality time with my wife when im over worked....that helps me fall asleep when im stressed

when im slow nothing helps with the stress.....im typically sitting around all day overthinking things....this year ive used my free time to do some home improvements....nothing helps you forget things like getting immersed in a project on your own house.

i try to take vacations to help w/ stress, but the actual taking time off causes as much stress as it solves....no matter what week i plan the trip there's always a customer that must have me do a project for him that cant wait.....i pick slow months....but it happens every time

[ashleypryce]

I have 2 of stress with my business.....slow no work (how will I survive?) and over whelmed with too much work (how will I get it all done?)

i spend quality time with my wife when im over worked....that helps me fall asleep when im stressed

when im slow nothing helps with the stress.....im typically sitting around all day overthinking things....this year ive used my free time to do some home improvements....nothing helps you forget things like getting immersed in a project on your own house.

i try to take vacations to help w/ stress, but the actual taking time off causes as much stress as it solves....no matter what week i plan the trip there's always a customer that must have me do a project for him that cant wait.....i pick slow months....but it happens every time

I have the same problem. I also spend time with friends and family every time I get the chance to see them. You really need to have a break from work every now and then. Just a simple lunch out or movie time with friends make a big difference.

[Fulcrum]

I have to disagree with that article to a certain extent. While having everything available instantly is very convenient, it will add to the stress levels of the employee when upper management starts looking at the employees time management.

For my business, automation brings huge upside potential, but it will also bring about stresses of a different nature than I currently experience. With the expense that automating will incur ($500,000+ minimum), I want/need that equipment to be able to run 24/7. That means hiring sales people and factory floor staff, possibly bringing in a partner, ensuring that there is enough raw material on hand to fill all orders in a timely manner - not to mention how closely I will need to watch the finances to make sure that all of the previous can be paid for while maintaining a healthy cash reserve.

As for managing the stresses, I find it is a lot easier to handle when I bring it on myself than when it is forced upon me by the ineptitude of others.

[Mr Rewire]

Stress to me is an indicator that an aspect of my business requires further attention. In the early days I would try and escape the daily stres by taking off for the weeekend but I found that the stress was quietly waiting for me to return on monday. I realized the only way to eliminate stress was to find the root cause and focus on correcting that aspect of my business. Of course sometimes I traded one stressor for another like when I hired employees to relieve the stress of to much work I then found stress in having employees.

[ashleypryce]

I have to disagree with that article to a certain extent. While having everything available instantly is very convenient, it will add to the stress levels of the employee when upper management starts looking at the employees time management.

For my business, automation brings huge upside potential, but it will also bring about stresses of a different nature than I currently experience. With the expense that automating will incur ($500,000+ minimum), I want/need that equipment to be able to run 24/7. That means hiring sales people and factory floor staff, possibly bringing in a partner, ensuring that there is enough raw material on hand to fill all orders in a timely manner - not to mention how closely I will need to watch the finances to make sure that all of the previous can be paid for while maintaining a healthy cash reserve.

As for managing the stresses, I find it is a lot easier to handle when I bring it on myself than when it is forced upon me by the ineptitude of others.

Thank you for sharing your story. This is really a different side of the story. Here's when financial problems take place. "$500,000+ minimum", is quite a lot of money. I admire you for taking the risk to spend that much for automation. You may stress from that big amount of money but your work becomes a lot easier because of automation, right? If not, I admire how you can cope with a lot of business issues at the same time.

[ashleypryce]

Stress to me is an indicator that an aspect of my business requires further attention. In the early days I would try and escape the daily stres by taking off for the weeekend but I found that the stress was quietly waiting for me to return on monday. I realized the only way to eliminate stress was to find the root cause and focus on correcting that aspect of my business. Of course sometimes I traded one stressor for another like when I hired employees to relieve the stress of to much work I then found stress in having employees.

This is true in all aspects. Taking a break means having to escape from all the stress but you still need to go back to that thing you are stressing from because you need to face it one way or another.I think, it's healthy to step away from the stress rather than having them all at the same time...but this is just my opinion. :)

[tomaraOSB]

Yeah, I'm not sure automation would help me--it would just be something out of my hands and mostly outside of my control. There's one thing I've learned, and it probably will be considered an "unhealthy thought" but... no one does it better than I can. That is meant to be in the realm of my work.

I think people respond to stress differently, but for me what helps most is to disassociate myself with my workplace (which is my home), but moving away from my desk--go for a walk or something. If the stress is from being overwhelmed with tasks, I find it calming to list out everything... break it down into workable chunks, so you can celebrate mini achievements instead of stressing on what still needs to be done.