How to Manage Your Stress Level

Being a solopreneur can take its toll on your body, and your mind.

There is always an incomplete list of things that need doing.

There are always better ways to do the things you do daily.

There are always other people who seem to be doing things better than you are doing them.

Or at least it feels that way sometimes.

When you get up in the morning, are you still excited to get your day started?

If you are, that’s amazing. Hold on to that feeling! (I’ll get back to you in a minute!)

If you are not, you are among a very large group of people feeling the same way. (No kidding, you are not alone!)

So what do we do when our business no longer jazzes us? 

Well the first thing you need to do is to identify what the issue is. Or what the issues are.

First, don’t panic. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed.

Second, make a list of the things you are doing in your daily routine.*

(*if you don’t have a daily routine, start one!)

Third, identify how each of those tasks is making you feel.

If any of them raise your stress level, try to figure out why.

Is it too difficult? too mundane? too detailed?

Is it the people you are dealing with (ie your client’s customers)?

Is it the rate you are earning to do the work?

Is it the timeline or turnaround time?

There can be so many reasons that our work tasks get us down.

Identifying your reasons goes a very long way in helping you deal with the stress that shows itself in your daily routine.

By identifying what is triggering your … discontent, shall we say! … you can make the changes that you need to feel better.

Stress is not always about having too much to do and too little time to do it.

Stress can be just general disorganization. It can be amplified when you can’t get the motivation to get started on your day. When you don’t know where to begin, identify why that is.

It’s not about becoming a self-diagnosing psychologist. It’s pretty simple actually.

1. Write down everything you do in a day.
2. Beside that, indicate whether you like it or not.
3. Describe why you like it or why you don’t. How does it make you feel?
4. Go one step further and consider what other things are affecting your feelings.

If you can’t do this task on your own, seek advice or help from a colleague or coach.

I promise you that it will be worth it. Sometimes you really can’t see the forest for the trees.

The sense that ‘nobody understands’ is simply false. There are loads of VAs out there that are feeling exactly the same way as you are.

Tackling the analysis of what is coming up for you in each of the things that is dragging you down is the first step in freeing your feelings and helping you to rid yourself of that stress.

For those of you who are feeling great every morning (I told you I’d come back to you!) that’s fabulous. I challenge each of you to blog about what you do that helps you stay positive and motivated. And share it on your social media channels. It will inspire other VAs who need a little boost!

For more tips on how to work healthier and happier, check out these blog posts too!