The stress of running a business can be overwhelming.
In our busy world, we are constantly being bombarded with information that stresses us out and causes us to feel anxious or overwhelmed.
What is the most stressful thing about starting your own business? Managing stress! Between managing finances, employees, and customers, it's a wonder that entrepreneurs can even have an ounce of sanity left.
In this blog post, we will share with you different tips that female entrepreneurs use to manage stress more efficiently!
These tips come from highly successful women in business who have found what works for them - so don't feel discouraged if one or two aren't your style!
Marie Forleo
Photo Credit: Eric Michael Pearson
Marie Forleo is a lifestyle and marketing expert, and also a best selling author. She's got a massive reach of 190,000 readers in over 180 countries worldwide.
Marie Forleo's tip for Stress Management
Keep a stress log
She advocates for a stress log, not because it's one of those techniques out there but because she uses it and has seen improvement in her personal and business life.
The Stress Log:
- Takes off stress your mind and dump it on paper so you can deal with it strategically. That way, stress does not live in your head and body.
- Causes shrinkage because the moment we write what's stressing us down, it becomes manageable.
- It's actionable because it helps the mind to think of how to tackle issues.
- It gives power! Knowing that you have a place to write your stress and a system to handle it takes the pressure off you.
"Writing it down kicks stress outta town" - Marie forleo.
Arianna Huffington
Photo Credit : David A. Grogan | CNBC
Huffington is an international media mogul and a prolific author. She started the award-winning news platform Huffington post in 2007. She had a severe burnout that became an awakening call for her to focus on her well being.
During the ASCEND submit in New York, 2019, Huffington said: "I believe it is women who are going to disrupt this completely false paradigm that has led to so much unnecessary suffering, disease, broken relationships, mental health problems — it all really goes back to this false belief that it's the only way to succeed."
She added that any data doesn't support the delusion that we must burn out to succeed.
Arianna Huffington Stress Management Tips
1. Habit Stacking
This is an exercise that makes you focus on something positive during your daily routine. It helps to silence negative thoughts that our neutral pathways are used to. So, positive affirmation comes in handy here.
2. Limit your smartphone use
Huffington believes that burn out increased with the introduction of smartphones, and it is playing a role in negatively impacting boundaries between personal and work life.
So she suggests you evaluate why you need a smartphone. If it is because of kids, she suggests getting a flip phone. If it's for alarm, get an alarm clock.
The idea is not to make excuses for why you need a smartphone but to minimise your dependency on it.
Set an end time for your smartphone daily and stick to it, so you can make time for yourself.
3. Sleep
Huffington learnt the hard way because of sleep deprivation. After recovery, she's now on a campaign to get women to sleep their way to the top.
She pointed out that with multiple things to attend to, What can give us more peace and happiness is the same thing that will do the world good right now, and that is to get more sleep.
Oprah Winfrey
IMAGE SOURCE: HARPO INC./RUVEN AFANADOR.
Oprah Winfrey is a female media mogul and an inspiration to many people around the world. A woman of her calibre must have so much on our plate, right? Well, yeah!
However, she reveals her secret for keeping calm and managing stress.
Oprah Winfrey's Stress Management Tips
1. Accept the moment for what it is.
"The reason why you're always stressed is that you want this moment to be something that it's not," she said. "You just stop, and you accept this moment for what it is. Just breathe right into that moment, and it takes the anxiety and the pressure away of wanting this moment to be something it's not. Just this moment, one moment at a time."
In her interview with ET, she acknowledges, it will take time to get to that realisation, but you have to understand. It is a process, not just one thing.
2. Keep a box of quotes.
Get a box of 365 quote cards. Pick three out every morning, read through the quote while sipping your tea or any early morning meditative routine to set you on a positive note for each day.
3. Sit & Breathe
Oprah encourages you to take a pause during the day, and find somewhere quiet to sit and just breathe.
Breathing helps us to cope with daily pressures because when you take deep breaths, your heart rate slows down, and you have more oxygen entering your bloodstream, which then communicates with the brain to relax.
Another benefit of breathing is the release of 'feel-good' chemicals - Endorphins.
Shirley Sandberg
Photo Credit : CC BY-SA 2.0
Sandberg is the chief operating officer of Facebook, and she's one of the wealthiest women in the world. As someone who has walked and grown companies, she advocates for women's rights in the workplace.
With her position as the COO of Facebook, it's safe to assume she must undoubtedly have things she does to deal with significant pressure.
Shirley Sandberg's Stress Management Tips
1. Switch Off Your Phone at Night
One key thing she does that most people will struggle with is switching off her phone at night, to avoid disturbances. Shelly admits it's painful to switch off our phones, and not scroll through social media. However, to be productive for the next day, you've got to cherish your night-time.
2. Enjoy good sleep
Riding off the first point, if you want to enjoy your bedtime and get your body to settle down to sleep, switching off your devices will help hugely, the rays from phone and tablets impact our body's ability to settle down better for sleep.
According to research, the light from screens can prevent our bodies from releasing melatonin, a hormone that helps us sleep.
Also switching off your phone will mean you have a well deserving 'Me-Time' which can encourage a healthy night-time routine.
Susan Wojcicki
Photo Credit: TechCrunch
Susan was involved in the founding of Google, and in 1999 she became Google's first marketing manager. She went ahead to lead the company's online advertising business and was put in charge of Google's original video service.
In 2006, Susan Wojcicki proposed the acquisition of YouTube by Google and has served as CEO of YouTube since 2014. She is worth an estimated net worth of nearly $500 million.
Susan Wojcicki's Stress Management Tips
1. Take time off
For Susan, taking time off to rest is her go-to way in managing stress, she spoke on TODAY about the importance of addressing family life before getting back to work.
She said, "I think it's really important to take time off. I've also found that sometimes you get really good insights by taking time off, too."
2. Embrace motherhood and Career, productively.
As the CEO of the third most visited website on earth and mother of five, I'm sure you will be curious to know how she combines this without getting overwhelmed and stressed. Well, here's what Susan has to say.
"Your kids get something from your career, and your career gets something from your kids,"
So rather than have your own personal and work-life clashing, strike a balance, because both can be mutually beneficial. Here's what she does
1. Prioritises
2.Delegates
3. Aims to be home at 6 pm, every day, bonds with the kids, asks them about their day and enjoys dinner together. Afterwards, gets them to bed.
More Resources
5-Day Habit Switch for Stress Relief
5 Ways You Can Prioritise Your Time To Reduce Stress
10 Ways to Stay Calm Under Pressure
JK Rowling
Photo Credit: Daniel Ogren
J.K Rowling is a British author, screenwriter, producer, and philanthropist.
She is best known for writing the Harry Potter fantasy series, which has won multiple awards and sold more than 500 million copies, becoming the best-selling book series in history.
The books are the basis of a popular film series, over which Rowling had overall approval on the scripts and was a producer on the final films. She also writes under the pen name Robert Galbraith.
So when JK Rowling shared her stress-coping tip. I wasn't too surprised, but I liked the fact that it's different. And it just could be one that works for you as well.
JK Rowling's stress tip.
Read Biographies.
A twitter fan asked her about books she reads for comfort. Here's J.K Rowling's response to her.
"To tell you the truth, when I'm really stressed or overwhelmed, I turn to biographies of people who've led turbulent lives. I find it soothing and inspiring to read about people who've endured and overcome."
Sara Blakely
Photo Credit: Gillian Zoe Segal
Sara Blakely is a philanthropist, entrepreneur and an American businesswoman. She is the founder of Spanx, an American intimate apparel company with pants and leggings.
In 2012, Blakely was named in Time magazine's "Time 100" annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. She was listed as the 93rd most powerful woman in the world by Forbes.
The mother of four shares how she manages pressure from work and how she balances her personal life.
Sara Blake Blakely's stress tips
1. Breathe
Blakely said when she's stressed and anxious, she excuses herself and goes to a quiet place to breathe. She acknowledges there is healing power in breathing and the good thing is this practice isn't restrictive because you can focus on your breath anywhere and anytime.
2. Call Loved Ones
Blakely said her mom is great at calming her down, and making her feel better. At the same time, her dad is great at giving advice.
When stressed, sometimes connecting with loved ones can just be the mood booster you need.
Final Thought
Reading through all these highly successful female entrepreneurs' stress tips, we can see that no one is immune to stress.
Stress is no respecter of status, colour, belief, etc. However, some tips have helped many over the years. And these women on this list, have incorporated them into their lives.
I hope you are inspired to try these tips so you can manage your stress and beat overwhelm to your progress.
Let me know what you think in the comments section, If you enjoyed any of this and which of these tips you tried or will love to add to your routine.
Check out 197 Quotes from these 7 Successful Female Entrepreneurs On Sleep, Stress and Success
More Resources
The Surprising Psychology of Successful Entrepreneurs and Why They Take the Risk
Skills and Behaviors that Make Entrepreneurs Successful
Reference
The therapist creates a safe network for women entrepreneurs.. https://thriveglobal.com/stories/therapist-creates-a-safe-network-for-women-entrepreneurs/
Oprah Winfrey Reveals How She Stays Stress Free 'This is .... https://www.imdb.com/news/ni61580232
What J.K. Rowling does when she's feeling down | Well+Good. https://www.wellandgood.com/jk-rowling-reads-for-mental-health-self-love/
Sara Blakely - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sara_Blakely
Therapist, creates a safe network for women entrepreneurs.. https://thriveglobal.com/stories/therapist-creates-a-safe-network-for-women-entrepreneurs/.