Business can be an emotional rollercoaster at times. Challenges arise which can test our resilience and sneak into our personal lives and relationships. 

I remember a client telling me once “I work 8 hours during the day, and 8 hours at night while I’m sleeping”. His business was always on his mind, so it’s no wonder he was seeing me for burnout.  

It’s in our best interest to find better ways to reduce stress or even change our relationship to stress, rather than seeing it inherently part of business.

A reduction in stress improves our performance, productivity, decision-making, mood, creativity and work satisfaction. 

The less stressed we feel, the greater access we have to the prefrontal cortex – the CEO function of our brain that allows for big ideas, problem-solving and emotional regulation.

Our interactions with others also improve, we become more present, patient and kind.

While I’ve not mastered being completely stress-free in business, I’ve realised enough to reduce my stress considerably and see the impact on my business performance.

The following are insights around stress that can help reduce pent up stress, rather than just habits to off-load stress, but realisations to prevent stress build up in the first place: 

 

1. Inside-out Realisation:

 

It can look like we “catch” stress from our work or social interactions and lug it around. Instead, it originates within us. 

 

I remember escaping for a long overseas trip in an attempt to evade stress, only to find myself still grappling with anxiety. Different place, different stressors, same stress. As the saying goes, “Wherever you go, you take yourself with you.”

 

Stress doesn't stem from external circumstances but is crafted in our own minds. 

 

In the early days of my business, I felt the heavy burden of financial stress and worry. Then, overnight, the stress settled down, even though the balance in my bank account remained unchanged. Yes, the cash flow issue persisted, but the stressful thinking that had clouded my ability to find solutions had diminished. My external world remained challenging, but internally, I was stress-free.

 

Creating stress is an inside job, we create and carry stress in our mind.

 

Scientists, such as Donald Hoffman PhD, believe our mind constructs reality for us, independent of the outside world. 

 

Do we really see our challenges as they are? 

 

2. Thought-feeling Connection

 

Our thoughts create our feelings, our feelings create our experience. We don't often catch our thoughts, but our feelings tell us what's on our mind.

 

This was really important for me to see.

 

I can be in a good or bad mood in any environment, in any circumstance and with anyone. My mood is not changed by what's outside of me.

 

When we feel peaceful, productive, content and happy, our mind is in its perfect and natural state. 

 

When we feel down, low, insecure, worried, or stressed, then our thinking is off track. In this way, our emotions inform us of our thinking, not our progress in business or life.

 

All emotions are normal, and they’re all temporary. 

 

3. Don’t Dwell 

 

When we get stuck replaying conversations or events, over-analysing “what-if's, and getting lost in negative thoughts and worry – it creates stress, lowers our mood and we move further away from our mind's perfect and natural state of peace.

 

Some of the best advice I've ever received was, “the best you can, leave your thinking alone. Don’t dwell on things”.  

 

We don't perform at our best when we have a lot on our mind. 

 

Have you noticed how stressful your day becomes when you overthink or dwell on a problem? 

 

4. Offloading Stress

 

Lastly, one simple solution to offload stress when you’re caught up in the thick of it. 

 

For me it’s walking or exercise. When stress hormones, like cortisol, are released it can build up in the body draining our energy and prolonging stress. 

Cortisol was designed to help us fight-or-flee stressful situations, not remain sitting at our desk. 

Exercise helps to clear out cortisol and it increases endorphins – your natural mood enhancer. Exercise also takes your mental focus away from the problem and can reset your mind.