The world can be a stressful place. Everything from the changing international order to global warming and beyond causes us worry and anxiety. Even without that, we must cope with the stresses of everyday life. While stress is a normal part of human existence, and necessary, it can also be harmful. Entrepreneurs and business owners are uniquely vulnerable to stress and must be able to find effective ways to cope with stress to remain productive.
American Psychological Association’s annual Stress in America Survey shows that we are more stressed out now than ever before since they started conducting this annual survey. There are many reasons for it that are not the focus of this article. It is, however, interesting to know and helpful to understand that we are not alone. Stress is an everyday phenomenon and nobody escapes it. Business owners are especially exposed to stress, because business ownership involves carrying a lot of responsibility. The weight of it all can be very taxing. Financial issues are typically the most stressful ones, and often small business owners do not have all the resources that they ideally need. This involves difficult decisions and compromises. Often, it is the owner who sacrifices for the employees to get paid which causes them a large burden of stress. If finances do not allow hiring sufficient staff, it is the owner who ends up covering for the slack. Employee turnover can cause very difficult situations, and it can be very expensive. Replacing an entry level employee typically costs north of $20,000 after recruitment costs, productivity losses, and training. Daily operational management is not easy especially for business owners who did not go to a business school to learn the basic business administration skills. Business administration involves disciplines of management, economics, marketing, finance, and accounting. These are subjects that cannot be easily just picked up along the way. There are business schools for a reason, and they are the most popular academic departments in the universities around the nation. Those owners who have not learned business administration skills and knowledge formally, can hire advisors and consultants to coach them along the way so that they can acquire these basic skills that make running a business much less stressful.
To understand how to manage stress, we need to understand what stress is. It is not necessary to understand all the brain functions, but a basic medical explanation may be useful. Stress is caused by the “flight or fight” response in the brain. When a person perceives something potentially threatening, the septo-hippocampal system (SHS) reacts and “scans” a person’s memories and existing mental frameworks (schemas) to assess the level of threat. Stress can disrupt the normal functioning of the SHS, leading to maladaptive responses. That is, the “flight or fight” response is activated even for events that do not require it, creating a chronic and constant state of stress. Chronic stress can alter brain function, leading to emotional symptoms like anxiety and depression. This, in turn, can lead to serious inability to function in a normal manner. Roughly 25% of the US adult population is diagnosed with a mood disorder. Suicide or homicide are some of the leading causes of death in the workplace. This is all caused by stress and it is epidemic.
As explained, the SHS is involved in mediating the adaptive and maladaptive effects of stress on memory processes. Activation of the septo-hippocampal neuronal terminals can increase susceptibility to stress. Therefore, it is important for individuals to apply certain techniques to avoid maladaptive effects and train SHS to mediate stress and memory processes in an adaptative manner. Examples of maladaptive effects include a variety of psychosomatic illnesses and a compromised immune system. High blood pressure, chronic headaches, palpitations, and a metabolic syndrome are just some of the examples of these maladaptive effects. However, the good news is that we can control our responses to stressful situations and alter the way our body reacts to them. We can avoid the maladaptive effects.
People cope with stress in many difference ways. Some negative ways to cope typically include alcohol or other substance abuse, as well as other types of addictions. People can become addicted to anything, and it may require significant rehabilitating to stop these addictions. Meanwhile, some people sleep too much or not enough because of stress and start experiencing depression and anxiety. They feel fatigued and disorganized, and struggle to think clearly. The resulting lack of physical activity can then lead to obesity and apathy. Others feel constant anxiety and worry, resulting in procrastination and inability to make decisions. Some feel agitated and irritable, even experiencing anger disorders. This often leads to domestic violence and marital problems.
Positive ways to cope with stress include systematic muscle relaxation, meditation, exercise, healthy diet, and spending time outdoors. There are both behavioral and cognitive methods that work well depending on an individual. Some people prefer more philosophical approaches and may find existential literature about finding meaning, staying present, and letting go useful. Understanding what one can and cannot control can be helpful. Also, having a steady support system and spending time with loved ones tends to be very important to cope with stress and to prevent burnout. Some people prefer to use medications to cope with stress. There are many effective psychotropic medications that work very well, but they are often only a temporary fix.
For business owners, getting one’s business well organized and structured can be a significant factor in preventing stress and burnout. Good operational and strategic management can help with anxiety and worry. Recruiting the right staff and delegating properly can also help to prevent unnecessary panic. Good financial management is essential to avoid daily headaches. Running a business is often challenging but when not well managed, it can be overwhelming. The work stress is often carried to homelife and sometimes leads to marriage problems and even domestic violence. This becomes a cycle as it creates more stress and often leads to additional dysfunctional behaviors.
It is important to note that business owners in the restoration industry can be exposed to many additional sources of stress. Disaster management is traumatic and being exposed to people experiencing acute losses can be devastating. As compassionate human beings we are impacted by the pain of others, and when others are hurting because of losing their shelter and belongings, we tend to feel their pain. Restoration professionals work in often dangerous and hazardous conditions which add to their stress significantly. Hard physical labor and exposure to contaminants is a daily challenge. This wears people out and they can burn out if they do not take care of themselves.
There are no easy answers on how to cope with stress but accepting it is a beginning. Understanding it and practicing mindfulness helps. We all need a certain amount of stress. Positive stress, also known as eustress, can provide a sense of urgency and drive, motivating us to achieve our goals. It can help us develop coping mechanisms and build resilience to future challenges. By pushing ourselves outside our comfort zones, eustress can lead to self-improvement and new experiences. Eustress can also increase focus, alertness, and productivity. When managed effectively, eustress can help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. Stress is like a guitar string. When there is just the right amount of tension, the string will play the right note. It can help to create beautiful music. Individuals who have an intrinsic focus of control tend to be able to use stress as a positive force and source of energy. These people feel that they are on charge of their lives and that their own decisions control what happens to them. Being able to take charge of one’s business decreases stress. It is empowering and creates self-efficacy and confidence.
In summary, stress is a part of life, but it can be managed. There are many effective self-care techniques that can be utilized. Meanwhile, business consultants and advisors can help in a very significant way. Floodlight Consulting Group is an especially good source of help because of the philosophy of the firm is grounded on supporting restoration business owners in a long-term and evergreen manner. Floodlight’s consultants are there for the long haul and your success is their success. Helping you with your stress is their main goal.
