Surveys of small business owners consistently find that running a business is one of the most stressful things a person can take on — many owners report it as more stressful than raising children. If you own a business, that probably does not surprise you at all.

There are countless things that create business stress:

• Managing and balancing personal and business finances
• Creating harmony between your business relationships and your family, spouse, and children
• Having enough capital to maintain and grow operations
• And the list goes on

It can feel like there are countless sources of business stress — some of which become a genuine “silent killer.” That is understandable when you consider how much rides on a business owner’s shoulders. It is a major personal investment whose success depends on your energy, creativity, and ability to work under real pressure. The people who work for you depend on you, and so do the clients who placed their trust in your hands.

Balancing a chaotic schedule with your health and the needs of your loved ones is hard. Consider these five strategies as you work to save time and become more efficient — and protect yourself in the process.

1. Consider Funding Options

Finding a steady flow of available capital is a major source of stress for many owners, especially early on. A micro or small business loan can relieve a range of pressures — staffing, inventory, and the various assets that require ready cash. The guide on how to raise capital for your business walks through your options, and if you are pre-revenue, the guide on startup funding with no revenue covers routes that do not require a track record.

2. Lean on Automation

As a business owner, you probably wear a lot of hats and handle many day-to-day tasks that eat up your time. The good news is that more of those tasks can be automated than ever before.

Staff scheduling done the old-fashioned way can eat up a huge part of your day — an online scheduling tool handles it in minutes. Bookkeeping and basic accounting can be largely automated with modern software. And if you manage your own marketing, social media posts can be scheduled in advance. Each task you automate is time and mental energy handed back to you.

3. Spread the Joy — Delegate

You vetted, interviewed, and hired your staff for a reason. Now it is time to take advantage of their skills by delegating the work that keeps you from strategizing, thinking about the big picture, growing the business, and reaching out to prospective clients. Knowing your employees’ strengths and interests makes this far easier.

Owners often spend time writing marketing content or reaching out to media — tasks an ambitious young marketer would love to take on. And don’t forget to delegate the low-impact work, like scheduling and rescheduling meetings, which an assistant should be handling. You really don’t have to do it all. In today’s global economy, you are just a few clicks away from hiring the right person for the job.

4. Take a Deep Breath

One of the worst things you can do is keep grinding after you have hit the wall. Sometimes you just need to take half an hour, go for a walk, or watch something that makes you laugh — anything that takes your mind off the pressure for a while.

Adding a meaningful morning and evening routine to your day has a big impact on both your personal and professional health. Try to build in a little time each day just to clear your mind and give your brain a break. After all, your mind is your best asset and most important business tool.

5. Eat Right

Busy owners often put eating well on the back burner, grabbing something quick instead. That works for a while, but it catches up with you. Your body needs proper fuel — a healthy diet — to perform at the high level a business owner needs every day.

If business stress is weighing on you and you would like help building a business that runs without running you down, book a free 30-minute call with Trent here.