Having and running a business is tough, but the results are often worth the stress. It’s what makes finishing your tasks exciting and achieving your victories sweeter, after all. And it’s a regular, even irreplaceable, part of any aspect of life, especially when it comes to working.
Too much stress, however, is detrimental, not only to your health but to the long-term growth of your company as well. Excessive stress makes the workplace less inviting and inspiring, and as a result, work quality and social relationships can take a toll for the worse. And you wouldn’t want that to happen, now, would you?
That’s why taking steps to alleviate some of that stress is crucial for success! Here are the top 5 ways you can help your business become as stress-free as possible:
Declutter your workplace
If your workplace seems tight on space or your files are hard to find, it’s time to tidy up everything to clear up space and reinforce your organization system. You’d often find that having a cleaner and neater office space reduces stress as you’re not scrambling to find things you need among heaps of stuff and that you have more space to move about, think clearly, and breathe freely.
Got anything that’s at least a year old and hasn’t been touched in months? Chuck it in the garbage bin. Found things that you meant to use but never did? Either repurpose them now or donate them if they’re still useful but has no place in your office. Have broken or failing equipment? Replace them with newer models. Got damages here and there? Fix them, pronto.
Have a precise and detailed to-do list
A standard way to compose a to-do list is to list down the basic idea of the tasks to be accomplished and then refer to it as the day goes on. Doing so, however, increases stress and anxiety for two reasons:
- You’re prone to getting side-tracked when you don’t indicate how you should go about with the task, and
- You’re likely listing trivial or less-urgent tasks along with your crucial ones, making it seem that you have a lot more on your plate.
When making your to-do list, start by listing down the tasks you think you need to do, then eliminating what the least-vital ones. Then add the details of each work that you need to focus on, so you know what your strategy is for the day. Knowing what exactly you need to do also helps you gauge the time you need to devote to each task, strengthening your time management skills in the long run.
Start digitizing
Compared to the more labor-intensive processes of before, the digital age has presented the privilege of using technology in business to lessen their workload, reduce time wasted, and make operations and collaborations between employees more efficient. In fact, statistics tell us that three-quarters of marketers deem saved time as the most significant benefit of automating their task through digital means, along with increased customer engagement, more timely communications, increased opportunities such as upselling.
Start slow — archive your most necessary internal files through a system of your choosing, and then move upwards. Have everyone in the business acquainted with the new system through training, and gradually replace your old process with the new. In time, you’ll be running much smoother and more accurately, significantly reducing stress.
Make use of mobile apps
Mobile is emerging as the primary piece of technology that people, both businesses and consumers, are using. Your company should, too. This helps your business and all its employees to access files, contacts, and other vital info remotely even when they’re not on their work desks or using their laptops. This also saves you the hassle of looking for a secure computer or laptop to access your work files when something happens while you’re out of the office.
Most programs and productivity websites nowadays have mobile app equivalents. All it takes is a quick search through Google Play Store (for Android users) or the Apple App Store (for iOS users) for the app you’re looking for. Some apps even have offline capabilities so that you can create, edit, and store files that can be synced later when you’re connected to the internet.
Delegate tasks to your team
Running a business may make you feel like you need to have your hands all over everything to make sure that the quality of work your team produces is to your standard, but this isn’t the case. While there are responsibilities that you can’t neglect, it doesn’t mean that you should do everything yourself. Micromanaging your team will only cause a stressful environment in your workplace.
Take time to train your team into producing work assigned to them with the same standard you uphold. This way, you only have to check in on their progress and check the final product, leaving you with more time for your work. You can also opt for hiring freelancers or other talented people to accomplish some of the tasks for you, like posting on social media or administrative duties.
Stress may be a regular part of work and the business setup, but having countermeasures for it is a saving grace in this face-paced world we live in. So, what are you waiting for? Try these steps out now!