I, for one, agree with Lily Tomlin. Sometimes it seems like we're going 75 MPH and still trying to catch up. Instead of accelerating, we need to apply the brakes. After all, isn't that what our business is all about? The massage industry has been growing for years because people need a time and place to wind down, relax and ease their tension.
We need to take the good advice we give our clients and take a break and a deep breath. We also need to find ways to get through the day that alleviate the stress. Do you give yourself enough time in the morning to prepare for the day, so you start in a good frame of mind? Do you make a list of your daily or weekly to-dos? Can you delegate some of the work to lighten the load? These are just some of what I call the 'mechanical' things you can do to help relieve stress daily. Also, the products you use in your treatments can even help alleviate stress. The calming, soothing light scent of cocoa, for example, found in specially formulated products like our Cocoa-Comfort Massage Balm, can help ease the mind.
Maybe it's time to revisit your business goals. If growing your business 20 percent this year is your goal, consider what it will take. Maybe it's time to redo your website, set up a Facebook page, take out an ad, or join a networking group. It's so much easier to realize your goals when you can set a series of milestones to get there.
Relieving stress isn't only about a checklist or timeline. Sometimes you really do need a new attitude. You need to figure out what's causing you to stress and why. You might want to start a journal to jot down what troubles you. What triggers your stress, and how you respond physically and emotionally. Once you understand what triggers your stress, you can begin to find 'healthy' ways to deal with it.
Clearly, some situations in our personal and business lives will cause us stress, and we can't avoid them. Understanding what these things are and why they bother us is the start of managing them.
Here are a few tips I've learned along the way to avoid and deal with stress.
- Avoid people who stress you out.
- Learn how to say 'no.'
- Express your feelings, and don't bottle things up.
- Don't overpromise and overcommit.
- Learn how to manage your time.
- Learn to forgive!
What would you add?