Everyone would be running a business if it was easy to do. Truth is, it’s tough. We’re all human, with families to worry about, and maybe financial or mental health problems to work through at the same time.

In other words, the struggle really is real sometimes 😫

But if you find yourself struggling to stay focused, just know there are always some things you can do to stay on track. From taking control with planning to the power of talking, here’s what I do to keep the bad days at bay.

Plan, plan, plan

If you’re struggling with the huge amount of responsibilities and work you have as a business owner, the last thing you want to do is give yourself another and write a schedule for your time. But as a business owner who was once in your shoes, I cannot recommend it enough. First, making a timetable helps you prioritise your time. While everything that goes into running a business is important, at the end of the day, certain things are more pressing than others. So, prioritise them to give yourself some breathing space 😮‍💨 Just make sure you include personal time in your schedule. Choose an appropriate time of the day for you to finish your work and stick to it. A little routine and you-time really does go a long way. Chances are, though, that when you try to make sense of your time, there are some things that won’t get done. If that’s the case, don’t break your schedule and stress into the evening, but consider the next step.

Get the right help

You might think you’re a one-woman-army who can do it all. It’s definitely satisfying when you get the ball rolling and get everything done every other day or so.

But not everybody is going to be able to do everything herself – not if they want to stay sane, that is. The amount of times I’ve heard of business owners starting early, working throughout the day and dealing with admin until the late evening is shocking. It’s the easiest way to burn yourself out before you even get started. That said, if you find yourself struggling even during an eight-hour working day, don’t worry at all. Yes, we’re all human but we’re also very different. The point is this: however you work, it’s always a good idea to get some outside help when you need it, from an administrative assistant to a manager or an accountant.

The number one objective I always get when I say this to people is that they simply can’t afford to pay someone for this sort of thing. But just remember what you’re getting back – time. Time to spend with your family, time to spend on yourself or time to make your business more profitable to offset the cost of that outside help.

The power of talking

You’ll know that running a business can be stressful and it has to be said: going too far and letting stress consume you can have some negative consequences, including depression, anxiety, low mood and sometimes worse. That’s why if you feel like the stress of being a business owner is getting to you, speak up. That could be with a therapist or counsellor – especially if you have other stuff going on in your life – but you’re also likely to benefit from talking to other people in the business world. You might have friends who are business owners or may be able to find a group of supportive local business owners on social media who can give you advice on how to manage your business.

I would be more than happy to talk to you about how to make your business a stress-free environment.

Connect with me on social media for more advice on managing your business.