Business owners choose the entrepreneurial route because it affords them the freedom to create and chart their path. However, the flipside is the responsibility that goes with the role. Hiring people meant being accountable to his staff’s livelihood. As a business leader, he has to steer his team towards bigger things. As the person behind his business, he has to deliver his brand’s promise to clients and customers.
With goals to achieve, targets to meet and tasks to accomplish, entrepreneurs often find themselves in a pressure cooker where stress comes from different directions. Stress, if not managed carefully, may affect one’s well-being. It may result in body pains, illnesses, anxiety, depression, or physical, emotional or mental ailment.
Some EO Melbourne members have revealed how they relieve the stress that comes with the role and what preoccupies them outside of work that motivates them to keep going.
1.) Time with family and friends
The family is the primary reason that motivates business owners to push themselves forward. They find fulfilment in providing for their families and partners and keeping them happy. For entrepreneurs who have little kids, they prefer to be present during the formative years of their children. Spending quality time with their families and loved ones is a priority for most business owners.
Busy entrepreneurs also de-stress by socialising and going out with friends. Often, it would be through enjoying great food or having a few drinks. They would often surround themselves with like-minded individuals, such as their peers in EO Melbourne, where they share and listen to experiences of other entrepreneurs whom they trust and respect. Such stories inspire them to make a mark and boldly go.
2.) Travelling to other places
Going for a holiday is the most liked activity of entrepreneurs that could help take their minds away from work and recharge themselves. Most of them travel with their families, which makes the experience even more satisfying. Others love the outdoors, and they would often set aside time for a short getaway to go camping, fishing or visiting their farm.
3.) Physical activities
Sweating it out is also a good way to free the body and mind from the pressures that come with the role of being a business owner. Because of their busy schedules, the only way for most entrepreneurs to de-stress is to hit the gym or do some exercise. There are a few that spend their mornings or weekends running or cycling. Taking up a sport is also one of the things other entrepreneurs do to refuel. Some are involved in snowboarding, skiing, swimming, surfing, motorsports or golf. But for those who are not very sporty, they find delight watching their favourite team or cheering for their kids playing.
4.) Honing the mind
Meditation is one of the activities that a lot of business owners have been doing to clear their minds. Some entrepreneurs take themselves off the grid, keep themselves away from their gadgets and TV, spend a quiet moment reflecting, or rest their bodies and minds through enough sleep. They have their respective ways of doing meditation, and you can do one that you feel is most effective on you. Many business owners quench their thirst for learning as they indulge themselves in things that can improve themselves. It’s often by reading books or listening to podcasts to learn new things.
5.) Refilling the senses
Getting a hobby is another way for entrepreneurs to free themselves from stress and enrich their holistic development. There are business owners who are into arts as they listen to music, watch movies or attend performances. There are business owners who find enjoyment through cooking or simply having a glass of wine. Several business owners feel more relaxed when they do some gardening, make improvements at home, or play with their pets, while others love to collect items or acquire new skills. You can also find some entrepreneurs who are involved in charitable works and non-profit projects.
In the end, many of them admit that they get the most enjoyment from their work. It’s because business owners love what they are doing. Reaching their goals and receiving appreciation from their customers, clients, peers and staff are the great rewards that entrepreneurs reap from the hard work and dedication to their craft. Seeing their loved ones, team members and clientele happy is the best stress-reliever there is for every entrepreneur.