Making Stress Work For You

Posted in General Business on November 13, 2008

I’ve been really stressed lately, both on a personal and professional level. My business is going well, for the most part, but that success brings with it all sorts of new worries and more than a little work. One thing I was always told when starting my business what that I needed to be prepared for when things go well. It’s advice I’m glad I took to heart. Over the last few years we’ve had plenty of ups and downs and through it all I’ve learned how to embrace my work-related stress and put that stress to work for me. I’m not exactly glad to have it, but I do see it as a great motivator and something that keeps me going.

Stress for EPIC WIN

Stress is often looked at as a negative, but I’m here to tell you that it doesn’t need to be that way. Stress also brings with it energy and focus, especially if you take a positive attitude towards it and make an effort to make it work for you. Of course, there is also bad stress, but in the case of something you love to do and that you have a passion for it’s not impossible to turn negatives into positives. In fact, the ability to do that might make or break your business.

It’s really all about attitude and practical application of your time. Take some time, every once in awhile through out your day, and reflect on what’s on your plate. Chances are if your stressed it’s a lot – too much – and you might feel overwhelmed. Think about all the things you need to do and break them down in to manageable chunks, then once you’re focused and refreshed, get to work. Simply working on something, IMHO, is the best stress reliever there is.

You might be saying to yourself, “But Keeeeith, I can’t! It’s too much!” Well, here is some advice from my mother: Can’t never did do anything. Suck it up and get to work, trust me, it’ll lessen your stress almost immediately. The worst thing for stress is complete inaction.

The Bottom Line

Stress can be good for you and your business if you channel it in a positive way, which, admittedly can be tricky. A positive attitude, some good organization and time management and a willingness to work can turn that negative stress back around. Believe me.

Happy Masochist is a straight forward and light-hearted look at owning, running and living with a small design business.

About Me (D. Keith Robinson)

I’ve owned my small business, Seattle-based design agency Blue Flavor, since the Fall of 2005. In that time I've learned quite a bit about running a business and made more than my share of mistakes. I talk about all of that and more here at Happy Masochist. Grab the RSS feed.

If you've got questions, suggestions or other general feedback, contact me at keith@dkeithrobinson.com.

Last time on Happy Masochist:

We’ve got some dark times coming on. The economy is looking pretty bleak and there are many people, all over our country who are worried. I’m one of them. Having said that, I’ve not really seen much of an impact thus far on my business. I am thinking about it, and planning for it, but all-in-all I think Blue Flavor is pretty well set up for a slowing economy, and we’re pretty much running our business as usual. It might be tough, but hard work, a solid base, some diversification and elbow grease will see us through.

Read on...