You can be on Entrepreneur’s cover!

Get a Grip, Small Business Owners! 5 Tips to Help You Deal With Stress. Eliminating stress is impossible, but here are some tactics to help you cope and stay strong.

By Mike Kappel

entrepreneur daily

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

PeopleImages | Getty Images

I can't tell you how many times I got called crazy when I wanted to quit my high-paying engineering job and start a business.

And maybe I was a little crazy—I had recently bought a house and was about to marry my sweetheart. Did I truly know what I was getting into by taking the leap and starting my own company?

No, not exactly. There were a lot of surprises, sleepless nights, hot dog and mac-n-cheese dinners, maxed out credit cards, 70-hour workweeks…you get the picture. But you know what? I now own a multi-million dollar company, Patriot Software Company.

Related: 18 Ways to Calm Down When You're Stressed

Starting my first business 30-some years ago put me to the test. Sure, I lost my marbles from time to time, as I'd wager most entrepreneurs do. However, by the grace of God, I found a way to stay pretty sane and keep balanced, particularly through those early, hectic, stressed and sleepless years.

And here's the part I know you want to hear: you can, too.

5 ways to keep your sanity and not stress out

If you're a newbie entrepreneur, you may be in for a rude awakening when starting your business. In fact, a Bank of the West survey reveals that 62% of business owners say the stress of ownership was worse than what they anticipated.

Do you feel like you're going crazy running your business? Here's how to stay sane.

1. Take the darn vacation already

Only 57% of small business owners take vacations, according to Bank of the West' survey. Eight-seven percent take one week or less off from work. And, 67% of the entrepreneurs who take a trip check in at work at least once per day.

What are you doing?! I know that taking off a couple of days to go to the beach may sound like a longshot when you're just trying to stay afloat (no pun intended), but refusing to take time off from work can cause your stress levels to skyrocket.

Don't just take my word for it. There's hard evidence showing that taking some time away from your beloved startup is good for business. One Harvard Business Review survey found that 94% of well-planned trips result in improved energy and job outlook.

Consider the following benefits of taking a vacation:

  • Boosted productivity
  • Increased engagement
  • Reduced burnout

The State of the American Vacation report from Project: Time Off finds that workers take just over 17 vacation days a year. You may not be so inclined to take that many as a business owner. But, keep that average in mind the next time you limit yourself to something like two days off a year.

If you're stubborn and push yourself without taking a vacation (like I did for years), you or your spouse may come to resent your entrepreneurial journey.

Don't resent your decision to pursue your dream. Be proactive and take that darn vacation already. Your spouse or significant other will appreciate your willingness to put them first!

Related: 4 Ways to Maintain a Positive Attitude Even When You're Stressed

2. We live in a technological world — use it to your advantage

Unless you actually enjoy stress, wouldn't you want to find ways to streamline business processes? My guess is yes.

Whether you're a fan of it or not, the wave of the future is here, and it's called automation. And since it's here to stay, you might as well take advantage of it. Automation tools are exactly what they sound like: tools that automate your processes to save you from doing manual work. In most cases, automation lets you get things done faster, more accurately, and cheaper.

What should you use automation tools for, you ask? From your administrative responsibilities to your marketing efforts, you can automate just about anything in business.

Here are a few automation tools you may consider using in your small business:

  • Email marketing services
  • Customer relationship management software
  • Social media management software
  • Chatbots
  • Payroll software (like the kind my company offers)
  • Accounting software
  • Employee performance management software

Before investing in different automation programs, do some research. Assess your business's needs, look at your budget, and shop around. Test out different systems with free trials. And, pay attention to whether the tools have contracts or month-to-month pricing systems.

3. Hire an extra pair of hands…or two or three

Although automating things frees up your time for more important tasks, you probably can't get by on your own forever. The time may come when you need to hire your first, second, 10th, or 50th employee.

And doing so can help you to keep your sanity—and grow your business.

Bringing on a new employee can alleviate some of the stress of running your business. Rather than juggling a million responsibilities, you can experience the joy of delegation. And, you wouldn't be solely responsible for coming up with innovative business ideas. Sounds pretty great, right?

Related: 25 Simple and Proven Ways to De-Stress

So, is it time to bring on new talent? Of course, you don't want to over-extend yourself and bring on new employees you can't afford. You might consider hiring an employee if you:

  • Desperately need help in your business
  • Have steady profits
  • Are falling behind on customer orders
  • Want to expand your business (e.g., additional location)

Here's a word to the wise: When hiring your first employee, do not do what I did. I think I actually lost a little bit of my sanity the day I hired my first employee…because I had to fire her that same day. Make sure you actually interview the person before you hire your first employee. Who knew?!

4. Understand that your health is your wealth

If you want to keep your sanity in business, you've gotta prioritize your physical, mental, and emotional health—no exceptions. That means exercising and eating right, getting enough sleep, making time for non-work activities, and setting workplace limits.

Yes, you love your business. And yes, everyone knows you're committed to seeing your vision through. But, you aren't doing anyone any favors if you work yourself to death.

Failing to take care of yourself harms not just your health but also your business. Consider these fast stats about the importance of prioritizing your health:

I'm not all talk, folks. I try to take care of myself by biking to work, picking up some weights throughout the day, drinking fruit and veggie smoothies, attempting to get at least seven hours of sleep, and trying to separate my work and personal life.

Setting limits and sticking to a strict regimen is difficult. But if you don't set boundaries, you could wind up like the 39% of small business owners who told the Bank of the West survey that they work over 60 hours a week. And when all you're doing is working, you could run out of steam very, very quickly.

5. Lean on your support system

Family, friends, church family, colleagues, mentors—the people who make up your support system are there for you. Don't let your pride hinder you from turning to them when you're in need.

I've been blessed with a pretty great network of people I can turn to with questions, ideas, and help me keep my sanity. Without one person in particular—my wife—I would have lost my sanity years ago!

Make sure you lean on your support system. Talk to your family and friends about things that are stressing you out at work. Seek advice from business mentors and fellow business owners. Discuss issues with your employees and get them involved. Read articles from business experts who have been there and done that.

And above all else, don't just turn to your network with business-related things. Participate in social activities with your support system and don't forget to enjoy life outside of your business!

Mike Kappel

Entrepreneur Leadership Network® VIP

Serial Entrepreneur, Patriot Software Company CEO

Mike Kappel is a serial entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Patriot Software Company and its subsidiaries. Patriot Software offers accounting and payroll software for American businesses and their accountants.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Business News

'Wildly Inappropriate': Woman Says She Was Denied a Job Because She Didn't Wear Makeup During the Interview

Melissa Weaver was applying for a VP of HR job at a tech company via video.

Business News

Uber Is Fixing One of the Biggest Complaints Families and Parents Have With the Company

Uber Car Seat is now available in New York and Los Angeles.

Business News

Founders of Companies Worth Over a Billion Dollars Have These Simple Things in Common

A new study found three traits that stood out in unicorn founders.

Thought Leaders

How To Improve Your Soft Skills and Emotional Intelligence in 7 Easy Steps

Using these simple but effective approaches will help a person in their business, life and relationships.

Business News

Robinhood Is Offering a Credit Card for the First Time — and It's Available in 10-Karat Gold

Robinhood wants to take a bite out of the Apple Card with its new Gold Card, which has up to 5% cash back with no fees. Here's what to know.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.