With the ability to work anytime from anywhere, there is a new generation of solopreneurs who work on-the-go, traditionally with just a laptop in the absence of a large team.
Not surprisingly, being a solopreneuer comes with a lot of stress since you’re expected to do anything and everything to make your business work.
I recently moved to becoming a solopreneur and work on my online business full-time.
Even though I’m fairly new to this lifestyle, I can already see the stress piling up.
I never really know when and if to stop working since I’m so excited and panicky at the same time.
However, with some trials and errors, I have come to find some ways to combat stress in this lifestyle.
Here are my top 5 recommendations for making sure you are well-nourished, replenished and avoid burnout as a sole entrepreneur:
#1 Plan your week in advance.
As a solopreneur, I handle multiple revenue streams and not everything needs my attention at the same time.
However, we all have limited time and what helps me the most is to pen down my top 5-7 things I need to do every day.
You can choose to plan day by day but I like having my entire work week mapped out in front of me.
This helps me put my type-A brain at ease and just know that I am in control.
I can always go back and delete things that don’t make sense, but I love mapping out all the things I need to do at the beginning of each week.
When you plan your week, make sure to add all your important meetings.
I do this on a whiteboard where I can erase and add on the go.
But doing this on a paper journal would also work!
#2 Make sure to add an hour of “me time”.
Whether it’s the first hour after waking up, or the last hour before going to bed.
This is the one hour you need to dedicate replenishing your soul and mind.
Don’t think about business or collaborations or pitches during this one hour.
Your brain deserves a rest from constantly being on.
If you like to meditate, journal or simply read a book or watch a tv-show, make sure to switch off your brain.
This will help you show up to work much more refreshed and you won’t feel burned out easily.
#3 Make exercise a part of your routine.
I don’t have to tell you the scientific benefits of adding exercise to your routine.
But when you are working from home, benched over a computer all day, having half an hour where you just do something active or physical can make all the difference.
Whether it is yoga, taking your dog for a walk, joining a gym or a dance class, pick something that makes you move and release that good old dopamine.
I find myself much less prone to depression when I am regular with working out.
#4 Meet up with like-minded solopreneurs.
Now, depending on where you live, it can be hard to meet other like-minded creative entrepreneurs.
But catching up with people who are doing similar things can make you feel much better about not being the only person doing something similar.
None of my friends understand what online businesses are all about and sometimes I find it hard to discuss a huge part of my life with them.
Whereas meeting up with other creatives doing a similar business orl living the same lifestyle can be wildly re-assuring.
Not to mention, give you a bazillion ideas about growing your impact and business.
#5 Don’t forget to celebrate.
As a solopreneur we can be so focused on crushing our goals, that we don’t spend enough time celebrating them once we do.
It’s always onward and upward to the next goal.
Do yourself a favour, and celebrate the little victories.
You deserve it.
Go out for a dinner, a spa day or simply catch up with your girlfriends, but do something to celebrate all your small victories.
Remember, it’s a marathon and not a sprint.
The more you cherish each moment, the easier the next lap will be,
So, those are my top 5 tips to beat stress as a new entrepreneur!