Jeremy Tauri: Show stress who's boss of your business

Don't let stress beat your business.

Have you realised that you're quite tired and it's only April? Are you having sleepless nights thinking about all the things you feel you should be doing in your business?

Are you a business owner who is feeling stressed?

We hear a lot about stress being an increasing problem for staff but business owners are prone to falling ill from stress, too.

I meet a lot of people who are enjoying busy times, in stark contrast to years before, but hesitation, doubt, fear and stress can be the worst productivity stopper and growth inhibitor of them all.

So the question is who looks after the boss? Unfortunately, that responsibility -- like many others in business -- is your own.

The most important point to remember is that you're not the first to feel this way.

The most important thing to do is find someone to regularly talk to about your concerns; it may be your accountant, business mentor, or a counsellor.

What also works is finding a group of self-employed people to network with, you'll find that their complaints are similar to yours -- find comfort in that, unload and share. You'll feel better and probably have a good laugh while you're at it.

Your physical health is something that will suffer under stress.

Book in some time for exercise and just do it, group sessions work well. Book in a personal trainer if you can't find group classes to suit -- the endorphin release from exercise will make you feel good and being physically tired can help you get a better nights rest.

Some people I've met have been sick of their business and need to find a reason to do what they do each day. Help a cause or get involved with something for the community. Knowing that what you do is assisting something bigger can drive you forward in your business.

Finally, book a holiday, if possible overseas. Days off can be hard to get but if I'm out of the country it's a little harder for me to get back to the office -- I'm sure that will resonate with some of you as well.

Running a business is a fulltime job and then some. No matter how much you do there's always more.

In my last ever supervision session, the advice was that I simply had to man up, be an adult, be professional and get what I could done, there are more days to follow this one.

Jeremy Tauri is an associate at Plus Chartered Accountants.