PDA

View Full Version : stress relief



huggytree
10-13-2009, 08:52 PM
When i worked for someone else i used to get bad headaches a couple of times a week.....as soon as i went into business it went away...sooo happy...

now that things are going well and im running into customer/builder/supply house problems constantly ive been getting a burning in my stomach...ive been check for ulsers...nope....atleast not yet...it just doesnt feel right...

i used to workout 1 hour a night....cant anymore...little kids and bidding took that slot...plus my joints are shot....

im looking for a stress relief book/plan? what works for you? how do you rearrange your schedule?

im considering working 6 hour days and leaving the remaining 2-4 hours for bidding and phone calls per day....instead of 8 hours of work and 4 bidding...trying to give myself more family time...

by the way kids are 5,4,1....5 & 4 fight, 4 is a difficult child....lots of stress there....hard to be at home working hard with kids yelling and whining....

as my company grows i need to have a anti stress plan...that or die young

billbenson
10-13-2009, 10:33 PM
I work out 20 min 3 times a week on a home gym. Lazy days 5 min to run through one set of everything instead of three. I have tendon issues as well. I bought a bowflex off of craigslist for $500 recently. Delivered new it would have been 2k. I really like it and its much easier on the joints.

Even 5 minutes is better than nothing.

Steve B
10-14-2009, 04:30 AM
I think you should hire someone. Elimating 2-4 hours a day is going to cost you a lot of money which will ADD to your stress.

One of the smartest things a small business owner can do is hire someone to do the things they aren't good at or don't enjoy. It allows them time to focus on the things they are good at. There's got to be someone you can pass some admin. stuff off to - allowing you to have a little free time without needing to walk away from revenue. Or perhaps a semi-retired plumber to go handle your simple work.

I don't have anything specific that I do to relieve stress. My story is the same as yours - I had a stress related health problem that went away literally the day I walked out of corporate America. So far, it hasn't been back, but I'm still enjoying the work part (although I'm not enjoying the financial stress created by the economy). What I've done is just add more businesses - which is very invigorating for me. I love the start-up phase. I have two part-time fence installers and a part-time admin. person - so I always have help when I need and want it.

huggytree
10-14-2009, 04:28 PM
id love to hire someone for sales and bidding....but both of those tasks require me....if i were larger i could have someone do those jobs.

Im thinking of being a sub for a national repiping company. Its looking like ill atleast try out a couple of jobs....if this goes well i could hire someone..

I have a home gym....its just hard to work out knowing im not going to get stronger...when i used to weight lift daily i was really into it mentally because i was getting stronger every week/month....i kept seeing progress....now that im older and have joint problems all i can do is try to keep my muscle tone...i cant do the heavy weights anymore...its depressing for me.. weight lifting was my hobby for 20 years

i hate riding bikes or tredmill....its like poking myself with needles....nothing enjoyable about it at all.

lav
10-17-2009, 09:41 PM
hard to be at home working hard with kids yelling and whining....Its not hard its IMPOSSIBLE! I know exactly how you feel. I have a training schedule, its supposed to be 3 times a week but I find it almost impossible to stick to because of the business, children, renovations etc. Lately I have found myself staring at nothing in deep thought trying to dream up ways of making more time. "shakes head and gets back to work"

billbenson
10-17-2009, 10:26 PM
Its not hard its IMPOSSIBLE! I know exactly how you feel. I have a training schedule, its supposed to be 3 times a week but I find it almost impossible to stick to because of the business, children, renovations etc. Lately I have found myself staring at nothing in deep thought trying to dream up ways of making more time. "shakes head and gets back to work"

You have to have a relationship that when you walk into your office and close the door you are gone. You are at work.

Patrysha
10-18-2009, 12:05 AM
You have to have a relationship that when you walk into your office and close the door you are gone. You are at work.

How does one accomplish that? Please do tell! Hundreds of my followers are sure to love to know the skillz involved in that feat!

huggytree
10-18-2009, 01:52 PM
my office is the living room..no door....ive considered moving into the basement, but the wife wants the computer where she can see it(for when the kids also use it)...

i guess i could spend $500 and get a 2nd computer....its something i will be considering...there's not much room in the basement either....the next house will have an office.

i also like to be somewhat around the kids...yea im in the next room working, but atleast i see them...im around, yet not around.

billbenson
10-20-2009, 01:12 AM
How does one accomplish that? Please do tell! Hundreds of my followers are sure to love to know the skillz involved in that feat!

Requires hammer and some nails :)

Actually my wife is very good at interupting me while I'm working. She does, however, have a strong respect for my office phone. If it rings, she knows that may mean money and sends me off to make money.

Patrysha
10-20-2009, 08:29 AM
Nails...check. I am sure I have at least three baby bottles full out in the garage.

Hammer....hmm...we own three, but we also have three sons. Since I can never find one when I need one to put something on the wall, I suspect each one has a hammer under their pillow to ward off zombies (and each other)...so will have to work on that...

handprop
10-27-2009, 11:20 AM
This works for me, nothing like being upside down to blow some stress off!

aussieroo1
10-27-2009, 10:04 PM
I also experienced splitting headaches frequently when I was working for my previous company. That made me realize that I wasn't productive with a stressful work environment. Now, I'm happier, I feel lighter and also enrolled in a yoga classes just to keep a work-life balance. Breathing techniques are very useful to relieve stress.

Blessed
10-27-2009, 11:24 PM
we have a bankrupt subdivision with an awesome walking trail about 10 minutes from here - I like to go walk out there. They only built four houses, only two or three of them have people living in them - the rest of the subdivision is weeds, tall grass, awesome rock formations, a beautiful small lake/large pond and this walking trail - it's great. Nice and quiet. I put the baby in the stroller, let my bigger little one run without worrying about her being run over by a car and we go. Too bad it's getting cold now... have to come up with some sort of indoor stress relieving activity now!

chicagofm
01-01-2010, 05:56 PM
I know what it's like to get headaches and absorb stress from work. The best advice I can give you is to try a few breathing techniques which I learned while completing my masters degree in behavioral counseling.

Basically, find a quiet place where you won't be distrurbed. Inhale air slowly and count to 5 in your mind. Then, hold the breath for 5 seconds-then exhale it for five seconds. Repeat this cycle, but now count to six slowly, with each inhale, hold, and exhale. Try to get this routine to where you can do it for ten to fifteen seconds. Example:

1. breathe in slowly for 8 seconds.
2. Hold for 8 seconds
3. Exhale slowly for 8 seconds.

Then try to do it for 9, 10, 11 seconds.

This shoudl lower your blood pressure, and increase oxygen to your body; thus relieving your headache. Hope this helps.

nealrm
01-02-2010, 02:01 PM
I have found that stress has two components. The first is an event either real or imagined, that has occurred, that might have occurred, will occur or might occur. The second part is how I react to the event.

The first step is to determine what is real and what is imagined. As Mark Twain once said, "I have had many problems in my life, most of which never happened." In others words, much of what causes stress in our life is more about what we think could happen than what will happen. So when something is stressing you, ask yourself is this real or am I taking an unlikely event and blowing it out of proportion.

For those events that are real, the best stress reduction is to have a plan in place that allows you to take action. You will have customers that are unhappy with your work. This is true regardless of the quality of your work. Have a plan in place for how you will acknowledge the complaint, verify if it is valid and how you will satisfy the customer. If something comes up and you don't have a plan, develop one before proceeding.

Finances are a big cause of stress to many. I suggest you visit the Dave Ramsey site and learn about his plan.

Last, look at how you react to events. Your reactions are 50% of the stress equation. Don't allow business challenges to become personnel.

Harold Mansfield
01-03-2010, 02:17 PM
I guess I am lucky in one respect that I don't have any kids and live alone, so I don't have any distractions while I am working.
My stress relief consists of going out for drinks once a week. Other than that, I always have peace and quiet and can pretty much do anything I want , when I want to do it.

That's not always a good thing. You can find a ton of unproductive things to do unless you keep yourself to a schedule.

I am always most productive when everything around the house is clean, the fridge and pantry are full of food, and the bills are paid.

yoyoyoyoyo
01-15-2010, 04:23 PM
Making healthier eating choices, and meditating will allow you to be a more calm, centered individual.