No matter who you are, at times, as a small business owner, you will get stressed.

It's how you deal with it that counts.

Which has me thinking. I am what I affectionately call a "stress pet". Someone, who stresses a lot. If not daily, bi-daily. I find things to stress about that sometimes deserve my attention, and then others that certainly don't.

Managing stress has always been an issue and I have over time tried everything. But just like any diet, or new health regime, you need to keep with it long after the actual decision to do it in the first place and constantly remind yourself that it is something that requires ongoing work, not just a quick fix.

Firstly, I am no expert. I am in fact the person who you DON'T WANT TO BE LIKE.

I stress out, my hair falls out and my back aches. I know what to do when that happens, but it's more important to put mechanisms in place so that this happens less and less.

What can you and I do to manage our stress levels as small business owners?

Identify what leads to stress

• By knowing what triggers stress in you, you are able to quickly take action and minimise it occuring.

Minimise getting stressed

• Resist trying to be perfect and expecting everyone else around you to be the same
• Be positive and see the positive in every situation even when sometimes you have to dig really deep to work out what it is
• Clean up your work environment, your home and anything else that surrounds you. Clutter has a way of weighing us down
• Eat well; if you are anything like me, when I eat 'bad food' it changes my mood, motivation and ability to have energy. I am also allergic to a number of foods, and when I have some of the minor allergy foods that are on my "NOT TO EAT" list, I instantly feel sick and it affects my whole state of being.
• Drink loads of water and cleanse your body
• Get a facial and/or massage regularly
• Meditate and do yoga
• Breathe and take time out every day to take 20 deep breaths.
• Laugh until you cry and hang out with people who bring out the best in you
• Take vitamins
• Exercise to take your mind of things. It really is amazing how good exercise is for you.

When it's too late, and you have already crossed the STRESS line, here are some things that may help:

• Breathe and keep breathing - deep, long breaths.
• Visualise calm
• Use a Rescue Remedy spray or similar. One spray under your tongue does wonders.
• Re-organise yourself.
• Stop over commiting and ring up people that you have committed to that are not mission critical and postpone.
• Remind yourself that you have choices; You can say 'yes' and you can say 'no'.
• Light a candle and play soothing music
• Create a balanced schedule
• Take time out; a holiday, a walk in the park or to the beach - it will do wonders
• Wait to communicate back with people: Someone said to me today that a way to stop stressing is to "wag your tail more, and stop barking" - too true!
• Be thankful for the things you have. Write them down and visualise how lucky you are.
• React slower and with more thought
• Work from home, instead of going into the office
• Talk to someone - a shrink is aways a good idea. 1 hour of downloading your problems without someone putting your down, throwing stones or giving their uneducated opinion.
• Get a good nights sleep.

I hope this is helpful to some of you. I know I am ticking off the list, as I type!

Here's to a stress-free life!