How to handle stress when running a business

Jan 7, 2022 | Business, Business tax

January can be a tough time of year – Christmas is over, and everyone’s back to the daily grind. For businesses or sole traders, this can mean completing your self-assessment returns in good time, taking stock of the last year’s work, or planning for the new one ahead.

If you’re finding yourself stressed out as the new year begins, here are a few tips on handling it. 

 

Ask for advice

There is no shame in asking for help – in fact, without asking for others’ advice, you just can’t be sure of anything you’re actually doing. So to find the results you need, it’s worth reaching out to those you trust.

This might mean speaking to businesses you’ve worked alongside – trusted friends in other fields who can give you information and guidance on what they did to combat the stresses of running a business. Sometimes all it takes is a discussion to ease your fears.

Bring a few of your colleagues along to these meetings to get a bigger picture – a business isn’t just your burden to bear. Opening up about the goings-on of the company will only help you in the long run and leave you feeling much more secure about the future.

 

Outsource your work

When it comes to things like admin, payroll, and bookkeeping, it pays to see if someone else can do this for you – as accountants, this is our bread and butter.

They are time-eaters and when everything else is stressing you out, can gnaw away at your energy that you could be spending elsewhere.

When you outsource your accounting activities, you’ll be able to discuss with your accountant what you need specifically, where they fit into the larger picture, and what you need to do to make the process as easy as possible.

In our opinion, once you’ve outsourced your accounting, you’ll immediately feel a weight off your shoulders. The numbers game isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, so it’s just not worth the extra stress if you can get it done by a professional.

 

Take a break

The longer the better. It sounds so easy on paper, but if you can find time in each day to focus on something other than the business, then you’re so much likelier to feel less stressed about everything that is going on.

If you have a team, encouraging them to do something similar will be great for morale – they’ll see that you do value them as human beings, and want to care for them rather than just use them for their graft.

If you can find the time and can delegate properly, then there is no reason you can’t go on an actual holiday either. Trust your team while you’re gone, and they will respect you for sharing some of the ‘power’.

 

Speak to us

Whether it’s accounting, tax support, or just general advice, we’re here to talk to you about your business, de-stressing, and finding the clarity you need to operate as smoothly as possible. 

Get in touch today to see how we can help you.

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