As an online business owner, it can be stressful and managing your business comes with its own challenges.
In this article, we’ll give you a few tips on handling stress and how to deal with stress in your online business, and then answer some frequently asked questions.
Tips for Relaxation When Working from Home
Let’s talk about the best tips for you to follow, so you can still get some relaxation in, even with all of the stress of running an online business from home.
1. Meditation
One of the best ways to relax when running a business from home is to set aside twenty or thirty minutes for some meditation. When it comes down to it, meditation, whatever the type, is known for being of the best relaxation aids around. Meditation is all about finding inner peace and a calm state of mind.
2. Yoga
Yoga is a great physical activity that not only trains your muscles, balance, and cardiovascular system, but the slow-paced and inward focusing nature of it also helps to achieve a state of relaxation and serenity. If you are looking for something a bit more challenging on the physical end of things, check out Pilates.
3. Get Some Alone Time
Everybody is different, but many of us need some alone time to relax and to decompress from a long day of running an online business. Try putting in your headphones and going for a thirty-minute walk by yourself, play your favorite game, for example like Spider Solitaire, or any other activity that you like doing alone. Sometimes you just need some time to gather your thoughts.
4. Spend Time with Family and/or Friends
Yes, everybody is different, and while some of us will benefit from alone time, seeing as running an online business from home is often very solitary in nature, for some of us, relaxation may take the form of playing a game of pool with friends or playing a game of hide and seek with the kids. Some of us have enough alone time when sitting in an office for eight to twelve hours per day.
5. Take a Nap
For some people, the best form of relaxation is the unconscious kind. After all, there is no better way to destress than to just shut your mind off, something that really only happens when you sleep. There’s also the fact that a quick power nap can recharge your batteries for even more work and/or play.
6. A Hot Bubble Bath Helps + Aromatherapy
Many people find that bubble baths are super relaxing, and this can be true because it allows for some alone time. However, studies show that the heat from a bubble bath causes the brain to release mood-improving endorphins. Combine your bath with some aromatherapy, something else which is known for having various mental health benefits, and you are well on your way to relaxation. Now all you need is your favorite book and a nice glass of vino.
7. Exercise is Key
Yes, the runner’s high is a real thing, a feeling of elation and happiness following exercise. This applies not just to running, but to all forms of exercise. Exercise improves your mood and decreases stress, and decreasing stress is definitely a big part of relaxation.
8. Create an Ideal Office Space – Paint Colors Matter!
Even if you are in the middle of work, you can still find ways to minimize stress and to relax. One good way is to ensure that you have a good chair for work, and that you are comfortable overall. There is nothing more stressful than sitting in discomfort and pain from morning until night.
9. Set Simple Goals
The other tip for you to follow here is to try and set very small and simple goals that are easy to achieve on a daily basis. Finishing your day off knowing that you have achieved several goals is much more relaxing than having to worry about massive and insurmountable goals that seem impossible to achieve.
FAQ
Is Working From Home Less Stressful?
For most people, the answer is a resounding no.
In fact, it's been said that 41% of employees find it more stressful to work from home than to work on site.
This is because when you work from home, your personal life and your work life collide. Whether you have kids or just a busy lifestyle, it can be stressful learning how to navigate between working and relaxing.
When you’re working from home, it can be hard to schedule time to relax instead of just carrying on with the work.
Too much stress can have a negative impact on your productivity and mental health. So remember to give yourself a break and relax every once in a while.
How do You Deal With Stress When Working From Home?
Constantly moving is a great way to deal with stress, and it is vital that you challenge yourself to take a few breaks and incorporate more movement into your daily routine.
When you're taking these breaks, you can use the time to warm up and do some stretching exercises. This will help your body relieve some of the stress, tension, and pain built up as you worked throughout the day.
It’s also essential that you keep to your regular working periods. This way, you’re less likely to burn out and will be able to maintain your regular periods of productivity.
Meditation is also another way of dealing with stress when working from home. It helps you keep a clear mind and can even boost your productivity by helping to keep you focused on the task at hand.
How to Decompress After Working From Home?
I have found that yoga and meditation help me unwind after a long day of working from home.
Yoga and meditation go hand in hand. They work together to help relax your body, mind, and breathing, releasing the leftover tensions in your body.
Meditation teaches you how to level your breathing and relax your mind. This will help you to let go of the leftover stress from your job.
We have recommended some apps below that will teach you and help you with meditation.
Yoga promotes relaxing by moving in certain positions that maximize the relief of pain and traction in your body. It works from your palms to your thighs, involving your whole body, and is a form of exercise that benefits both the mind and body.
The yoga positions that work the best for me when I want to relax and get rid of stress are:
- Salamba Bhujangasana (Sphinx Pose)
- UttanaSana (Forward Fold Pose)
- SavaSana (Corpse Pose)
- Prasarita PadottanaSana (Wide-legged Forward Bend Pose)
These positions involve bending and stretching in a way that helps your body to relax as you go through the motions.
Yoga has the Following Benefits
- It improves your posture. After working remotely online for so many hours, it can be tiring and taxing on your body and posture
- Your metabolism is boosted
- Yoga helps to lower your blood pressure
- Yoga helps to build self-esteem
Recommended Sites
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Here are a few sites we recommend using to give you tools to help achieve a happier and more relaxed lifestyle. We have even taken the time to jot down a few pros and cons on each site.
Headspace
Headspace is a meditation app that also helps make falling asleep a breeze.
Pros
- The yearly subscription saves you a lot of money when subscribing to the app
- The app works on both Android and iOS systems alike
- The content on their website is free and easily accessible to everyone
Cons
- The monthly subscription fee for Headspace is more expensive than other meditation apps
- The app can be repetitive at times
- The free trial requires your credit card information and for you to commit to an auto-renew subscription
Why We Like Headspace
- Headspace places a lot of focus on introductory courses that are very beneficial for those just starting to use the app
- The free trial allows you to use the app and decide for yourself if this is the app for you
Insight Timer
Insight Timer is a simply designed app that caters to meditation and sleep stories.
Pros
- This app has over 12,000 free guided meditations
- New users can give an assessment of their experience that the app takes into consideration
- Suggestions can be made from users of all levels, from beginners to even teacher status
Cons
- The audio of the app is really low, and it can be hard to hear the meditations even on full volume
- The app is not engaging to users and constantly prompts you to upgrade
- The background of the app is very bright and can be annoying
Why We Like Insight Timer
- Insight Timer is easy to use, and besides including an actual timer and tracking feature, the app has a wide range of meditated guides to choose from
- Insight Timer has a free version and a member plus subscription option to choose from
Calm
Calm is an app that provides meditation products and guides, as well as sleep stories.
Pros
- The app is regularly updated and fixed to avoid the users experiencing too many problems
- The app tracks your basic statistics, like the consecutive days you used the app, what sessions you used, and how many minutes you meditated, making it easy for you to pick up where you left off
- The sleep stories are read by some of your favorite celebs like Harry Styles, Idris Elba, and more
Cons
- The app has a $6 monthly subscription fee
- The meditations on the app are similar to free meditations you can find on YouTube and Podcasts
- The sleep stories for children are unnecessarily long
Why We Like Calm
- It’s like having your favorite celebrity reading you to sleep
- The app is easy to use
