Fight New Business Anxiety With A Stress Relief Toolbox

One of the first hurdles that business owners face is the anxiety that often goes along with starting a new business or project. Just as you need a toolbox with the appropriate items to fix household problems, you need a stress relief toolbox to fix the problem of feeling overwhelmed.

Starting your first online business or branching out into a new area can cause you to feel stressed out and overwhelmed. Ideally, stress is a positive factor that starts a flow of adrenaline, which can give you additional energy to complete the task at hand. This is the “fight” response, you may have heard about.

Sometimes, though, the stress seems unbearable and the adrenaline flow only makes things worse. This is the “flight” response. It’s during this time that you are tempted to just throw your hands up and quit. Don’t quit! Fight new business anxiety with a stress relief toolbox.

What is a stress relief toolbox?

Generally speaking, a stress relief toolbox is a box which contains items that sooth your nerves, calm your fears, and reduce your level of anxiety or stress. Each toolbox is as unique as its owner because everyone responds to different things. What one person finds calming, another may not.

Creating your toolbox

To create a stress relief toolbox, you’ll need a large box with a lid. You will also need comfort items to go inside the box. These items should always be kept in the box and used only during stressful moments. Here are a few items you may want to consider adding to your toolbox.

• Journal a journal is a great place to write out your feelings and help put you in a better place mentally.
• Photo album this can include photos of your family, pets, or happy times where you weren’t feeling stress. Make duplicates to keep with your regular family photo albums.
• Funny movies you’ll want at least two funny movies to make you laugh. Laughter is one of the best stress relievers. Remember to buy an extra copy of each to keep in your box.
• Soft glow and fragrance take the phone off the hook, fill your bathtub with your favorite bubble bath, and light some candles.
• Music to soothe find a CD or two of nature sounds that you can play while you’re relaxing in the tub. You can also play some music that reminds you of a happier time. Don’t choose music that will remind you of a broken relationship; that defeats the purpose.

There are many things you could include in your stress relief box. Hopefully, these will get you started and inspire other tools. The whole idea is to remove yourself from the cause of the stress, redirect your thoughts, and give yourself time to put things into perspective. When you take time to fight new business anxiety with a stress relief toolbox, you’ll feel more refreshed and able to continue with your work.