Entrepreneur’s feed on stress. It’s the force that drives and motivates us to succeed. Unfortunately, it’s also the cause of all those ulcers and heart problems that we run into later in life. Other than a long, soothing vacation every few months — here are a few practical ways to avoid burnout.

1. It’s about the task. Not about the people involved. Many times, stress comes not from the problem you are facing but the people who are causing that problem. If you can separate the two in your own mind you will find that problems will resolve themselves much more quickly.

Managing Stress

2. Distraction. Take a walk, make a phone call, go to lunch, do something to get yourself out of stressful situations. Sometimes stress is as much about the environment you find yourself in as it is about the actual problem you are facing. Remove yourself from the stressful environment and take some time to clear your mind.

3. Music. Never underestimate the power of music to sooth the savage beast. No big secret here, use music either as catharsis or to drown out the rest of the world that is annoying you. Either way, find something you like and turn it up.

4. Face it down. Don’t let problems fester. If something comes up, resolve it quickly. We are our own worst enemies, and indecision is often the worst of all habits. Get your problems out of the way, you will feel a lot better for it.

5. Reward yourself. You beat yourself up for your mistakes, why not reward yourself a little for your success. The best way to manage stress is to keep perspective. If you find that you are unable to see the light at the end of the tunnel, make a conscious effort to extract the good from any situation. A lot of times the difference between stress and satisfaction is how you look at things.

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