5 Simple Ways for Entrepreneurs to De-Stress

Being an entrepreneur is stressful. Some weeks it seems like you spend all of your waking hours building your business. But that's what you're passionate about; it's what you love.

Still, it's important to take time to de-stress. You may be so busy working and focusing on the path ahead that you forgot to take time to breathe.

Here are five simple ways you can de-stress today.

1. Take a Break

Yes, you're allowed to take a break. Give yourself permission to step away and recharge. It can be a few hours, a few days or a week.

Make sure that you're taking daily breaks, and give yourself vacation time.

If you're thinking, "I can't take time off. Things are just starting to move forward," consider the fact that you'll be so much more productive and re-energized after taking a break. And you'll come back with new ideas or fresh solutions to problems that have been nagging you.

Book a cruise. Lay on the beach for a weekend. Get away for just a little while.

2. Do Something You Love Each Day

Yes, you love your work – but what else do you love? Whether it's something creative like painting or something active like SUP boarding, set aside time each day to do that one thing that you love.

When you're doing something you love, you forget about deadlines, mistakes and all of the other stresses of an entrepreneur's life. For just a little while, you're truly in the present moment.

Plus, you'll have more motivation do get things done if you know you're going to do something enjoyable afterwards.

3. Get Moving

Daily exercise is one of the best things you can do for your body. Along with the physical benefits, your daily workout will give you a chance to blow off some steam and escape the stresses of the workplace for just a little while.

Exercise also causes your body to release endorphins, which reduce the perception of pain and make you feel good.

You don't have to run on a treadmill like a hamster on a wheel to get your daily dose of exercise. Go for a long walk in the park, try biking, or hike somewhere new. The goal is just to stay active for an hour each day.

4. Breathe

Breathing exercises can melt away stress in minutes – and you can do them anywhere. Try abdominal breathing every day for 20-30 minutes. That may sound like a lot of time, but you're investing in your health. Try to squeeze in this time before bed, when you wake in the morning or during your lunch break.

Deep breathing boosts the supply of oxygen to the brain and also stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system to invoke a state of calmness. It also incorporates the principles of mindfulness, which carries your attention away from your worries and quiets your mind.

5. Go for a Walk

In times of intense stress, the best thing you can do is take a walk. Walking not only gets the body moving, relieving some of that angst, but it also helps you take your mind off of the situation.

You don't have to walk a mile. A simple stroll around the block (a few times if necessary) may be all that you need to calm down and find a solution to the problem.