Before I started my first business, Planet Explorers Publishing, I didn't understand exactly how hard entrepreneurs work each day or how much worry they often shoulder.
Running a business has lots of ups and downs, so it's important to have a robust set of strategies to keep an even keel. Grab a cup of calming tea and read this list of approaches (culled directly from small-business owners by email or online post) on becoming -- and staying -- happy:
Related: 4 Ways to Turn Happiness into a Competitive Advantage
1. Turn off your phone for set amounts of time each day. Or set it to stop buzzing every time you get a new email. Designate certain times every day to deal with your messages and stick to those boundaries.
2. Help someone solve a problem. Do this by using your specific expertise or network.
3. Take care of your health. “The three most important ones to me are taking time to sleep, eat, and work out,” says Matthew Clough, Los Angeles-based founder of stone + cloth, an online backpack retailing firm that funds scholarships for students in need. If making time for exercise seems impossible, schedule walking meetings and phone calls or do 10 minutes of yoga right after rising from bed in the morning.
4. Lighten up. When a crisis arises, ask yourself if it will really matter in a week, a month or a year. The answer is usually no.
5. Reflect about the things you’re grateful for. Focus on how much you’ve already achieved.
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