Lucy - BQ Magazine EditorThe almighty task that comprises running a business (as well as its numerous sub-tasks) can pose a major threat to your well-being that is seldom discussed, particularly among those just setting out on their entrepreneurial journey. Because running a business is often equated with climbing a mountain, what happens when there are so many problems along the way that is not necessarily to do with the business itself, but actually you?
Whether it’s emotional distress or a personal crisis like a divorce, it’s vital to remember there are a number of tools and tactics along the way. In short, you can preserve some sense of self while also giving your business everything it needs along the way. It’s not the easiest of things to navigate, so let’s give you a number of approaches:
The Path of Least Resistance
If there’s one thing we all need to remember in running a business, it’s that we shouldn’t fall prey to the antiquated notions of working our fingers to the bone. There’s an abundance of tools at our disposal to ensure that we work hard rather than smart, especially when it comes to things like productivity, but we need to remember that if we are undergoing emotional distress and our personal lives are running amok because of a great degree of turmoil, the path of least resistance is something that will make a massive difference to ensure that you are able to focus on that bigger picture in the long run.
For example, if you are in the process of moving out of your marital home, this alone is one of the most stressful things anybody can undergo, so remember that making things easier for yourself should be the absolute priority. Something like moving day is going to be fraught with stresses and challenges and therefore putting things into self storage while you sort yourself out will give you some space to sort out things that, no matter how little they are, can amount to a lot when there are so many different little things to keep track of.
Arguably, the most common metaphor for running a business is balancing loads of spinning plates, and when you are going through a personal crisis, there are more spinning plates to keep track of. The path of least resistance is not a sign that you are weak, but rather something that everybody should adopt so they can stay on track. Those small wins are invaluable to your mindset as well, and it’s essential to remember this.
Managing Your Mindset
We are often our greatest enemies. How we frame everything can be incredibly triggering to our emotional state. Therefore, if you are undergoing a challenge in life, there is a tendency to dig deep and lose yourself in your work. This is something that many people do when they are going through the grieving process.
Whether it’s divorce or losing a loved one, grief comes in many different forms. Psychology says that we go through very specific stages of grief, with the five most common ones including:
- Denial
- Anger
- Bargaining
- Depression
- Acceptance
Arguably, throwing yourself into your work falls under the bargaining side of the equation. And this means that if we stay stuck in this stage, it prolongs or delays the depressive stage. Running a business is an incredible challenge, of course, and therefore when we feel we have to focus on our work, we need to address the meaning behind it all, which all begins with how we frame challenges.
Undergoing emotional distress can easily trigger the more negative aspects of your personality, and it’s easy to see why. Many people who start a business often find themselves looking for that passion project that gives meaning to their lives. When you recognise what the meaning is behind your work, doubling down on this can keep you motivated.
The Magic of Mentoring
You are not the first person to undergo this, and you certainly won’t be the last. Building a support network is vital because this can give you the tools and new perspectives to address common feelings entrepreneurs experience. Entrepreneurs can often face feelings of isolation, even when their business is in the ascendancy and there are no personal challenges. There is that oft-discussed metaphor of being in your ivory tower, but this is where you can start to take some of the most important lessons of running a business that impacts your overall culture:
- Having an open-door policy.
- Understanding that you are part of a team, not necessarily the most important part, but a key cog.
- Seeking the best ways to delegate responsibilities to alleviate some of the pressure.
It is one of the most common ways to help yourself, but delegation is one of those things that should be sewn into the fabric of the culture early on. So many entrepreneurs look at their business as their baby, and when we throw ourselves into running a business, which can be to the detriment of our personal lives, we can feel there is very little to lean on. This is why placing trust in employees by finding the right ones, but also getting off your high horse and recognising that while the buck stops with you, there are plenty of capable individuals around who can take the pressure off, is pivotal.
Mentoring is an excellent way to give you a renewed sense of perspective in your business. Having someone there who understands what you’re going through will make you feel less alone, of course, but it will also give you some valuable insights to ensure that you are digging yourself out of the hole in the right way.
Use the Experience for Growth
In Japanese, there is one word that means crisis and opportunity: “kiki,” and the dual meaning reflects a perspective that views crises as potential turning points where danger exists alongside opportunities for growth or change. It’s a part of grief that we experience some sense of rebirth. If we take the time to reflect on our priorities and reassess our goals, it doesn’t just allow us the opportunity to process this grief or loss, but we can consider how this experience informs and improves our business practices.
You may not necessarily draw parallels between the two because it can be impossible to see the wood for the trees when undergoing any form of emotional turmoil or personal crisis, but it’s essential to remember that it definitely will inform what you do. We may think when we are in the midst of things that this can be a tough task to negotiate, but when we look back, we will have always done the best we can.
Trying the best you can is always good enough, and when we use the experience to develop a whole range of skills that will be invaluable as an entrepreneur, like problem-solving skills and resilience, we can channel this emotional energy for our personal and professional gain. It may not happen immediately, but we should always ask ourselves, “What’s the lesson?”
Preparing Can Make All of the Difference
In one respect, preparing for a potential personal crisis may seem that you’re not engaging with it on an emotional level. There’s definitely a debate that can be had between the emotional engagement side of things and being practical, but developing a crisis strategy while you are running a business ensures you can run the organisation effectively. However, it also means that when you are undergoing some form of personal crisis and you are beginning to see the wheels fall off, you should prepare.
After all, failing to prepare is preparing to fail. When you have tools at your disposal that can help you navigate certain triggers, you may benefit because of the alleviated impact in the short term. For example, self-care practices that you know help you will give you that metaphorical foundation. If lack of sleep is your Achilles heel, then taking magnesium supplements can ensure that you don’t feel the stress as much. Of course, a lot of these things pale in comparison to actually emotionally processing these things, but if you start to look at how you can regain some sense of control over the situation, you might not feel the massive impacts right now.
Another tool known as the Eisenhower decision matrix is something that every business person should have at their disposal, but every person needs it to help navigate emotional crises. The Eisenhower decision matrix is four specific quadrants that can help you determine if a task is:
- Important and urgent
- Important and not urgent
- Urgent but not important
- Not urgent and not important
Undergoing an emotional crisis is something that we all experience at some point in our lives, and it takes us out of ourselves. When we have responsibilities in life, having the ability to focus on those important tasks will provide a welcome distraction. However, we can’t neglect how it’s impacting us in the long run. This is why these tactics and approaches should form some part of your emotional and professional toolbox.