By Steve Bemister on January 1, 2020

Unique Ways to manage stress for Retailers

Being a retailer or a store owner is hard work. You live in a high-paced competitive environment that’s changing every day and you always need to be ahead of the game to succeed. The hidden side of a successful retail career is an immeasurable buildup of stress. If you ever feel like you’ve burnt out, it is not the job, but, it’s how you manage stress. Battling stress is easier said than done, here are a few less common but highly effective tips

The beginner’s pack

We have all heard of these methods. Meditating, listening to music, taking up a hobby, coloring books, etc. I would not say that these do not work. They do work really well, but, sometimes, they just don’t do it. If you share this sentiment, keep reading for some unique practices and ideas to mitigate stress.

Have realistic goals

This is a biggie. Set yourself attainable goals. They should be high enough for you to strive to reach them but not impossible. Unrealistic goals only add to your stress. Remember, changing your goals does not always mean that you’re lowering your standards.
Pro tip: If you are setting yourself a goal, find out the industry standard or the general statistics. Make sure your goals lie in the same zone.
 

Sweat it out

This may be one of the oldest tricks in the book but it works! Nothing can give your mind off the day’s stress than sweating it out.
Pro Tip: Choose an activity you would enjoy and change it up. Take up Boxing or Rock climbing or even a hike. You don’t have to stick to just the gym.
 

Step back and look

Sometimes, we get so caught up in the daily race that we lose sight of what we have accomplished. So take a step back and look where you have come. Write down all the things you have achieved that year, be it big or small, everything counts.
Pro tip: Maintain a gratefulness bullet journal and write 3 things you are grateful for every day. It takes 60 seconds but will keep you going for the rest of the day.
 

Reward yourself

This goes hand in hand with the previous step. Reward yourself for your accomplishments. It’s the little things that count.
Pro tip: Make it a reward for you and your family. Take that vacation you deserve or spend a day at the park with your family. Rewards don’t have to be expensive, but just a meaningful break from your routine

Separate your work and your sleep

Take control of your time and develop a daily schedule. More importantly, stick to it. Never sacrifice your sleep because every extra waking moment from your sleep is borrowed time from tomorrow’s productivity.
Pro tip: Set aside 30 min to an hour before bedtime for some “Me time”. Do something that calms you or makes you happy. Read a book, watch some Netflix, and catch up with your family or friends, anything that isn’t work-related.

Find your people

The people who work with you and those who work for you are a huge part of your life and your business. Find people you can trust and stick with them. Involve them in the decision-making process and take their inputs, you may find yourself making better-informed decisions.
Pro tip: Learn to delegate. Delegating doesn’t only work for tasks, you can also ask other people to help you out when it comes to putting together strategies or even new ideas.

Connect and Network

Join a group or a forum for other small business owners in your industry. Meet like-minded entrepreneurs and network extensively, you may be able to help each other with challenges or difficulties. Having someone to talk to especially someone who is going through something similar is very helpful.
Pro tip: Join meetup groups or local Facebook groups for informal networking and also try joining an association for making more business connections.