Sometimes, having even a small, part time home – based business can cause a lot of stress. The stress could come from having too much work and too little time to do it, conflicts between work and personal commitments, the nature of the work itself, or other things. It is important that each home – based professional realize that the potential for work related stress exists so that they can identify it when it happens and cope with it appropriately.
Having a plan for coping with work related stress is sometimes easier said than done. We may not be able to predict all of the things that could happen which could cause stress, or predict the times when we might experience it. Sometimes, one coping tactic may work wonders yet do nothing for you the next time. Some methods of stress relief are always available, like exercise or talking to a friend or loved one, and others may not always be available, like massage appointments or spa treatments.
I have yet to discover an effective plan for coping with work related stress. Luckily, I do not suffer from too much of it. This may be due in part to the fact that I plan my schedule fairly conservatively to compensate for those times when personal commitments take center stage. It is also very likely due to the fact that I work part time, and a smaller amount of work and working hours provides a smaller source of potential stress. It does happen, though, and I am always ill equipped to compensate for it.
Today, for example, I had a court hearing. This is nothing new for me, and it is part of the work that I do as an attorney. I can predict that no matter how well prepared I am, issues can arise at the last minute. I’m also aware that the subject matter that I deal with is intensely emotional, and the potential for frustration with various parties involved is very great. Sounds like a recipe for stress, right? So, what did I plan to do to cope with that stress that I would inevitably feel after the hearing? You guessed it, nothing. Apparently my coping strategy is to ignore the potential for stress and hope that it does not happen.
Clearly, it is time for me to formulate a new strategy in the stress management department. What are your favorite ways to melt away work related stress?
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