Business ownership is as much emotional management as business management.  Owning and running a business can be like a roller coaster ride of emotions IF you don't learn emotional management and don't occasionally escape from your business.  You need to take care of yourself...body, mind, and soul.

Right now, however, especially during these economic challenges, many owners are feeling overworked and overwhelmed.  The "business ownership ride" is a bit scary.  As such, business owners are working harder than ever.  Owners are pulling up their sleeves, doing more with less, and seriously going to work...putting in longer hours, forgoing vacations, worrying more, and enduring more stress.  At best, this situation can lead to the Business Owner Blues (temporary anxiety and mental fatigue) and at worst, Business Owner Burnout (complete exhaustion and surrender). 

As the President & Founder of The Growth Coach, a North American business coaching franchise system that serves thousands of small business owners each year, I am well aware that our small business clients are doing more with less and working harder than ever.  Because of the economic challenges and frustrations they have encountered, these entrepreneurs have also sought out our business coaching process more than ever.  The tough economy has been a wake-call for small business owners to get their act together and get some objective coaching, guidance, and on-going accountability. 

While they come to The Growth Coach to improve their business results, they also come to improve their personal life. While they certainly seek greater revenues and profits, they also come to The Growth Coach wanting relief from feeling overworked, overwhelmed, tired, frustrated, trapped by their business, out of control, and a bit lost.  Again, they need help with emotional management.  With our Strategic Mindset business coaching process, we help them to calm down, slow down, think more, plan more, and gain a higher level of clarity, confidence and control.  For our business coaching clients, we dramatically slow down and smooth out the emotional roller coaster ride for them.  In short, we help them get rid of the mentally draining Business Owner Blues and prevent the very costly Business Owner Burnout.

These business coaching services are needed more than ever. Case in point.  I came across the Small Business Watch Survey conducted by Discover Financial Service (www.DiscoverFinancial.com). On a monthly basis, they survey 750 small business owners to measure the relative economic confidence of U.S. small business owners who have less than five employees, a segment that consists of over 22 million businesses producing more than a trillion dollars in annual receipts. This is the same marketplace The Growth Coach knows, respects, and serves very well.

While small business owners are not too optimistic right now (no surprise), I did find one section of the survey disturbing given the economy...owners are cutting back big time on their vacations and time-off from the business.  They are not taking the time to re-charge their mental and emotional batteries. 

The survey said, "Given their heavy work schedules, small business owners are finding less time for vacation than in years past. Today, only 29 percent say they have taken a vacation in the past year that lasted a week, down from 40 percent in May 2008 and 41 percent in May 2007.  Finally, 56 percent of small business owners say that the economy has caused them to postpone or cancel vacation time this summer, compared to 45 percent of the general population who said the same."

Owners, more than ever, need downtime to relax, recharge, and stay fresh and energized.  Given their higher work hours and stress level, now is NOT the time to totally do away with vacations or mental breaks.  Even if you can't afford (time or money) to take a significant vacation (a full week or so), commit to take a mini-vacation to help you avoid the business owner blues or burnout.  Take an afternoon or two a week and dedicate the mini-vacation to re-charing your battery...after all, you need to stay in the race for the long haul.  Business ownership is not a sprint, it's a taxing marathon.  Also, have no quilt about taking some time off to refresh your mindset, attitude, mind, body and soul.  In the long run, if you stay in the race (the tortoise), you, your employees, customers, vendors, etc. will all be better off.  If you keep acting like the crazy and hyperactive hare, you will run out of energy and lose the race.

Here are few quick ideas for a mini-vacation:  take a walk, jog or a long drive; read a book; go to the gym; see a movie; go on a lunch date with your spouse; play a round of golf; go fishing; go shopping; visit a museum; do community service; practice your faith; spend the afternoon with your kids doing what they love; spend time with a dear friend or buddy; attend a seminar or workshop; go to the library or a bookstore; work in your yard, garden or on your house; perform one of your favorite hobbies; take a hike through nature; take in a sporting event; go swimming; hit a coffee shop; help out a friend/neighbor in need; join a business coaching group; visit a river, lake or ocean; ride a boat or horse; listen to music; etc.

The goal is to give you a much deserved mental break from work and stress and to re-charge your body, mind, and soul.  Do not let the Business Owner Blues or Burnout bring you down.

Daniel M. Murphy
President, Founder & Business Coach
The Growth Coach
Business Coaching Franchise System