Starting and running a business, or setting yourself up as a freelancer, are not matters to be taken lightly. They require plenty of hard work, determination, and focus, and if you don’t bring your ‘A Game’ to work every day, you run the risk of letting yourself and your business down. On the other hand, you can become so blinkered by your obsession with work that you leave yourself little time for relaxing, de-stressing, and enjoying the fruits of your labors.
If you’re finding it hard to strike a balance between business and leisure, you need to reassess how you’re living your life to find the most harmonious relationship between the two that will ensure prosperity and personal happiness.
The importance of relaxation
You are very likely aware of the detrimental effect work-related stress has on our health. You can’t have failed to notice the abundance of reports and articles produced on the connection between chronic stress and serious health problems like cardiovascular disease and depression. Despite being aware of the effects of stress on our wellbeing, people still find it hard to place enough importance on taking time to relax and unwind.
Try and make sure that you take some time out to spend with family, friends, or yourself, where you ‘mentally sign out’ of your work ties, and fully enjoy your time off in order to properly recuperate.
Finding the best ways to relax and enjoy yourself
This is very much a matter of personal preference. For some people, hiding away in peace with a gripping novel or a cryptic crossword book is an ideal form of relaxation and enjoyment. For others, it’s extreme sports or socializing with friends that helps them reduce their stress. The method is less important than the effects, so go with whatever you find works for you.
A few glasses of wine over a dinner with friends or a couple of beers in front of the game on a weekend isn’t going to be a problem, as long as you don’t run the risk of driving under the influence or becoming dependent on the alcohol. You can check your blood alcohol level after having a drink or before driving using a breath testing device such as the Low Cost Interlock. This is an effective way of ensuring you’re safe to drive and you aren’t suffering any after-effects the morning after a party. If you have a browse on the internet, you’ll find plenty of helpful resources written by qualified clinicians that will give you some good ideas for avoiding and dealing with stress in your life.
You can’t avoid stress, and it’s not a problem as long as it doesn’t become a chronic issue that starts to affect your work and robs you of the chance to enjoy your life. There’s no point being successful in business if you burn yourself out or have nothing else in your life, so don’t let stress control your health and happiness.
