Anxiety in Business: How to Handle Stress As an Entrepreneur
You did it.
You followed your dreams, ignored the nay-sayers, and are on your way to becoming a successful entrepreneur.
But, somehow, you have this nagging feeling that nothing about being a business owner feels the way you thought it would.
Instead of having more time to relax because you make your own schedule, there are never enough hours in the day to get everything done. Your email inbox is constantly flooded and there are tons of unread texts and missed calls on your phone. Or maybe your email is so managed that you can’t muster focus for much else.
You’re running as fast as you can but never quite seem to catch up. You’re overworked, overwhelmed, and stress and anxiety loom over you like a constant shadow.
Instead of being the cool, confident company founder you envisioned, you’re more like a caricature of a stressed-out suit.
Well, guess what?!
You’ve got to manage those feelings of entrepreneurial stress for your business to flourish AND to keep your sanity.
And as your anxiety therapist in Portland, I’ve got the inside dirt on how to handle stress as an entrepreneur.
So get ready to kick the feelings of panic and overwhelm that hold you fucking back.
Here’s the real truth about stress and anxiety in business, including non-traditional exercises to help you overcome your worries.
Your Dirty Secret: You Don’t Feel Confident
If you’re dealing with anxiety as an entrepreneur, your stress likely stems from low self-esteem, a lack of confidence, or some other form of “not good enough”.
Ouch… I know.
It may not surprise you, but it hurts to point out.
And some of you may be saying, “Whoa, Jennifer, talk about yourself. I am confident!” And you know what, in some ways, you are absolutely correct!
With certain people, in certain roles, at specific times, I bet you fucking shine with confidence.
But if that confidence is easily shaken by potentially unhappy clients, self-promoting and networking, an uncontrollable shift in a project you’ve been working on for hours, or any of the many curveballs that happen as an entrepreneur, then your anxiety and stress may still be self-esteem-related.
And this experience is super common!
Think of the most confident person you know – someone whose charisma or work ethic you would like to emulate. It may seem hard to believe, but most likely, that person wasn’t born self-assured. They had to develop their confidence.
When we see other people in the world, it is easy for us to assume they are incredibly confident and don’t have the issues we have.
Sometimes that is simply being fed by our old childhood narratives, and sometimes it’s because people are really fucking good at faking it (or showing their best self while hiding their low self-esteem).
No one’s got it all figured out, and no one is confident all the time.
Perfectionism: The Silent Killer
Besides a lack of confidence, perfectionism is another root cause of anxiety in business.
You read every email and report dozens of times before hitting send.
You have logos, products, offerings, and services hanging in the creative space because it isn’t exactly just-right to launch yet.
While it may seem like perfectionism is helping you do your best job, the ugly truth is that it’s holding you back.
Imagine how many more emails and reports you’d finish if you didn’t spend as much time and effort on every single one.
Or, what if you launched a product before you felt ready, and made improvements later, as you received feedback?
If the word “feedback” sent chills down your spine, then perfectionism is not only costing you your sanity, but it’s also bringing down your business.
You’ve got to learn when your work is good enough and move on.
Being a Business Owner Is Stressful – And Lonely
We all get stressed, but not everyone experiences the unique feelings of overwhelm and anxiety in business.
Our society doesn’t talk much about how stressful being an entrepreneur is.
Your non-entrepreneur friends don’t get it – all they see is your business thriving, not the bending over backward you do every day to make it happen. You can vent to each other about getting stressed, but they don’t really get the anxiety of being an entrepreneur, and that can feel terribly lonely.
And the worst part about this?
Sometimes connecting with other business owners or people in the same career as you can be uncomfortable and daunting. To manage that loneliness, we can’t just meet up for Masterminds and trainings.
We have to connect on a personal level, too.
You have to be able to share about challenges and obstacles, and the person hearing it needs to understand deeply.
If you can’t talk to someone about your feelings, you run the risk of isolating yourself, which will only increase your anxiety.
And when you only talk to people who don’t have first-hand experience with what you’re going through, you’re going to get the same bullshit self-help advice over and over again.
If you can’t find an entrepreneur friend to talk to, you can’t seem to be open with them, or it’s simply not enough, you always have specialized therapists like me who really fucking get it!
Money: The Ultimate Mindfuck
One of the reasons that nobody talks about anxiety in business is because they don’t want to discuss money.
Many still consider being honest and open about finances taboo, and unfortunately, hiding financial stress only makes it worse.
Some therapists don’t even like to discuss money, so you can imagine how much the average individual avoids it.
Furthermore, financial stress warps your decision-making. It is easy to take too many risks or not enough of them when we are lead by fear instead of focus.
It’s no wonder being a business owner is so stressful!
Break this taboo by admitting you’re scared shitless about money…
It’s okay, really!
The more comfortable you get talking about your financial fears, the more you will learn, and the more your anxiety will fade away.
Anxiety In Business Can Lead to Burnout
And burnout leads to more anxiety!
Isn’t that fun? (melts into floor…)
It’s normal to experience feelings of stress and nervousness, but when is it too much?!
No, really, I want you to know when!
If you ignore your feelings of anxiety and overwhelm for too long, you could be headed toward a burnout breakdown.
Some common red flags that you are past the point of managing your stress: you find yourself crying for no reason, struggling to complete even minor tasks, or having a hard time making decisions.
“Hustle culture” is toxic bullshit.
It’s simply not true that the harder you work, the more money you’ll make and better results you’ll see.
That’s what the jerks “at the top” WANT you to think to keep you stuck in a cycle of overworking without growth or sustainability.
The Truth: if you don’t take care of yourself, your business — not to mention your mental and physical health — will suffer.
How to Handle Stress as an Entrepreneur: Weird Exercises That Actually Work
Alright, now that you have a better understanding of entrepreneurial anxiety, let’s get down to the real talk about how to manage stress as a business owner.
I’m sure you’ve seen the same old self-care advice everywhere: meditation, yoga, baths, blah, blah, blah.
Sure, those things are nice, but they’re mostly bullshit, difficult to do consistently, or don’t actually treat the root cause of your entrepreneurial stress.
Here are some unconventional exercises that actually work:
The “Forget It” List: Take 5 minutes each morning to write down everything that’s stressing you out. Then, choose one item to “forget.” Cross it off the list and let it go completely. Seriously! Don’t save it for later or keep thinking about it. Just. Let. It. Go. It’s freeing and helps you focus on what matters.
Imposter Syndrome Roleplay: Spend 10 minutes envisioning the most successful version of yourself. How would you walk, talk, make decisions? Embody that persona, and pretend to be them when you need a confidence boost. This mind trick can reduce anxiety, and it proves how easy it is for others to fake their confidence, too.
Dump and Delegate: Write down all your worries, then pretend you’re the CEO of a massive corporation. Which of these anxieties are tasks that you could delegate? Now, find ways to actually delegate or eliminate those items in your real life. It’s time to ask for help and stop expecting yourself to do-it-all!
Scheduled Panic Time: I know this sounds nuts, but it works. Set aside 15 minutes daily for “Panic Time.” During this time, let your anxiety run wild. Catastrophize to your heart’s content. Scream into a pillow if you need to, or journal it out to release the feelings on paper. When the timer goes off, you’re done. No more panicking is allowed until tomorrow’s session. It’s like draining an abscess – yucky but gets the poison out in a controlled way.
The “What’s the Worst That Could Happen?” Spiral: Take your biggest fear and follow it to its most ridiculous conclusion. Lost a client? Spiral it out – you’ll lose all your clients, be hated by everyone, become homeless, and end up living in a cardboard box. Now, work backwards from there, identifying realistic steps you’d actually take to prevent each stage. It puts things in perspective and gives you a weird sense of control.
Imposter Syndrome Reversal: Next time you’re in a meeting feeling like a fraud, look around the room and remember everyone else is probably feeling the same way. Then, start silently listing the ways you’re actually more qualified or experienced than they are. It’s not about ego or comparison – it’s about recalibrating your self-perception.
These exercises aren’t meant to eliminate stress and anxiety - it isn’t that simple.
Stress and anxiety are normal parts of life, but you can use them to fuel your growth rather than paralyze you.
The goal is to develop a healthier relationship with your stress, not pretend it doesn’t exist.
With effective stress management, you can keep kicking ass in your business without losing your fucking mind.
Embracing Anxiety in Business
If you’ve read this far, you’ve probably figured out that perfect mental health is a myth for entrepreneurs.
The key is to stop ignoring stress and anxiety or trying to get rid of them completely, and instead take control and use them to fuel your goals.
And, guess what? It’s totally normal to need a little help with that.
Rewiring your brain is a huge task that becomes much easier with the help of a professional who fucking gets it.
And as a business therapist in Portland who specializes in stress management for entrepreneurs, you know I got you!
If you’re a stressed-out business owner, I can help you take control of those feelings of anxiety and overwhelm.
Are you ready to reach your full potential as a confident, badass boss?