Feeling Like You Need to \u201cFake It Till You Make It\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThe advice \u201cfake it till you make it\u201d is doled out far too often. Entrepreneurs and freelancers are encouraged to hide their vulnerabilities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But this can lead to a unique sort of anxiety. Since you often have to juggle multiple roles and deal with numerous obstacles, you\u2019re probably dealing with competition, problems with your staff, disputes with your team, complaints, disgruntled customers, and let\u2019s not forget about financial problems and payroll.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But faking it until you make it can often overcomplicate things, and new entrepreneurs often end up making themselves less <\/em>resilient by committing too hard to this route.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow so? They end up neglecting their health. Eating too little or too much, ignoring sleep, not exercising, not taking mental health breaks, and overall pushing and abusing their bodies too much, which, of course, leads to being burnt out and overwhelmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Did you know that a Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index found that 34 percent of entrepreneurs– that\u2019s four percent more than other workers– experience more anxiety and worry? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this index, it was discovered that 45 percent of entrepreneurs reported that they were feeling stressed, which is also three percentage points higher than other workers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Feeling Unproductive<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nProductive, unproductive– these words are both the center and the bane of self-employed workers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s a vicious cycle. You start feeling unproductive and become overwhelmed. Or you become overwhelmed due to other factors, so you start feeling unproductive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is why time management skills and planning ahead are so necessary. For any business person, these skills are beyond important. Planning ahead will make you more productive– if only because when you plan your goals, they are easier to reach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Feeling Personal Pressures<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nEvery self-employed business person will agree with this. Starting your own path, embarking on your journey to becoming a business owner or providing services, has an inevitable effect on your personal and home life. There is the lack of the security found in \u2018regular\u2019 jobs, which bleeds into other parts of your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A study found stress levels in self-employed workers versus employed workers to be dramatically different. When entrepreneurs and freelancers considered themselves as having good health and well-being, they were actually scoring much lower than those in regular employment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This study goes on to add that 41 percent of self-employed people agree that their work has negatively impacted both their mental and physical health, at least at one point in their career. In contrast, employed people scored 33 percent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why is this? Possibly because they not only feel the need to make sure their business is working, but also the need to provide for themselves and their loved ones, and <\/em>make sure that their future is financially secure.<\/p>\n\n\n\nNow that we have discussed what being overwhelmed feels like for entrepreneurs and freelancers, let\u2019s take talk about tips and tricks to help ease that overwhelmed feeling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You need to remember what you\u2019re doing this for. There are tons of advantages and benefits to being your own boss and having your own business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Each person has a unique reason for taking this career route. So, the first thing you need to do is take a deep breath and calm down. The goal is to have a clear mind, even if only for a moment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then you\u2019re going to beat this overwhelming feeling the same way you tackled launching your business! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The next thing you want to do is to set your goals and priorities. But instead of piling on lots of goals and targets, focus on just three goals for the next 12 months. After you complete them, add others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brushing up your to-do list is next. If it\u2019s structured in a way that causes you too much stress, then find other ways. Maybe you\u2019re putting too much on your plate, or not planning your time well, or you haven\u2019t left enough time to complete a large task. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Next, focus on just one task at a time. Multitasking is a fast route to being overwhelmed. You might want to set a timer to limit the amount of time you spend on each task. It can be 20 minutes, followed by a break. And every week, increase that time by adding five more minutes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lastly, you need to know your productivity peak. This is related to almost all of the video. Knowing when you\u2019re at your most productive during the day is a game changer, even if it isn\u2019t during traditional working hours. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Are you most productive first thing in the morning, waking up early and finishing by 5? Or are you the type to stay up until dawn creating? Knowing the answer will help you be more productive and produce better quality work. Then the remaining time you have, your \u201cnon-peak\u201d time can be spent on other, less taxing work that doesn\u2019t require as much focus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Remember that you\u2019re not supposed to feel this bad about your job. Yes, it can be stressful, as are all jobs, but you can implement the necessary steps to lessen the feeling of overwhelm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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