Healthy Ways to Manage Stress for Entrepreneur Teachers

Healthy ways to manage stress are essential for entrepreneur teachers. As rewarding as our journeys can be, the professional and personal demands can easily create chronic stress that we struggle to recognize, much less navigate. 

The negative impacts of chronic stress on our health, lives, and work mean that proactively managing it isn't a nice-to-have luxury - it's a necessity if we want to reach our goals and experience a high quality of life. I'd go so far as to suggest adding a stress management plan to your "business plan."

In this article, we're exploring the power of a stress management system, why you need one, and how it's one of the best ways to manage stress. We'll conclude with a brief 5-step process to help you explore a systems approach.

Let's start by comparing the differences between two stress management strategies. The first is an improvised approach, and it is what most people do: gathering "tips" on an as-needed basis . . . or, basically, a bad day. This strategy is reactive. The second strategy is taking time to build and utilize a personalized, robust stress management system that proactively manages stress and helps prevent chronic stress from developing.

Stress Management "Tips" Vs. A Curated System: What's the Difference?

As you build a teacher business, a stress management system offers a structured, comprehensive, and proactive strategy for coping with stress. While it takes more work on the front end, building a system is undoubtedly a more effective and sustainable investment in your long-term success.

The following list outlines some compelling reasons why a systems approach is more effective than an improvised or ad-hoc approach. 

• A system is a plan. It provides a regular and consistent framework, making stress management a habitual part of your daily routine. This consistency reinforces positive behaviors and helps ensure that stress management becomes second nature.

• A system considers all facets of your life, including professional and personal challenges. It identifies and addresses the various causes and symptoms of your stress in full. Learn more about stress symptoms with this stress audit. Ad hoc approaches, by contrast, aren't holistic, leaving large parts of your stress "experience" out.

• A well-designed system is preventative. It prepares you to anticipate and deal with stress before it escalates. It does the work of an ad hoc approach, offering a curated menu of in-the-moment tools and strategies for prevention. It also future-proofs your stress as much as possible. This strengthens resilience and the ability to manage stress when it does arise.

• When customized, a system is tailored and adjusted according to your unique needs and circumstances. Over time, you can improve your stress management system based on what's working and what isn't. On the other hand, an ad hoc approach can't align with your specific needs or preferences as they evolve. A system also helps you comprehend and identify your needs, rescuing them from the haze of mental clutter and confusion.  

• A robust system builds in tracking mechanisms or check-ins. This is often a highlight for entrepreneur teachers, who enjoy planning, evaluating, and optimizing (am I right?). Tracking helps you stay committed to your goals. Ad hoc approaches lack feedback loops and opportunities for analysis and improvement. 

• A comprehensive system incorporates a curated "menu" of healthy ways to manage stress. Further, this menu derives from your unique stress sources and symptoms. It can range from relaxation exercises to effective time management strategies. Having a diverse toolkit at hand equips you with options and techniques that actually work for you. Ad hoc tips are limited in scope and aren't tailored to your needs.

• Utilizing a stress management system prioritizes long-term well-being and resilience. Ad hoc tips, while helpful in the moment, don't provide a sustainable, lasting solution.

• Over time, a well-established system supports overall growth, self-reliance, and confidence. Internalizing the tools and strategies and applying them empowers you, while a disorganized approach requires constant external input. 

• Finally, a curated stress management system is effective precisely because it's so highly individualized. Your stressors, triggers, and responses are 100% unique to you. They're shaped by your background, needs, experience, and even your body and physical health. The process of curating a solutions-oriented system helps you understand and clarify all of the relevant aspects of your stress. This is why a systems approach is one of the best ways to manage stress. 

How Chronic Stress Impacts Health and Well-being Over Time

Chronic stress is a hazard that wreaks havoc on well-being. 

From a physical standpoint, it can lead to a host of health issues, including heart disease, a weakened immune system, and chronic fatigue.

Mentally, chronic stress can cloud judgment, impair cognitive functions, and dampen our spirits. This not only affects our well-being but can have direct professional repercussions as well. Much of what sets the foundation for our success becomes severely compromised - from productivity to creative output to critical decision-making. 

A well-thought-out, carefully curated stress management system helps minimize and avoid the disastrous effects of chronic stress on your body, mind, and business. Conversely, It helps create or support positive impacts on these same things, which in turn will only enhance your teacher business and your life.

A 5-Step Cheat-Sheet to Build Your Stress Management System

While not comprehensive, these basics will help you understand and start thinking through your system for stress management. More targeted resources can be found at the end of this article.

1. Start with a deep self-assessment. Reflect on the root causes of your stress, your coping patterns, and the "red flags" or symptoms you have when experiencing stress. Journaling (like the guided free toolkit below) is invaluable in this process.
2. Once you have working clarity, it's time to explore and experiment with various stress-relief techniques. Each technique should target a specific trigger or experience. While some may find relief in a mindfulness practice, others may gravitate towards physical activities or immersing themselves in a hobby. Remember, it's all about discovering what resonates with you and what works to prevent or alleviate a stress response.
3. Once you've identified techniques that work, establish a consistent routine. Start small. Carve out designated opportunities or time in your daily schedule that feel super easy. This will ensure that you implement and stay engaged with your stress management plan. 
4. Equally important is the ability to set clear boundaries derived from your values. This can mean time management. It can mean understanding when to push forward with tasks, when to go slower, and when to pause or retreat. Finally, it can also mean figuring out how and when to communicate and enforce your boundaries when competing demands or desires arise. 
5. Finally, embrace a mindset of self-care and growth. It's a privilege to have the time and resources to build and curate a stress management system that helps you accomplish your highest aspirations. Along with being practical, the process is profoundly nurturing. 

Resources for Healthy Ways to Manage Stress as Entrepreneur Teachers

This free Stress Relief Toolkit guides you to think more deeply about a stress management system and gives you a preview of what yours might look like. 

My upcoming Systems Balance Program teaches and guides you as you build your system. You'll get in-depth accountability, community, and support. You'll also experience transformation as your curated system becomes a fundamental part of your teacher business and life.