Being a business owner is rewarding, but it can also be so so hard, right?! There are days when it seems like the stress is going to just. Be. Too. Much. Our jobs are complicated, the clients can be demanding, and there aren't enough hours in the day. So how do we combat the stress? I have 4 things that help me keep my sanity - and actually enjoy my job! Let's take a look:

1. Two To Do Lists

Yes, you read that right. I like to have TWO to do lists! Why? Because the one that we all have - with everything in the world on it - is WAY too overwhelming. It stresses me out to look at it all the time! So I have that super-long one, and then I have one for every day. That one only has 3-4 things on it. That's really all you can accomplish in one day, 3-4 big items. It's when we try to get EVERYTHING done at one time that we really stress ourselves out. So try this method to knock that overwhelm out.

2. Work in Short Sessions

I used to think that I could tackle my entire to do list in one sitting. Yep. The entire thing. Yeah, I know. (Well, at least now I know!) Not a good idea. When we do that, all we succeed in is getting more stressed and exhausted. Once you have your shorter to do list, tackle those things one by one in short and focused sessions. We all know that multitasking really doesn't work, so give one thing your full attention, and then take a break. You'll be much more productive and less overwhelmed!

3. Delegate or Delay

Most business owners are really really terrible at doing this one. We think we'll just take care of everything, otherwise it won't be done correctly. But you know that's just a quick path to stress. There are always things we can delegate to someone else, even if it's just having a housekeeper so you can better concentrate on work. And once you've done that, take a good hard look at your overwhelming list of things to do and see if there's anything that you can put off or delay. Moving a deadline is much better than letting someone down or doing a poor job in a hurry.

4. Get Those Systems in Place

The number one thing that adds stress to a designer's day is reinventing the wheel over and over again. If you don't already have systems and process in place, you need to stop what you're doing and set those up ASAP. You may think you don't have time, but you're actually going to give yourself the gift of more time in the future if you take care of this NOW. I have something that will help – click here to download my FREE Guide to Interior Design Project Processes that Work! They’ll help you stay on top of your projects and keep stress and frustration to a minimum!

And if you don't want to take the time to set those up for yourself, my Return on Interiors system is here to help! ROI, which started as a way to keep my own interior design work on track, systematized and structured, developed into a product that now helps other designers keep their interior design work on track, systematized and structured.

I love that what helped me maintain my own sanity around my design work, has led other designers to maintain their sanity, too. And what I've designed to fight my overwhelm can definitely help you fight stress, too. Just click here to learn more!