Why a Stress Detox Is Vital for an Entrepreneur
Stress is a toxin. Get rid of it.
By Katherine Keller •
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Ben Huh, the CEO of the Cheezburger Network humor websites, wrote about his suicidal thoughts following a failed startup in 2001 in an article titled, "When Death Feels Like a Good Option." A former MySpace vice-president wrote on his website, "I was to the edge and back a few times this past year with my business and own depression. If you're about to lose it, please contact me."
Related: How to Tackle Workplace Stress and Anxiety
Stress, depression and anxiety have become more widely recognized and discussed within the entrepreneural world. Stress is one of the greatest toxins to our body. As these toxins build up, we experiences symptoms such as extreme fatigue, low mood, anxiety, high fever, hot flashes, swelling/redness and nausea. Running a business creates emotional turbulence. Taking deliberate steps to detoxify and reduce stress are important, and often overlooked, aspects to success. Today, we are focusing on five things that entrepreneurs can do each day to reduce the stress and toxin build-up in their lives.
Detox 1: Move.
"If you don't make time for exercise, you'll probably have to make time for illness." Robin Sharma
Find yourself sitting at a desk most of the day? Sitting for long periods of time can have a negative effect on productivity, creativity and stress. Toxins can build up in your body. If you can't seem to find enough time in your day to workout, try a few of these changes.
- Bike to work
- Get a treadmill desk
- Walk to meetings or lunch
- Walk with a person during meetings
- Take the stairs
- Workout during lunch
Detox 2: Drink more water and less alcohol.
"Drinking water is like washing out your insides. The water will cleanse the system, fill you up, decrease your caloric load, and improve the function of your tissues." Kevin R. Stone
Post-holidays, our liver and kidneys can be overwhelmed from the amount of alcohol consumption we had during our family and business gatherings. Time to go on an alcohol detox. According to United Recovery Project's article, "How to Detoxify Your Liver and Kidneys" they share that, "When a drinker drinks repeatedly or excessively, the liver goes into overdrive and spends all of its energy on getting the toxic alcohol out of the body." Therefore, your body has less energy for the other toxins that are building up in your system.
Dehydration creates sluggishness and slows down your body's systems including your liver and kidneys filtration system. Water carries nutrients to our cells, aids digestion by forming stomach secretions, flushes our bodies of wastes and keeps our kidneys healthy. It is recommended that most people drink eight glasses (8 ounces each) of water per day.
Related: These 5 Stress-Relieving Strategies Work for Even the Busiest Entrepreneurs
Detox 3: Digital detox.
"Everybody gets so much information all day long that they lose their common sense." Gertrude Stein
The constant barrage of digital devices can take a toll on entrepreneur's focus, productivity and even their self esteem. Comparing ourselves against everyone on social media and constant notifications interrupting our day can be unhealthy toxins in our lives. It may be time to consider a digital detox. You don't have to give up digital completely to gain some relief and better productivity. Jessica Butcher shares a helpful article "How to Do a Digital Detox the Right Way" where she lays out 15 do's and don'ts for taking control of your digital consumption.
Detox 4: Massage therapy or hot sauna.
"There is virtue in work and there is virtue in rest. Use both and overlook neither." Alan Cohen
Most people think about getting a massage for the relaxation and serenity. However, massages are also a great way of removing toxins from your body. A massage will move toxins out of your muscles and tissues by moving them to the lymphatic system, which is your body's garbage disposal system, and then to the kidneys. A nice, hot sauna or even just a hot shower will also help you to pull toxins out of your system and remove some of the sluggishness we feel. Just be sure to drink plenty of water. Your body needs fluids to remove the toxic waste from your filtration system and out of your body.
Related: 7 Proven Ways to Redirect Stress Into a Powerful Success Motivator
Detox 5: Yoga or hot yoga.
"Your calm mind is the ultimate weapon against your challenges. So relax." Bryant McGill
Yoga is a great source of detoxifying simply because the stretches will not only help your body to eliminate toxins, but the calming and centering aspects of yoga will help you to detox your mind. Yoga helps you remain in the present, which is a great combatant of stress and toxicity. DoYouYoga recommends eight different poses specifically focused on removing toxins from your body. Hot yoga provides the same perks as regular yoga but with the added benefits of potentially burning even more calories and detoxifying even faster due to the heat and increased sweating.
No matter which plan you use, detoxing is a simple way to help you become more focused and productive at work. Try committing to at least one new detox method per week until you determine which one works best for your life.
