How to Deal with Stress and Anxiety - And Still Stay Productive

PodcastMindset

Dec 4

Episode 801: Show Notes

During this episode, I want to dive into what it’s really like to deal with stress and anxiety while you are building a business. How do you continue to be productive? How do you build a support team and a structure that will allow you to move forward even when you are struggling with your mental health? It is okay to not be okay all the time! You can still be an incredibly successful person who figures out to manage and cope, and still has bad days.

This episode comes with a disclaimer that I am not a medical professional. If you are in crisis, there is a suicide and crisis hotline in the United States. You can dial 988 on your phone and get someone on the line to help.

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A Peek Into My (Very Long) History of Mental Health Concerns

I have dealt with mental health concerns for as long as I can remember. I remember being anxious even as a small child. I was on and off of various anxiety and antidepressant medications throughout high school, and I didn’t technically finish my high school career. I still graduated. This has been serious for a long period of time. It’s been a whirlwind these past few years. We’ve all faced personal challenges, as well as the challenges of a changing world.

In more recent years, I started seeing a therapist. In 2020, I learned my parents (who had been married for 40 years) were getting a divorce. This was a week after COVID-19 rocked the world as we knew it. For me personally, when my stress and anxiety get high enough, it manifests as physical symptoms. I’ll have a racing heart, feel tired and achy, and have regular headaches. If those things go on for too long, I become a less functional member of society. It can be really frustrating to be at this point in my life and still have really hard days.

The Toolbox of Habits That Keep Me Proactive

Being proactive when I didn’t think I could continue has been a huge part of staying on track for me. How do I do this? One thing is to remove as much additional stress from my life as possible. I have created a schedule where I wake up naturally, take a shower, and start my day. I can’t tell you how much my life has improved just by doing this.

Decide what about your routine you want to take control of. An amazing tool for me has been integrating movement into my daily schedule. Another thing you may not want to hear is the wonderful power of limiting caffeine.

Journalling is also a great tool. I had to figure out what this meant for me because I am a perfectionist. But you don’t have to have a rigid routine around it to be successful. Not dictating how it’s done has changed the game for me.

The Easiest Place to Start Making Your Mental Health a Priority

I do certain things to manage my stress during work. The first thing is, that work schedule. When do you want to work? How do you want to structure your time? I try to look at my work schedule at least every six months, if not every three months, to shift and change things.

Allowing yourself to be slow on purpose is a big part of managing your stress. When I set deadlines, I am less married to a plan than ever before. Continuing to be mindful of the deadlines that lie ahead enables me to manage my time AND manage my stress.

When it comes to my evenings, I’ve also made a conscious choice to do less. Don’t be afraid to say no to things! It’s okay to put things down, do less, and say that you can’t do it right now. This has been so important to me in figuring out a rhythm for myself.

Cultivating a Support System that Works for You

Becoming more self-aware has allowed me to heal and to address the things that unconsciously (and consciously) stack up. That’s where a therapist can really come in and help you. Allowing myself to understand what’s going on with me and giving myself tools to deal with that has been critical.

While there is a lot you can do on your own, it is so essential to have support. Articulate who or what is supporting you in a certain area and understand that that person or thing is not responsible for supporting you in every area. My approach includes natural approaches and modern medicine, and there’s no shame in either!

The Spiritual Side of Support

I don’t often talk about my spiritual life on this podcast. But it wouldn’t be right to talk about mental health support without bringing up the fact that we are spiritual beings who need spiritual support. How do you show up in the world spiritually? Worshiping in song is such a healing thing for me. I also have a really incredible prayer team.

Having a team is something else that’s been such an amazing support. Having a coach or a mentor has also been incredible, and I would love to be that person for you. I also have a small crew of friends who just get it — I can’t tell you how critical that has been. Those people tend to have more in common with my day-to-day life than the friends I’ve known forever.

Find yourself in a place where you can manage what you can control and then find support for the things that you can’t. Trudging through all of it with a single method of support has never worked for me. Acknowledge that where the stress comes from is not always the place you can handle it. If stress is coming from home, you may need support with your business. If the stress is at work, you might need more help at work.

You are a multifaceted being. Sometimes putting stuff down is the most productive thing that you can do. Stress also doesn’t always come from a bad place. You feeling things is the most important thing. Feel these things, move through them, and figure out what you need to move forward.

You are one person, and you need areas of support across the board. I would love to be a part of your support system — the wins, the access, the connectivity, the learning from past experiences. That’s why I created the Co-Op. Hop on over to see what it’s all about.

Quote This

Manage what you can control and then find support for the things that you can’t.

Highlights

An Overview of My (Very Long) History of Mental Health Concerns [0:11:07]
The Toolbox of Habits that Keep Me Proactive [0:18:05]
The Easiest Place to Start Making Your Mental Health a Priority [0:29:43]
Cultivating a Support System that Works for You [0:39:40]
The Spiritual Side of Support [0:50:08]

OUR HOST:

Abagail Pumphrey

Abagail on Instagram

Boss Project on Instagram | Facebook

Abagail Pumphrey, the Co-Founder & CEO of Boss Project, has been a driving force in the creative entrepreneur industry since 2015. With a passion for empowering service-based business owners around the globe, she became internet-famous after the launch of the transformative training, "Trello for Business." This innovative system revitalized the operations of over 10,000 business owners, making a significant impact on the online business landscape.

Under Abagail's leadership, Boss Project has been featured in prestigious publications such as Forbes, Marie Claire, INC, and HuffPost. Her twice-weekly podcast, The Strategy Hour, is a staple in the business community, continuously topping Business and Management Charts on Apple with millions of listeners from around the world.

Abagail's superpower lies in her ability to break down complex concepts into easy-to-implement, duplicatable systems. As an expert in online sales and a data-driven strategist, she has turned a layoff into a 7-figure work-from-home business. Abagail's mission to help more female founders become financially free, without letting their businesses take over their lives, continues to inspire and guide entrepreneurs on their path to success.