Olivia Maier
Society and technology have always had a tense relationship, but now it seems like there are always new statistics coming out about the negative sides of technology. From being a cause of stress, anxiety, and more, it can be tempting to throw your phone out of a window. This can be especially true if you’re trying to run a small business.
In fact, small business owners (SBOs) are more stressed than ever. The Gallup Wellbeing Index reports that 45% of entrepreneurs are stressed compared to 42% of “other workers.” Entrepreneurs also report being more likely to have “worried a lot” — 34% vs. 30%. This doesn’t seem like a huge difference, but when you are dealing with constantly being stressed it can lead to a big impact on your life within and outside of your business.
It can be overwhelming dealing with the day-to-day of running a business. Running a small business takes a lot; a lot of time, dedication, and hard work. If you’re a small business owner it might feel like there’s too much going on for you to handle. If that’s the case, don’t worry because you definitely aren’t alone. The unfortunate truth is that a lot of SBOs are stressed, and their stress levels are only going up.
A survey conducted by The Hartford Business Journal shows that 60% of small business owners admit that their stress levels are increasing.
In a survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of GoDaddy, the number one problem can clearly be seen. Taking time for a much-needed breather is harder than ever for small business owners, as 41% say they often get pulled away to deal with business matters when trying to take a break.
The survey also found that close to 40% of SBOs spend between one to three hours talking on the phone every week for business, with 85% of those calls coming on their personal phone. However, close to 40% of them said that knowing whether an incoming call is for business or personal reasons would be helpful in managing their productivity and stress.
That is where technology like Yodel.io can come in. There are countless features that Yodel.io can provide to automate your phone system, and eliminate the stress that constant calls can cause. This includes having your own virtual assistant to manage calls, easily keeping track of call information, and more.
To read more about how Yodel.io can help you, be sure to check out our other blog posts! Like this great one:
Yodel.io isn’t alone in helping small business owners reduce stress. Technology can help you to stay organized, simplify, and delegate. On top of that, there are a lot of options for destressing, that won’t take time away from your business. Here are some other technology tools available that can help you destress, where you need it most.
It can be hard to keep track of everything that you have going on, and can force you to be mentally overwhelmed. These apps can help you stay organized, which means you can spend more time on what matters.
This productivity app is available for iPhones, as well as on desktops, and is helping millions of people organize their lives. You are able to keep track of tasks, projects, and goals all in one place that can even be synced across devices, and integrated with other apps such as Dropbox, Google Drive, Slack, Zapier, Workflow, and more. Pricing starts at free to use, with premium options available for less than $10.
This app eliminates the question of “where has the day gone?” This time-tracking device will help you to see where you are spending your time, and can give you feedback on where you can improve your productivity. If you are managing a team, there are features that can help track employee tasks, billable status, mileage tracking, and more. It comes in a variety of packages for both employee time tracking and project time tracking. You also are able to use the Time Tracking App on iPhones, Android, BlackBerry, and Windows Phones. You can also access a web browser version too! Pick from a variety of pricing options that start at €8/user per month.
Shift is an easy to install desktop tool that can help you organize all of your emails, desktop apps, and productivity tools, especially if you have multiple accounts. You can easily “shift” between accounts with a single click. This can help you to save time, and easily juggle multiple projects at once. Instead of having to open multiple tabs to access your accounts, quickly streamline communication, Saas tools, and more. There is a free version available for Mac, and upgrades available for $29.99/year and $99.99/year.
There are many different services available, all within cloud computing. Cloud computing can help save time and money, while simplifying business operations. Cloud-based programs can help to give you remote access, expand easily, and run at a higher efficiency level. In simple terms, cloud computing gives you access to data centers over the internet, without the need for direct active management. That helps eliminate work on your end while opening your business up for steady growth.
For a small business, staffing can be a recurring problem. You don’t want to pay for more help than you need, but sometimes you may find yourself struggling with the jobs that need to get done.
FlexJobs.com helps to provide an easy solution. You can hire people for gigs that can be project-based, or for short periods of time. Quickly search for people who are looking for work, and ready to start instantly. You can negotiate pay and hours on your terms, helping FlexJobs to work for you. As an employer, there is a monthly subscription fee, of $225/month.
Fiverr is another employment option that is gig-based, with all positions listed being temporary work positions. Signing up for Fiverr is free, and Fiverr makes it easy to find the type of help you are looking for. Easily browse through the seoImage: ’' categories:
Humanity helps you easily keep track of employee schedules. The software comes with built-in analytics features that include forecasts and reports, and much more. Humanity starts at $2 per user/month; with a minimum of $60 per month. If you’re looking for a way to improve how you schedule employees, definitely check out Humanity!
The founder of Simple Habit is a busy entrepreneur herself, and that’s why she originally started meditating. But, she realized there wasn’t an easily accessible, affordable, and most importantly quick, meditation series available. This app offers daily meditations, and nearly all of them take 5 minutes or less. If you find yourself overwhelmed and needing a breather during your workday, taking a 5-minute break could lead to a more productive day. The free version gives you access to 50 meditations, while the premium subscription costs $12 a month for a library of over 1000 meditations.
You’re a busy person, with a lot going on. It can be easy to get overwhelmed and stressed, which just leads to less productive work hours. Instead, use what is at your fingertips to help alleviate some of that pressure.
These are just some different technology tools to get you started, but do you have any that you’re already using and loving?
We’d love to hear from you in the comments below! Let us know how YOU use technology to reduce your stress.
