Our company is in major growth mode as we follow our passion to become one of the most trusted, referred insurance agencies in our niche industries. Growth is a great and not only are we growing our business, we are also growing our knowledge, and practicing a “growth mindset” strategy.
As a business owner, sometimes things can heavy, especially in our industry where our client’s livelihoods are at stake when they have a claim. Not only that, constantly looking for ways to be proactive with our clients to ensure they get the most bang for their buck, constantly looking for ways to create an amazing culture for our employees to thrive in.
The short of this is, being a business owner can produce a good chunk of stress.
With that said, I would never have it any other way. I am and will always be a business owner for as long as I can.
So, to any other business owner out there, or any one really who is looking for ways to be more productive, more focused, and not necessarily less stressed, but handle the stress better, here is what has helped me in a big way:
I received a pair of apple wireless heads as a gift. This is not a pitch for wireless headphones, but it totally changes your experience by not having a cord restricting you.
We got a Golden Retriever puppy that has tons of energy. The Golden Retriever means I am going to be spending time walking him.
Why this matters is because I would come to find a way to handle the stress of business ownership better directly caused by getting wireless headphones and dog.
I found a new release in walking this pup. In cold weather or warm weather, we are out there walking. I put my headphones in and listen to podcasts, some days I listen to music, and some days I don’t listen to anything. What happened was it provided a moment of solace to just think, or not think. And some days our calendars align and my fiancé and I get to walk and talk together!
I have since incorporated this into my daily routine even when I am not walking the dog. Take now, it is 11am, and I am getting ready to go take a 10 minute walk outside to disconnect. The middle of the day disconnect has proven so valuable to me.
The point of this, if you’ve made it this far, is that finding a release that works for you is worth it. Try a few things. I did. But what came naturally was throwing some wireless headphones in, and walking my dog.
After all, the better, the more clear I am able to think, the better I can serve my clients, and the better I can run my business.
-Jim Waterwash, Partner