I don’t know about you, but my hat collection is getting out of control.

Not literally - I mean the hats I have to wear as a business owner.

As small business owners, we often push ourselves to the limits of our capacity and are no stranger to late nights, missed lunch breaks and stress.

In fact, in a recent study, 45% of entrepreneurs said they were stressed a lot of the time - much higher than the general population. Stress is not good for us, and it can also have damaging effects on our businesses if we’re not able to function at our best. When we’re so deeply entwined with our businesses, work stress becomes personal stress, which means it can be hard to escape. You take the stress home, and well-meaning clients are sending you Instagram DMs when you’re trying to Netflix on the couch.

The best way to beat the stress? Factor in micro-breaks throughout the day.

It might seem that working through lunch is the most effective use of your time, but actually, you might be doing more harm than good. A study by Totaljobs has shown that not taking regular breaks throughout the day to mentally rest and recharge means unfocused, unproductive work throughout the afternoon.

Ideally, we should all be creating enough time for regular breaks. If you find yourself in between tasks with a 10-minute window before a call, or you're waiting for an email to come through, here are 6 ways you can destress without leaving your desk.

1. Do some breathing exercises

Yeah, yeah, we’ve heard it all before, deep breaths but let me explain…

Breathing is one of the quickest ways to trigger the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) - which can physically stop our stress response. We all know that when we feel stressed our bodies put us in fight or flight - that’s why we experience an elevated heart rate, sweating palms, and not wanting to eat because our mind is telling our body that we’re ‘not safe’.

When we take time to breathe, focusing on filling our stomachs as well as our lungs with air, we’re forcing our bodies to trigger the PNS and halt the stress response. When we breathe deeply we’re also giving our brains more oxygen, allowing us to think clearly and feel revived. So next time you’re getting stressed about a client email, or feeling overwhelmed about a hectic afternoon of meetings, take 5 minutes to breathe deeply.

2. Play your favourite tunes

One of the quickest ways to scoop yourself out of a stressful situation is to listen to something that really fills you with nothing but joy. Music can take us out of our heads, and infuse us with positive energy. There’s a reason why Spotify is full of feel-good playlists… they really do have an uplifting effect on your mood. Try listening to Sweet Soul Sunday, a playlist full of soulful hits that might just get you out of your chair (and your funk).

Top tip: Don’t be tempted to work with them playing in the background. Just pop your headphones on, whack up the volume and enjoy the music for a song or two!

3. Voice note your pals

Don’t pick up your phone and go on Instagram - you know you’ll get sucked in. Instead, check-in with pals. Maybe have a little rant about what’s stressing you out, because after all, a problem shared is a problem halved. When you’re really busy with work, it’s easy to allow our relationships with friends and family (especially those we don’t get to see very often) to fall by the wayside.

Use microbreaks during your workday as the perfect opportunity to check in with your loved ones. See what they’re up to, if they’ve got any fun plans coming up, or even just ask how their day is going. They’ll be happy to know you’re thinking of them, and it’s a great way to spend 5 minutes in between emails or meetings. If you’re feeling really stressed, a voice note pep talk from a friend might be just what you need to get back in the zone.

4. Clean up your desk

Tidy desk, tidy mind!

You don’t need to do the Marie Kondo style clean, but a quick 5 minutes spent clearing the clutter and dusting your laptop can have a really great effect on your mood. It’s not surprising that a clean workplace can help us process better and increase creativity - one look at a pile of clutter is enough to stress anyone out.

When you’ve got a quick break in between meetings or calls, see how much cleaning you can get done in 5 minutes. Doing something manual can give your brain a break, and giving your desk a little spruce could be exactly what you need to feel refreshed when you head back to work. For extra points, light a candle or spritz some room spray!

5. Give progressive relaxation a try

This super-simple meditation technique is something you can do anywhere when you need to bring your stress levels down a notch. It’s all about helping you escape the thoughts that are endlessly buzzing around in your mind, and reconnecting with your physical body.

What you’re going to do is slowly tense and relax each part of your body in order. Start with your toes, scrunching them up tight, hold for a couple of seconds, and let them relax. Work your way right up to your face, scrunching up your eyes, nose and cheeks, and then breathing out with a big sigh. By the time you’re done, you’ll feel relaxed and restored, having let go of all the tension in your body. You’ll be ready to face the rest of your work day, and equipped for whatever your clients have in store for you!

6. Grab your journal for some reflection

Put away the to-do list, and whip out your journal. Reflecting on how we’re feeling is a powerful way to be more mindful and stay in tune with rational thought.

Take just 5-10 minutes to reflect on your thoughts and feelings. It’s a really great practice to introduce to your working day, helping to identify your stressors and find solutions to your problems. The next time you’re feeling the waves of stress rising, I want you to dedicate some time to at least one of these practices and see what an impact it can make on your day.

Self-care and running a soul-led business are very important to me here at DmarzDesigns. There’s a lot of hustle noise out there, and while that works for some people, I’m much more in favour of making your business work for you.

If you feel like your branding and website don’t fully reflect who you are and the image you want to project to the world, it might be time to switch things up. If you’re interested in working together, find out more here!