Navigating Peak Season Stress with Business Mental Fitness

Written by Smiling Mind | December 18, 2024

Running a business is no easy feat, and the current economic uncertainty adds another layer of complexity. To support business owners and leaders through these challenges, Smiling Mind and CommBank have teamed up to support business mental fitness - anywhere, anytime.

Many Australian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are under significant pressure, with research showing that 1 in 5 are entering this critical period without cash reserves¹. From managing long hours to juggling financial pressures, running a business often leaves little room for self-care. But investing in yourself —particularly during these busy times— can yield significant benefits, supporting personal wellbeing while also boosting productivity and overall effectiveness. Taking time for mental fitness can lead to improved focus, better decision-making, and increased resilience—qualities that are crucial for navigating high-pressure periods.

The Business Mental Fitness Collection in the Smiling Mind App offers practical tools and guided practices to help you recharge, refocus, and thrive—even during the busiest times of the year. By prioritising your mental fitness, you'll be better equipped to handle stress, maintain a positive outlook, and show up as your best self for your business, your team, and those around you.

Top 10 Tips from the Business Mental Fitness Collection:

1. Release the Stress
Discover how to release stress and create more energy for work, rest, and play.

2. Act Purposefully
Reflect on your values, personal strengths, and purpose to set meaningful goals. Take some time to identify and nurture your strengths to stay aligned with what matters most.

3. Building Stronger Connections at Work
Use practical tools to enhance communication and deepen your relationships at work. This 7-minute meditation is designed to help you approach interactions with greater understanding and empathy, fostering stronger bonds with your colleagues.

4. Work and Life Boundaries
Creating balance across your work and personal life means setting clear boundaries and re-establishing them when something isn’t working. Explore healthy and unhealthy habits with this card-swipe activity, with actionable tips for creating boundaries that support long-term balance.

5. Improving your Focus
Getting into a state of “flow” can be different for each person. Reflect on when you achieve your best focus and productivity as a way to boost your attention and concentration going forward.

6. Reflect on what’s important to you
Consider how you can align your values and do more of what matters to you with this reflection exercise to better understand the kind of person you want to be, both now and in the future.

7. Mindful movement
Tune into your body and maximise performance with these simple stretches and movements.

8. Self-compassion pause
Life can be tough, and it's okay to admit that! This short practice from leading self-compassion researcher Dr Kristen Neff is designed to help you be kinder to yourself in tough moments.

9. Practise communicating effectively
Communication is a bit like a dance of words, gestures, and understanding. Elevate your skills with these practical tips like active listening, asking better questions and avoiding judgement.

10. Manage stress
As human beings, our minds are often buzzing with worries and concerns. These stressors can include our family, our friends, our health and our work. Listen to this meditation to help notice when you’re holding stress in your body to let it go.

The Smiling Mind Mental Fitness Model was created by our team of researchers, psychologists and mental health experts. It’s designed to support practical skill-building for everyone of all ages and stages, helping us develop habits that will enable us to feel good and support our resilience during life’s challenges. It's never too late, or too early, to get started.

If you haven’t used the Smiling Mind App before, download it for free via the links below.

1. https://www.smallbusinessconnect.com.au/fifth-of-smes-heading-into-peak-season-without-cash-reserves/

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