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Thread: How do you destress

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    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    How do you destress

    One of the biggest hazards of running a business is stress. It just goes with the territory. Pounding away, day after day, trying to turn a buck.

    If you don't manage it somehow, it is only a matter of time before you burn out. It's a problem that is easy to ignore amid all the demands that a business brings – but you ignore it at your peril. You have to have a plan.

    So how do you destress?

    What works best for me is to take a break at Mhlopeni Nature Reserve, for a few reasons.
    • It's only two hours away – far enough to be away, but not too far (if you know what I mean).
    • Most of the reserve has no cellphone reception. It makes a great excuse if someone is ticked off because they couldn't get hold of me on my cellphone, and it removes the temptation to just leave it on.
    • You're forced to slow down to nature's natural pace.

    Somehow going shopping just doesn't do it for me. There is the hustle bustle. The queues. Finding parking. The expense!
    And it is only a matter of time before the novelty of those new goodies wears off.

    The really cheap solution is just sitting at home idling away time. But it's only a matter of time before I start watching TV, and that certainly does not do the trick.

    There is something special about settling into a Bush camp, lighting the fire, cracking a beer and just watching nature breath.
    Walking up to a ridge with a great view of the valley in the morning and just whiling away the time watching nature pass by.

    It fixes me in no time. Just marvelous.

    So what works best for you?

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    Blurock (11-Jan-12)

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    Diamond Member Blurock's Avatar
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    Agreed, Dave. Burnout happens quicker than you can imagine.

    I see many business owners never taking a break because they just can not let go.

    A well deserved break now and then does wonders for the soul. I can recommend Bayete Zulu just past Hluhluwe. The interaction with the elephants will blow your mind!
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    Silver Member Petrichor's Avatar
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    Nothing beats sitting next to a campfire, slowly sipping on a cup of coffee, hearing the sound of nature and absolutely nothing else.

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    Diamond Member wynn's Avatar
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    I like to sit at my other office, the local M&B, and people watch for an hour or so, that helps, more interesting than trying to see wild animals that have a habit of hiding from you.
    "Nobody who has succeeded has not failed along the way"
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave A View Post
    One of the biggest hazards of running a business is stress. It just goes with the territory. Pounding away, day after day, trying to turn a buck.
    And turning you grey ....

    Quote Originally Posted by Dave A View Post
    So how do you destress?
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    Silver Member Norri's Avatar
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    Exercise - keeping in good shape - helps a lot for me. We've just started P90X and we're only a few days in but I already feel a ton better. When we used to do Capoeira, that helped a lot! When you're in THAT much pain from exercise, you forget about work issues :P

    Also, meditation - daily at least - has been the best stress-relief for me. But I have yet to find a nice program to use every day. I had a 30 day one that got boring after the initial 30 days. The effect DURING the 30 days was nothing short of awesome Helped me cope through a hectic time when I had far more work than I could handle.
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    Diamond Member tec0's Avatar
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    Normally stress keeps one motivated and sharp but too much stress and one can hit that all time low. A combination of music, fishing, cartoons and sleeping pills seems to work best for me.

    Music > I highly recommend you go only for what you like. I enjoy Melodic Metal.

    fishing > As in actually fishing… How is the Fishing at Mhlopeni Nature Reserve?

    Cartoons > I highly recommend roadrunner but again it is up to personal taste.

    Sleeping pills > "whatever the doctor is willing to give you will do… but Get S3 or if you lucky S4 is better"
    peace is a state of mind
    Disclaimer: everything written by me can be considered as fictional.

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    I meditate or go and visit the Walter Sisulu botanical garden. It feels like you are very far away from JHB. A brisk walk helps too. Then again, when I am really busy, I don't seem to get time for any of those.
    Sometimes the only transport available is a leap of faith

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    Diamond Member wynn's Avatar
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    Norio
    I am trying to decide from your new avatar if you are wearing your hair pulled back in a pony tail or have you had a buzz cut?
    "Nobody who has succeeded has not failed along the way"
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    Read the first 10% of my books "Didymus" and "The BEAST of BIKO BRIDGE" for free
    You can also read and download 100% free my short stories "A Real Surprise" and "Pieces of Eight" at
    http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/332256

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    Dikhololo near Britz is a fantastic stress relief for our family - a beautifull getaway in the bush to unwind. The odd game drive also helps to relax a bit followed by sundowners either at a lookout or back at your chalet after starting a nice roaring fire.

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