It's been a long day, and you're beat, worn out, bushed again. It seems every day ends like this, and you're doing what you always wanted to do - run your own business. Maybe you can't even point to anything and say, "That's the reason for this feeling," or "He's the cause of my distress." What's the problem? It could be simple stress!

Too much unrelieved stress can ruin an entrepreneurial business almost as fast as a loss of your three major clients. For some of us, stress shows up as a headache, backache or sore muscles. Others plop in front of the television and dare anyone to come near them. Still others get angry at the smallest thing, and most anything that doesn't go right can set off a torrent of emotion. The most damaging results of stress can be complete inability to cope, with the loss of your business as a result.

THE NON-CURE CURE
Maybe you bought one of those stress reducing tapes on the market that say they can help you physically relax. You know the ones. Soft music plays while a sonorous voice asks you to sit quietly and let your muscles relax one by one as the stress progressively drains from your scalp, through your body and out your toes. Out your toes? Come on nowl

Anyhow, the tapes can work, if you have the time to follow them and don't fall asleep. The problem with tapes and similar methods is you have only addressed the symptoms of the stress, not the cause. Here are a few suggestions that might actually reduce some of the stress-builders that are causing your problems.

START WITH A PLAN
The opposite of the overly compulsive list-maker with every line of their daily planner filled (including the margins) is the person without any plan. Tasks are handled by the latter person on a 'what's hot' basis, and it seems you never get time to return that phone call or visit with that person who used to be your best friend. The stress builds!

A fully structured day may be the last thing you want, but setting aside block time for specific activities could be an excellent compromise and an effective way to reduce the stress of everyday activities.

For example, most entrepreneurs are at their best in the morning, so reserve the first two to four hours of your day for creative activities. Schedule appointments for lunch or after, and save the time from 4 to 5 pm for returning telephone calls. Make your own schedule, but put in some time for everything, including quiet time if you need it.

BE KIND TO YOUR BODY
Most adults need (not can get by with) between 6 and 8 hours of sleep every night.Most hard-charging entrepreneurs won't admit it, but they could also use a 15 to 30 minute mid-afternoon nap to recharge their batteries. As tough as it is, try to get in a minimum of 6 hours of sleep every night, and try to find some time for a mid-afternoon nap, even if it's a cat-nap in your chair. Don't let the nap go over 15-30 minutes or you will break up your sleep rhythm, and that could be as bad as no nap at all.

In addition, be kind to your body in the types of energy you feed it. Heavy fats slow you down. Sugars give you a high with a crash after the effect wears off. Try eating an orange at midmorning and another fruit in mid afternoon instead of a bag of chips or a candy bar. Fruit (and other complex carbohydrates) will help build and sustain a high energy level throughout the day.

EXERCISE
I know, here the pot is calling the kettle black. It may be nearly impossible to schedule exercise in your overly business day, so dont! Don't call it EXERCISE! Take up Karate, enroll in a ballroom dancing class, learn to play golf without a cart, do something that is FUN as well as envigorating. Whatever you do, don't call it exercise.

We tend to quit or miss an exercise meeting, but we hardly ever miss out on things that are fun and exciting for us. Pick something that contains a reasonable amount of activity--then GO FOR IT!

DELEGATE
Probably the one most difficult task for an entrepreneur is to let go. It's been your baby up to now, and just because business is growing doesn't mean you don't want to have your spoon in every pot. The problem is there just isn't time enough for you to stir everything, and something's going to burn.

To make this transition easier, make a list of everything you do, rank the items in order of customer related priority, and delegate those things at the bottom of the list to someone else. Keep moving up the list as you get comfortable with the concept until you have some free time in the day to think about new projects, new ideas, and new concepts

You were the genius that made the company work, now put that knowledge to work expanding your horizons, not in the nitty-gritty grind of daily activities.

SCREAM AND HOLLER
If all else fails, get off somewhere where no one can hear you and let off steam! Tell the mountains or the lake how you feel about things, all kinds of things. Tell-off the person you find most frustrating (to the mountain, that is), and let the lake know exactly how you feel about that customer's insensitivity to your schedule. One person I know goes into her bathroom, locks the door, and hollers at her image in the mirror. To make it more dramatic, she turns on the hot water so it steams everything. She calls it her, "Talk in Hell!" She says it works for her.

OTHER SUGGESTIONS
If possible, identify the stress factors that affect your everyday life. Be as specific as possible, even to the point of naming names. If you cannot pinpoint the stress, it may be time for outside help. Start by looking on the bookshelf. There are several good stress-reducing books, and one may solve your problem. If that doesn't work, seek out professional help. Some counselors, psychologists and psychiatrists specialize in stress reduction. In any case, do something! You only have one life to live. Why live it under stress?