Owning and operating your own business is hard. During stressful times, tech entrepreneurs feel the strain just as keenly as businesses in other markets. We have five entrepreneur tips for you to keep in mind when times get tough to carry your business through the hard times into better days.

Rank Your Priorities

When you first researched how to start a business, you may or may not have realized how much your attention would be pulled in a thousand different directions. In stressful times, this problem can increase tenfold. As an entrepreneur, you want to make sure your company is running successfully in every area, but you’ll never get anything done if you divide your time too much.

Write down your daily, weekly, and monthly goals and spend a little time every day working on reasonable, achievable deadlines. Tough times make it hard for small business owners to feel like they can get anything done, but ranking priorities will help you realize what’s important and what can wait for tomorrow.

Delegate When Possible

One of the most common entrepreneur mistakes is forgetting to delegate. The digital entrepreneur might feel like he or she can do it all, but in times of stress, you need all the help you can get. Trusted coworkers and connections can help you balance the load and take some of the stress off your shoulders so you can focus on how to succeed as a tech entrepreneur in a trying time.

Take Breaks

Part of delegating is giving yourself time to de-stress. Your brain, your body, and your business will all thank you if you remove yourself from the equation once in a while to refocus. Even a 10-15 minute break every few hours can help you look at problems with fresh eyes and tackle stressful situations that might have seemed impossible.

Taking breaks is one of those entrepreneur tips that seems so simple but is very effective. The success of your business may rely on pacing yourself with breaks so that you avoid burnout.

Connect with Colleagues

Avoiding entrepreneur mistakes is almost impossible — to err is human. However, staying connected with other tech entrepreneurs and listening to their advice can help you from feeling overwhelmed during a trying time. Other entrepreneurs have their own experiences to pull from and may have advice that will help you get through a difficult time. You may end up even finding a business partner when the dust settles and things calm down!

Remember What’s Important

This is the most important of entrepreneur tips: remember why you started your business in the first place. Don’t focus on the scary things that are happening. Keep your eyes on what’s positive and good.

If you’re scared for your business, just remember that 80% of small businesses that started in 2014 made it to the following year. If you stay optimistic and realistic, you and your business can make it through the hard times and flourish in the days, months, and years to follow.

The true test of a small business is when times get tough. There are many tech entrepreneur resources available to help you and your business succeed in stressful times. If you’re looking for help with management, organization, or marketing for your business, contact Rafferty Pendery today.