For some entrepreneurs, owning a business is a dream come true. However, without proper stress management, that dream can quickly become a nightmare. What you need to ensure this doesn’t happen are the right stress management techniques.

With the right techniques, you can cope with the stress of owning a business, so that it, your team, and yourself thrive.

Stress Management Is Key
Stress management is a key element of keeping yourself and your business healthy. You should never feel guilty for stepping back to prioritize coping with the stresses and strains of owning your own business.

Stress-related burnout in business owners can affect physical and mental health, and it can slow down the company’s momentum. Managing and coping with stress isn't just better for you, it benefits the business. It can even be the reason you continue to operate or end up closing your doors.

What Is Stress Management?
Stress management involves learning various skills that can help you cope with the various stressors you encounter. Those skills may include time management, relaxation techniques, problem solving, and ways of improving interpersonal relationships.

By implementing those skills, you can transform stressful situations into opportunities for empowerment and growth. With that in mind, let’s explore stress management tips and techniques for business owners.

1. Identify Sources Of Stress
Stress management begins with identifying the stressors (sources or causes of stress) involved in owning a business. When you know what your stressors are, you can start finding potential solutions.

For business owners, a large portion of stressors stems from unsolved problems. It can be difficult to find ways to solve these issues when you’re constantly busy with 101 other things that demand your attention.

Take a step back from the situation and pinpoint the areas that are stressing you out. Next, identify your responses to those sources of stress. This may sound simple, but merely identifying your stressors is taking a step in the right direction. Knowing that you’ve begun to do something about the situation can help you feel better about things—and that’s only the beginning.

2. Identify Your Strengths
Identifying your strengths and areas of success is as important as identifying your stressors. Consider the areas in which you cope well with stress and the techniques or skills you use to do it. When you know what your strengths are in terms of managing stress, you can build on them or adapt them to help you cope with other stressors.

The other upside to identifying your strengths and successes is the positive attitude this can inspire in you. It’s especially helpful to do this if you felt despondent after identifying the challenging aspects of running your own business.

You can put the changes you make and the growth you achieve into perspective by noting areas of progress. No matter how small or insignificant they seem at the time.

3. Say “No”
Entrepreneurs who are trying to build a new business usually tend to say “yes” to virtually every project, commission, order, client, or another opportunity that comes their way. This is perfectly understandable. But it’s not the best approach in the long term. Learn to say “no” to requests that will not help you or your business achieve your goals.

By thinning out the amount of work that doesn’t add meaning to your business, you can remove unnecessary stressors and focus on meaningful projects. The boundaries that you create when you say “no” can help protect your physical and mental health as well as your company.

4. Learn To Delegate
Knowing that your employees don’t have the same level of investment in your business can make it tempting to try to do everything (or as much as possible) yourself. A situation like that is a recipe for stress and burnout.

Delegating or even outsourcing some tasks is an important part of managing stress when you’re a business owner. For example, if you struggle with writing copy for your website, blog, or social media posts, delegate the task to an employee who has the skill to do it. If no one on your team fits the profile, outsource the job to a content creator, freelancer, or SEO company.

5. Create A Strong Schedule
Not having a regular routine for your day or week can leave you feeling like a loose cannon, which can add to the stress you experience. Create a strong schedule to add structure to your day. You should find that this increases your sense of self-confidence that you can take what happens at work in your stride.

Our bodies appreciate routine, as it supports our circadian rhythm, which some refer to as our “body clock.” Take your own rhythms into account when planning your schedule. If you know that your concentration and energy levels dip mid-afternoon, avoid schedule intensive tasks for that period.

6. Find Helpful Tools
Downloadable software and apps, as well as other work tools, can help streamline or automate some of the tasks and processes that might be stressors for you. For example, if keeping track of invoicing and payments are causing headaches, it’s worth using invoicing software to alleviate the burden. Or if tracking employee hours is an issue, time tracking apps can streamline the process considerably.

Finding the right fit for you, your team, and your business may take some time, so prepare yourself for some trial-and-error.

7. Prioritize Time For Yourself
Too many entrepreneurs know that personal time is one of the first and biggest sacrifices they make when establishing and growing a business. Prioritize time for yourself to avoid getting sucked into the trap of all work and no play. Your stress levels will thank you.

Make a conscious decision to separate your work from your personal time. Unplug from your mobile phone, email, and work-related social media accounts. Spend time with family and friends. Indulge in self-care.

Your time off from work should be an opportunity to recharge mentally and physically so you can better cope with the demands of the next week at work.

Be Your Own Champion
Being an entrepreneur isn’t easy. But it shouldn’t be a source of debilitating stress. Use these stress management techniques to help you rise above some of the challenges and make your venture a success.

Most people's fear of snakes is determined by the specific species they encounter. Harmless gardens or other non-poisonous snakes, while not a pleasant sight, are not technically dangerous. Most people prefer to avoid the sight of a snake regardless of species, but for many, seeing a snake isn't necessarily a frightening experience unless it's an obviously poisonous species.

Rattlesnakes are one of those very obviously poisonous species. Their notable, rattling tale is a tell-tale sign that you have encountered a potentially dangerous species of snake. However, they are not dangerous by default. Many people are frightened of them and that is perfectly normal, but like many animals, rattlesnakes are as scared of us as we are of them. They will more than likely only attack if they feel threatened.

Keep in mind that If you are concerned about the presence of rattlesnakes or other species on your property, you can contact Complete Wildlife Removal for advice and guidance on how to approach this scenario. Whether you already have some on the property and are looking for removal or you live in an area where they are common and are looking for prevention methods, the professionals can guide you through whatever process you are in.

There are many different species of rattlesnakes and the type in your area depends on your state and what part of the country you currently reside in. Diamond rattlesnakes are a common species throughout the United States and they are one of the largest species. They are most common in the spring and summer after they emerge from their winter homes. You are more likely to come across one at dawn or dusk, but you may not notice them at all if you are on a trail or in an area with brush and other foliage they can easily use as camouflage. They primarily maintain a diet of smaller reptiles, birds, and rodents. Many states have made it illegal to kill rattlesnakes. They are an important part of the ecosystem, so in many states, if you encounter them, you are supposed to leave them be as harming them can result in a misdemeanor depending on the state you live in.

Some people may be concerned that despite their best efforts snakes may find their way into their home through plumbing in pipes. While not impossible, it is extremely uncommon. If you are worried about this, take a look at snaketoilet.com to learn more about this possibility.

Snakes bites are actually extremely rare and they are more likely to happen if the individual was intentionally behaving in a way that made the snake feel threatened. The rattlesnakes will do nearly anything they can to avoid humans, just like most of us do when we come across one of them. If the snake feels threatened because of something you have done, they will do something to protect themselves and that could include a bite.

If you encounter a rattlesnake here are some things to keep in mind to keep you and the snake as safe as possible:
• If you hear a rattle, do not panic. Figure out where the sound is coming from and move away from where it is coming from.
• Give the snake plenty of space.
• Keep dogs on a leash and warn others around you of the snake.
• Do not throw anything at the snake. They will take this as a threat and move forward to protect themselves.
• Move slowly away from either the sound or the visual you have on the snake.

If you were to get bitten by a snake, seek out medical attention immediately. If your dog was the one bitten, seek medical attention for them immediately as well. Dogs are over 25% more likely to die from rattlesnake bites than humans. There are vaccines they can receive ahead of time to help prevent this. If snakes are around your property or trails you regularly spend time on, this may be a smart idea.

Avoiding snakes is easy if you are somewhere outside of your home or property, but what do you do if they've arrived in your space? How do you keep them away?

• Make your home and property unattractive to snakes. Do not provide brush and other places for them to hide.
• Make sure rodents are not present in your space either. They are an easy, natural food source for many species of snakes.
• Keep harmless snakes around. These are not poisonous and can keep more dangerous species from wanting to inhabit the space.

Making it through the working week doesn’t just involve getting your work done. It’s also important to keep yourself looking and feeling fresh and healthy. Staying looking good is both a mental and physical task, so looking after your mind as well as your body is a must. The mental aspect is one that is often neglected as the pressures of work add up. While it might be a struggle at times, if you follow these tips, you will be able to keep yourself looking fresh and be better prepared mentally to get on with your work.

Wash Regularly
It may seem like advice you would give to a child but, when you’re busy, it is very easy to forget to wash or not have the energy to do it. Having a shower each morning or evening will make you feel fresher and more energized. Taking care of your hair by purchasing good quality shampoo and conditioner will also make you feel and look better. Apple cider vinegar shampoo and coconut/avocado oil conditioner packs are the perfect way to revive your scalp. They’re packed with ultra-rich natural ingredients and your hair will look smoother, stronger and flake-free. Don’t neglect your body and hair’s hygiene needs. It will show to others and you will feel worse within yourself.

Sleep Properly
Getting enough sleep is an absolute priority. We should be sleeping at least seven hours a day, any less than that will be detrimental to our ability to carry out tasks. The signs of lack of sleep are obvious in our physical appearances, too. How many times has someone said you look tired? You can take it as an insult, or you can step back and realize that perhaps you aren’t getting enough sleep. Set a time you want to go to sleep during the week and stick to it. Turn off your phone and other devices and allow yourself to relax. Getting a good amount of deep sleep will make you feel more productive, and those signs of lack of sleep can quickly disappear.

Take Up Yoga or Meditate
Finding time for ourselves without distractions is not easy when the pressures of work are monopolizing our headspace. However, you have to take time to relax and switch off. Yoga has the advantage of being physical exercise, as exercise can leave you feeling better. As well as keeping you physically fit, it will allow you to escape from a muddled headspace and, in the long-term, following a routine daily will improve your mental wellbeing. If the idea of physical activity doesn’t appeal to you, meditation is also an option, as it will give you some time each day to clear your mind and become more focused.

Eat Well
We’ve all arrived home from work late, looked in the refrigerator and decided we don’t have the energy to cook so ordering take out becomes the go-to option. The abundance of choices, and ease of using take out apps, has made this an easy choice. What you eat and when you eat will show in your appearance and in how you feel in yourself. Making healthy meals on the weekend that can be easily heated up or eaten straight from the refrigerator when you arrive home after work will stop you from taking the easy way out. Ensure you eat regularly, too. It’s easy to skip meals when work is busy, but always remember if you’re not eating properly, you’re not going to be as productive.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is wrapping up another season surveying for aquatic invasive species (AIS). FWP and partner AIS early detection crews surveyed more than 300 waters around the state, collecting over 2,200 early detection samples looking for new populations of invasive mussels, snails, clams and aquatic weeds.

AIS early detection crews conducted focused surveys for AIS at all fish hatcheries in the state, assessed Eurasian watermilfoil treatments in Noxon Reservoir and supported a state-wide crayfish survey project. AIS staff worked with a variety of partners on Eurasian watermilfoil eradication in Beaver Lake near Whitefish, fragrant water lily removal in Holland Lake and Asian clam eradication in Lake Elmo in Billings.

New populations of several AIS were identified in the state this year including several snail and plant species. New Zealand mudsnails (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) were identified at three new locations including Beavertail Pond east of Clinton, Mitchell Slough adjacent to the Bitterroot River near Victor and Big Sheep Creek near Dell. This is the first time New Zealand mudsnails have been detected in Montana’s natural water bodies west of the Continental Divide. The tiny mudsnails are often transported to new locations when snails cling to plants, muddy boots or fishing gear.

Invasive red-rim melania snails (Melanoides tuberculatus) were detected in the Gardner River and in a warm spring near Beaverhead Rock State Park. Melania snails were likely introduced through a dumped aquarium tank.

Survey crews identified a new population of curlyleaf pondweed (Potamogeton crispus) in Big Elk Creek near Two Dot in the Musselshell River drainage this year. Curlyleaf pondweed is an invasive aquatic plant that can grow in high densities that obstruct boating and water flow for irrigation.

Surveys are still wrapping up for the year, but no evidence of invasive mussels has been found in the state so far this season. If no evidence of mussels is found In Tiber Reservoir, FWP will evaluate lifting the mandatory inspections requirements for boats exiting the lake. Final sampling results will be completed by the end of October.

These new detections are a reminder to ensure boats, trailers, fishing gear, waders and clothing are always clean and free of mud, plants and vegetation; all water is drained; and boats and gear are thoroughly dry before entering another waterbody. Aquarium pet owners should never dispose of aquarium water, plants or animals into natural waterways.

The public can report sightings of aquatic invasive species to FWP at CleanDrainDryMT.com or call 406-444-2440.

TOWNSEND – Waterfowl hunting opportunities will be limited on the Canyon Ferry Wildlife Management Area this year during both the youth and general waterfowl seasons due to ongoing extreme drought.  

Pond 2 at the WMA is dry, Pond 4 is expected to be completely dry in about a week, and water levels in Ponds 1 and 3 are also down significantly. There has not been any water going into Ponds 2 or 4 for more than two months, according to Adam Grove, wildlife biologist for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks in Townsend. 

“There simply has not been enough waterflow in the Missouri River for most of the summer to provide adequate water to the canals that supply water to Ponds 2, 3 and 4 to keep the water levels up,” Grove said.  

Water from the ponds also drains below the surface into Canyon Ferry Reservoir when the reservoir’s water levels are lower than the ponds, which has been the case all summer. Canyon Ferry Reservoir did not come close to reaching full pool this year due to drought conditions, according to Grove.  

Waterfowl hunting opportunities on the WMA will likely be limited this fall. However, low water levels this season may provide some habitat benefits for next season by aerating the soil. If next year is a normal water year, it’s likely the ponds will see positive responses in aquatic vegetation and invertebrates, enhancing habitat for waterfowl.  

The digital revolution, globalization, and competition for talent have led to a relatively new trend in the construction of higher education systems - personalization. What needs to be done to make personalization not just a trend, but the reality of the modern university? We will find out the answers in this article.

Universities are increasingly seeking new ways to customize learning content and educational technologies, academic and career support to meet the group and individual educational needs of students, their cognitive styles, and career aspirations. Cheap writing services experts claim that today's generations of students are no longer prepared to receive standardized educational services designed for the average student. And in this context personalization has taken on a broader meaning and understanding than the long-known individualized and differentiated approaches to learning.

What is personalized learning?
Personalization is a key trend today that permeates all aspects of the student experience. Personalized learning involves, at a minimum, an individualized educational trajectory designed in conjunction with a mentor. And the trajectory changes dynamically during the course. In addition, the students themselves determine the individual learning rate. At the end of the educational module, they can think about where and how to apply the acquired knowledge and skills in practice, to do practical work for some time. Then return to learning again when the need for new knowledge arises.

Individual training is much more than just putting together a puzzle from a set of training courses by a student. Right now, this kind of personalized interaction is only possible at the graduate level. But that does not mean that personalized learning is unrealistic to begin at the undergraduate level. At the same time, the responsibility falls on the teacher to teach the student not only and not so much the fundamental knowledge, but also to teach how to learn, to convey the necessity of lifelong learning concept, to help develop emotional intelligence.

Peculiarities of the personalized approach and future trends
Personalized training modules become highly customized to the particular student. This approach takes into account the initial level, the time available for learning, the preferred type of learning - visual, verbal, individual or group, online or offline, with practical tasks in the chosen direction. Students will be able to choose a teacher, a team, an educational environment, and a location for the duration of the training with the support of artificial intelligence recommendations.

The main trend in the education of the future is individual lessons. It will not be possible to provide all students with a personal tutor. But everyone can be given a smartphone or computer.

With the help of big data, machines are already tracking the amount of time spent on assignments, analyzing answers, and creating individual recommendations. Smart technology on a par with professional writers can provide 8 tips on how to format an admission essay. In the future, artificial intelligence will select educational content and teaching methods that are effective for you.

Gamification
Experts predict that in 15-20 years games and teamwork will be the main forms of education.

Gamification will change attitude to mistakes - they will become a part of the process, not a failure. The possibility to go through the mission all over again is an important principle in computer games. You can look for a solution as much as you want and find new options every time.

The game in the online education of the future will solve the problem of student motivation.

The level system
This system allows you to choose the level of immersion in a particular subject. Therefore, students can decide which subjects to study at the basic level, and which at a more in-depth.

Immersive learning
In the education of the future, there will be no outdated textbooks and monotonous lectures. Children will study school subjects using virtual and augmented reality technology. For example, by putting on a VR helmet, a child will be able to watch historical events and even participate in them!

Such learning is called immersive, it creates an "immersive effect" and allows you to experience that are impossible in the real world. Since the brain does not distinguish between real events and high-quality simulation, there is a high probability that VR and AR technologies will solve the problem of "live" communication in online education.

Project and research activities
Project and research activities allow students to put what they've learned into practice immediately and thus better understand and grasp new material.

Individual and group work
Working in groups and solving joint tasks allows you to develop the ability to interact as a team. As well as a culture of joint activity in the educational and extracurricular processes. Students will be able to write collaborative essays. Working as a team, it will be easier for them to understand the intricacies of writing this type of paper and excel at it. And if in doubt, check these 5 steps.

Interdisciplinarity
The educational process is designed so that the subject matter and educational content, in general, are not perceived by students as a multitude of disparate elements, but form a coherent picture.

Future competencies
With the development of technology, specialists will need new competencies. In the future, approximately 35% of the skills required for employment will change. These include programming, creative and critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and lifelong learning.

Changes in the labor market will also affect school education. It will move away from the industrial model and become more flexible.

Potential hunting regulation changes for 2022 and 2023 are available online for the public to review. The proposed changes are coming now during the normal biennial season setting year to help make Montana’s hunting regulations simpler and easier to understand.

To see the potential changes and make comment, click here.

Over the last several weeks, FWP biologists have worked on these potential changes with a sharp focus on the science behind the regulations. The potential changes focus primarily on deer and elk regulations; however, some regions have included regulations for other species as well. The potential changes include a reduction in the number of hunting districts and the simplification of license structures.

Public comment begins today and runs through Oct. 20.

FWP biologists and other staff will sort through the feedback they collect and develop proposals for all game species for the Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting on Dec. 14. Following this meeting, a second 30-day public comment opportunity will begin on the commission-approved proposals for all hunting regulations for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. This public comment period will also include regional FWP Citizen Advisory Council meetings.

The commission will adopt final hunting regulations at their meeting in early February. 

If you have any questions, please contact your local FWP office.

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Montana State University will present “Preserving Recreation, Parks and Trails in Gallatin County” for its next Friday Forum on Oct. 8. The event will be delivered online from noon to 1:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

The Triangle area of Gallatin County, which is an area between Bozeman, Four Corners and Belgrade, is experiencing significant population growth. In 2016, Gallatin County, the city of Belgrade and the city of Bozeman created the Planning Coordination Committee to focus on issues with development and opportunities within the Triangle.

The Gallatin Valley Land Trust also plays a role in the development of this area, emphasizing planning and expanding the trail network. Chet Work, executive director of GVLT, will discuss the status of the Triangle Trails Plan, which was made available for public comment this year, and the plan’s next steps. It seeks to create a master plan for future trails within the Triangle area. The area has a patchwork of trails and pathways, mostly completed as part of subdivisions. The trails plan will identify key corridors, missing connections and opportunities to build a more complete trail network for this area.

Work will also discuss trail access through Peets Hill. GVLT is leading an effort to purchase land on the southern end of Peets Hill to keep the trail system intact. Garrett McAllister, senior planner with Gallatin County, and Addi Jadin, parks and recreation manager for the city of Bozeman, will participate on the panel and describe local government initiatives to preserve and enhance parks, recreation and trails.

Participants must register in advance and no later than 11 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 8. For more information or to register, visit montana.edu/olli/register or call 406-994-6550. Upon registration confirmation, participants will receive an email with the Zoom link and instructions to join the program.

Friday Forums are offered on the second Friday of each month, September through May, by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at MSU. OLLI at MSU is a program of Academic Technology and Outreach at MSU. ATO works across the university to support and advance its land-grant mission through unique and innovative opportunities for outreach and engagement.