Of course, these are only a sample of symptoms, but they are among most common. If left unmanaged, stress can even develop further into more dangerous health conditions.

For people who are self-employed, proper stress management becomes critical to living a healthy, rewarding life. Stress management itself is a matter of recognizing your individual stresses, finding cause, and taking responsibility for these stresses, making changes where they are necessary.

This can be as simple as taking an aroma therapeutic bubble bath at night, yoga, or something more structured, such as consulting a stress management therapist.

If you are self-employed, and you wish to make certain that your stress level is managed effectively, you may wish to consult your doctor, who can advise you with regards to techniques and strategies that will work best for you.

Begin meeting on time, so you can end on time. Start by reviewing agenda and setting priorities for meeting. Stick closely to agenda, but also encourage group discussion to collect all points of view. Keep conversation focused on topic, and don’t hesitate to ask for only constructive and original comments.

Tactfully end discussions when they’re going nowhere or become too touchy. As a leader, set a good example by listening attentively and showing appreciation for participants’ input.

Keep minutes of meeting for future reference in case a question or problem arises. Summarize any agreements reached and end meeting on a positive note. For example, have participants volunteer to share their views on what good ideas or positive developments they feel resulted from meeting. And before everyone leaves, don’t forget to set a date, time and place for next meeting.

After Meeting

Be sure to transcribe and distribute minutes of meeting within three or four days. This will help reinforce importance of meeting and give participants a clear and accurate record of what took place. Follow up on any delegation decisions and ensure that all participants understand and carry out their responsibilities. Give recognition and appreciation to excellent and timely progress. And put any unfinished business on agenda for next meeting.

You should also periodically evaluate meetings and work on any areas that need improving. Remember, meetings that are effectively planned — from start to finish — can leave participants with a sense of accomplishment and enhance your organization’s overall success.