When my brain was fried, our money followed (until I did this)

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🤔How Does Stress Impact Our Financial Health?

When we talk about financial wellness, we often focus on budgets, savings strategies, and investment plans. But there's this massive elephant in the room we rarely discuss: how stress and money create this never-ending feedback loop in our lives.

Think about it for a moment...

Financial pressure creates stress. That stress affects our decision-making. Poor decisions create more financial pressure. And around we go!

Let's be honest – when we're stressed, we're not exactly making our best money moves. We're more likely to:

• Make impulse purchases for quick emotional relief (hello, random online shopping at 1 AM!)
  

• Avoid looking at our accounts (the old "if I don't see it, it's not happening" approach)
  

• Skip important financial planning because we're in survival mode
  

• Make short-term decisions that hurt our long-term goals

💡 Breaking the Stress-Money Cycle

Here's a kind of weird scenario playing out...

Consider for a moment that stress isn't just an emotion – it's actually a physical state that changes how your brain functions.

In this state, your body is flooded with stress hormones like cortisol, which literally redirects blood flow away from your prefrontal cortex (your rational decision-making center) and toward your limbic system (your emotional center).

So when you're stressed about money, you're literally less equipped to make good decisions about... money!

It's like trying to solve a complex math problem while someone dumps ice water on your head. Not exactly ideal conditions!

That's why sometimes when we're stressed about finances, we make decisions that leave us scratching our heads later when we're calm. "Why did I buy that expensive item when I was worried about money?" Because stress hijacked your brain's executive function!

(I swear I'm going somewhere with this by the way)

🔍 My Reality Check: 4 Businesses and 1 Stressed-Out Brain

Running multiple businesses with my husband has been both incredibly rewarding and, let's face it, occasionally overwhelming.

We've built these ventures from the ground up, and while I wouldn't trade it for the world, I've had to learn some hard lessons about stress management along the way.

Here's what I've discovered about the connection between business stress and financial health:

1. Stressed Decisions = Expensive Decisions When I'm overwhelmed, I tend to throw money at problems just to make them go away quickly. I'll hire extra help at premium rates, rush-order supplies at 3x the cost, or say yes to solutions without negotiating better terms. That stress "tax" adds up quickly!
   

2. Burnout Leads to Revenue Leaks There have been times when we were so exhausted that we missed billing deadlines, forgot to follow up on outstanding invoices, or didn't notice subscription services we were no longer using. Those little leaks can turn into financial floods if left unchecked.
   

3. Clarity Creates Opportunity Our best business decisions and most profitable innovations have come during periods when we were mentally clear and emotionally balanced – not when we were running on fumes and stress.
   

4. Physical Health = Financial Health Medical bills from stress-related conditions are a real thing! I learned this lesson after pushing too hard and ending up with migraines that knocked me out of commission for days. Not only was I paying for treatment, but I was also losing income from the downtime.

✅ My Stress-Financial Survival Toolkit

After years of trial and error (mostly error if I'm being honest!), here are the strategies that have made the biggest difference in managing stress while running our four businesses:

1. The "Money Day" Method

This has been an absolute game-changer for us:

• We designate one specific day each week (Thursdays for us) as our "Money Day"
  

• All financial decisions, bill payments, invoice reviews, and account reconciliations happen on this day
  

• We never make significant financial decisions when stressed or rushed on other days
  

• This creates a boundary between emotional states and money moves
  

• We approach Money Day with clear heads and intentional focus

2. The Stress-Budget Connection

We've actually built stress management into our business budgets:

• Each business has a dedicated line item for "pressure valve expenses"
  

• This includes things like occasional outsourcing during crunch times
  

• Emergency childcare when deadlines loom
  

• Even the occasional meal delivery when we're too swamped to cook
  

• By budgeting for these stress relievers, they don't become financial guilt trips

3. The Financial Stress Audit

Once a quarter, we evaluate where our financial stress is coming from:

• Which business is creating the most financial pressure?
  

• Are certain clients or projects consistently stress-inducing?
  

• Which expenses make us feel secure vs. which ones trigger anxiety?
  

• Are we experiencing stress because of actual financial problems or perceived ones?
  

• This clarity helps us make strategic changes instead of reactive ones

4. The Emergency Fund Peace Dividend

Having solid emergency funds for both personal and business expenses has reduced our stress exponentially:

• We maintain 6 months of essential operating expenses for each business
  

• This gives us the confidence to weather slow periods without panic
  

• It allows us to say "no" to problematic clients or projects
  

• The mental peace from this safety net improves our decision-making across the board

🚫 Stress Signals: Financial Warning Signs

Over time, I've learned to recognize my personal stress signals that indicate I need to step back from financial decisions:

• When I start justifying unusual expenses with "I deserve this"
  

• When checking accounts or opening financial emails feels physically uncomfortable
  

• When I procrastinate on simple money tasks I normally handle easily
  

• When I find myself saying "I'll figure it out later" more than usual

These are my red flags that it's time to pause, reset, and come back when I'm in a better headspace.

💭 Final Thoughts

You know what's funny about the relationship between stress and money?

The tools that help one typically help the other too.

When I take care of my stress levels by getting enough sleep, moving my body, connecting with loved ones, and creating mental space through meditation or journaling, my financial management improves automatically.

And when I manage my finances proactively and intentionally, my stress levels naturally decrease.

They're two sides of the same coin – and managing both well creates this beautiful upward spiral of wellbeing.

Remember: Financial health isn't just about the numbers in your accounts. It's about creating a life where money works for you instead of against you. And that includes protecting your mental and emotional health along the way.

To your success (and your peace of mind!),

Ren

P.S. I'd love to hear your strategies for managing financial stress! Hit reply and let me know what works for you. I read every email, even if I can't always respond to them all.

P.P.S. If you're looking for tools to simplify your financial management and reduce that money stress, check out our range of easy-to-use budget templates in our store. Sometimes the right system makes all the difference!