Running a small business is more stressful than anything else in a small-business owner's life -- including raising children -- according to a new survey by Bank of America. Small-business owners polled by the Small Business Owner Report say maintaining a small business causes twice as much stress as maintaining a healthy relationship with a spouse or partner, nearly three times as much stress as raising children, and more than four times as much stress as managing their personal finances.

Not only are small-business owners stressed out by their businesses, but they're also letting other aspects of their lives fall by the wayside in order to run their companies. The owners surveyed claim they regularly give up free time (57 percent), exercise (37 percent) and other personal priorities to manage their businesses.

Why It Matters to Your Business: No one ever said running a small business was going to be all fun and games. But if your stress levels start to get out of hand, you need to make some changes. It's unclear whether the small-business owners BofA surveyed gave up their personal priorities because they were so stressed, or whether ignoring their personal priorities contributed to their stress. But one benefit of being your own boss is being able to decide what's important to you and to take action. Next time you're on the edge, figure out one small thing you can do to relieve your stress -- and do it.