Now more than ever it's important to take care of yourself, especially as a business owner.' Every once in a while make sure you take a step back and treat yo’ self.
Check out these resources that will enable you to take care of yourself as a busy entrepreneur, creative, or side-hustler.
Why Self-Care IS Important?
You may be thinking to yourself, how am I supposed to have time for self-care when I am constantly grinding?
First, it’s important to know that there are many dimensions to self-care, including financial health, physical health, spiritual wealth, and the most commonly associated -- mental health.
If you don’t take care of yourself or are unable to, it can lead to physical and mental illness, burnout, loss of opportunities, and in extreme cases homelessness or death.
According to The Recovery Village, approximately 80 percent of people feel stress at work and 77 percent of people experienced stress that affected their physical health. Luckily for you, there is a way to finally get rid of all this built-up stress -- Self-care!
You can’t put your effort into your business and give to others if you can’t take the time out of your day to first give to yourself. When you are not feeling right, you end up affecting more than just yourself. Your business and those around you will reap the consequences too -- which is why it is crucial to take care of yourself!
Stress not only affects our personal relationships but it affects your cognitive functions too.
“People that look after themselves do have better cognitive ability. They do have better focus and they do have better concentration.”
Dr. Russell Thackeray, licensed clinical psychologist
Being an entrepreneur requires you to be on your A-game which is why your mental and physical health should be a top priority for you.
Your mental health affects your physical health, and vice versa.
What we eat and how often we exercise can be reflected in how we express ourselves or how we function at work. Because it is all connected, it is essential that ALL of it is prioritized. If one dimension of self care is neglected, it can cause a domino effect.
Photo Credit: iamherbalifenutrition.com
So, if you haven’t felt yourself lately or are finding it hard to focus when working, you might need to reexamine your self-care.
Here Are Some Tips For Practicing Self-Care
Make Sure You Are Getting Enough Sleep.
One of the easiest ways to practice self-care and lower stress/anxiety levels is to make sure you are sleeping enough every night. A few hours of sleep each night may feel like enough to get you through your day, but it is not enough for your brain or body!
According to the Sleep Foundation, adults between the ages of 18 to 64 need SEVEN to NINE hours of sleep per night. The seven to nine hours of sleep each night is not optional if you want to be on top of your game the next day, both mentally and physically.
To ensure you are getting proper sleep each night:
😴 Try to stick to a similar bedtime each night to create a healthy routine.
😴 Try not to look at any electronics an hour before your bedtime.
😴 Exercise during the day - we know it is hard when you are busy 24/7 but even a simple walk before you get the day started can make a huge difference in your daily life!
Listen To Your Body!
If it’s physically difficult to complete a task, switch to another task. If your stomach is telling you to eat, eat. Sometimes even taking a step away for a couple of minutes each day to take a breather is all you need.
If you don’t feel right or you are constantly tired, it is your body telling you that you may need to slow it down.
We get it, no one likes to be told to stop what they are doing especially when they’re working on building their dream business and serving their community.
However, taking a break every once in a while will actually enable you to be more productive.
Mindfulambition highlights ways you can “slow down” to optimize for:
👉 Quality > quantity: This means doing things better instead of doing more!
👉 Sustainability of effort: No one wants to burn out. To avoid this you need to be doing something you can sustain.
👉 Intentionality > reactivity: Do things YOU decided to do, not what others tell you to do.
👉 Open consideration > attachment: Pivoting is one of the most important skills in this day and age. Slowing down can help with letting go of past ways you’ve done things.
Remember That It’s Okay To Say “No.”
When you are an up-and-coming entrepreneur it is easy to say “yes” to every opportunity that passes through your email inbox or DM. But becoming a successful entrepreneur starts with learning to say “no.”
Self-care as a business owner also looks like outsourcing to take some stuff off of your plate. You don’t have to (and shouldn't) do EVERYTHING in your business after a certain point.
Document your processes and hire interns, virtual assistants, or professionals to help you run your business.
Are you interested in receiving expert strategy for onboarding team members? Do you want to outsource your brand’s public relations, event planning, or digital marketing?
Similar to the idea of sustainability of effort, you want to avoid burnouts. It is KEY to realize you can’t say ‘yes’ to everyone without sacrificing your own mental and physical health. It’s also good to know who’s your target audience, and understand that it SHOULDN’T include everyone.
And remember, when saying “no,”you should not feel guilty!
Apps & Resources We Use To Unwind.
If you practice some or all of these things and still feel stressed or anxious, try using these resources we use to de-stress at the end of a packed workday.
“At the end of a stressful day, I personally like to put on one of my favorite podcasts or songs to help take my mind off of the stress. This allows me to get into a state of relaxation because I am preoccupied. Work is over so it’s not fair to your body to be stressing about it after-hours.
Try listening to a podcast that interests you or crank your favorite song and jam out!” - John
Below are some apps we use to help us after having a day:
📱Happify: This app provides engaging activities and games that have been scientifically proven to increase your emotional well-being.
📱Calm: Use this app to help with sleep and meditation. Calm is an app tailored towards helping you get better sleep and reduce stress/anxiety through meditation.
📱Pacifica: This app helps to reduce levels of stress and anxiety through psychologist-designed tools.
So, as a busy entrepreneur, it is essential to make time to take care of yourself if you want to be able to give 100% to your business and those around you. It is literally scientifically proven that if you take care of yourself, you will have better cognitive functions such as better focus and concentration!
The next time someone asks you to do something when you are already packed or the next time you don’t get enough sleep, remember - health is wealth!
FOR MORE TIPS CHECK OUT “SELF-CARE TIPS FOR BUSINESS OWNERS” ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL!
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