The best thing about being a business owner is having freedom to do what you want, when you want. The worst thing about being a business owner is having freedom to do what you want, when you want.
And that includes, of course, responsibilities beyond your business – like, you.
It can be a slippery slope when we put ourselves on the back burner. I’ll relax tomorrow. I’ll take next week off. One more box of doughnuts, then tomorrow I’ll eat healthy. I’m gonna start walking tomorrow.
Trouble is, it’s too easy to say it every day when tomorrow you’re meeting with a client, designing a new product, playing in a rehearsal, tired, your child needs to go to the doctor, the kitchen sink is clogged. You know you’re run down, and that headache isn’t helping.
Empty promises to ourselves, and no one to hold us accountable. So let’s talk about being better to our entrepreneurial selves, shall we?
Stress is probably the #1 cause of a less-than-perfect mental and physical state. You’re running a business, maybe just trying to get if off the ground. You’re focusing 120% on the work to be done, not thinking about yoga and veggies, for Pete’s sake! There are some things you can do that won’t use up your time.
Take your vitamins
It’s sometimes hard to remember to eat well. Pop a vitamin in in the early morning so they benefit your day. Make sure they’re good quality and easily absorbed. Otherwise, they’ll just pass on through, providing no benefit.
As often as possible, take your laptop outside and get some sun. Just a few minutes will benefit you mentally and physically.
Keep moving
Make a point of moving your body at regular intervals. Go out for a 15-minute walk for fresh air and sun. Stay off your phone and notice people, wildlife, plants. See people interacting as vignettes with a story. What are their relationships? Use your imagination. The idea is to give your brain a break from your business.
When you can’t get out, try to change positions. Can you work standing up? There are stand-up desks and desks that are adjustable, such as those from Varidesk. Or simply stretching for a few minutes is better than nothing.
And remember to see your doc for an annual physical.
Food and Sleep
I know you know this already. Eat lean protein, veggies, limit sweets. I know…not all of us love to cook, and the time required always seems too much. Eating prepared healthy foods is expensive, and cheap takeout food is rarely healthy. Sometimes it takes creative thinking to find solutions. Can you have a foodie friend prepare meals for you? Do you have a Crock Pot that will cook for you all day? There are also things like the Instant Pot that cook your food fast. What does your body need nutritionally? Start planning today. Don’t put it off.
And don’t be an island. Talk to those fellow business owners who always seem healthy and energized. What do they do?
Sleep – a friend of mine has a sign that says. “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.” It makes me laugh, but no one needs to remind you that you need sleep. Every single night. No, you can’t charge up on the weekends, sorry. If your business is too much for you, maybe it’s time to consider hiring an assistant. Having someone to share the workload frees you up to take better care of yourself – eat healthy and get more sleep. It will be an additional expense, but consider it an investment that will allow your business to move forward without sacrificing your mental and physical health.
Wake Up Earlier
It might seem counterintuitive, but starting your day before dawn allows you to get a huge jump on the day. Because once the day officially starts around 8 or 9am, you’ve lost your advantage, and everything suddenly becomes urgent. If you’re like me and not a morning person, ease into it gently. I don’t turn on lights or anything with sound. Keeping my monitor on the lowest setting is easier on the eyes. If you are a morning person, you probably already get up early. Put the time to good use by planning your day, learning something new for your business, and other things that you can get done without interruption.
Entrepreneurs work to build the perfect businesses and please customers, but the stress, long hours, and late-night takeout (or in my case, waffles) often comes at the expense of our physical and mental well-being. We try and build the perfect business but must remember that unless we take care of ourselves first, it will be for nothing
Photo by Aubin A Sadiki on Unsplash
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