the importance of self care

For years I’ve noticed a big issue facing business owners – burnout.

I ‘ve been one of them too.

More than once.

We are all so passionate and ambitious that it’s inevitable we may reach a point where we’re overwhelmed by all the things we have to do and all the things we want to do.

Self care often falls to the bottom of our to do lists.  It becomes so easy for us to focus on all of those other important things and completely neglect the one person who holds it all together. Ourselves.

the importance of self care

Self care doesn’t need to be lavish. It doesn’t need to take up extraordinary amounts of time. And it doesn’t need to fit into anyone else’s definition but your own.

Self care is any activity you do to look after your mental, physical and/or emotional wellbeing. And looking after yourself isn’t selfish. The more grounded and less stressed you feel, the more those around you will benefit too.

If you don’t look after yourself, your business can truly suffer. At some point, your body can just give up on you and force you to take time out. Burnout can debilitate you, making it impossible to do anything but rest.

Trust me, you don’t want to wait until it’s too late!

how to make time for you

Running a business can take up a lot of time. It’s easy to overextend ourselves and say “yes” to any opportunity that comes our way. Deadlines loom. Social lives disappear. Sleep suffers. And often we don’t have anyone who can help us.

Taking even a day off can seem impossible. So we just keep going.

I take a little time every day for me. Sometimes it’s just an hour. Other times it’s more.

And the way I manage it is by using just one calendar. It includes all of my work obligations, all of my personal commitments and all of the time that I need for me.

All of these things make up your life, so they deserve equal importance in your schedule.

define your self care non-negotiables

Self care doesn’t need to be about meditation, bubble baths and pedicures.  It can be any activity that works for you to help you feel recharged and ready to take on the world.

Find what works for you and make it a non-negotiable part of your schedule.

I have three non-negotiables with my time and my budget.

1. Movement: It makes me happy and it makes me feel better. I make time to work out at least 3 times a week. I block this time out of my calendar and schedule everything else around it.
2. Manicures: I take pride in how my nails look and having them done is super satisfying for me. A trip to the nail salon takes at least 2 hours out of my day, every 3-4 weeks.  I schedule this visit in, just as I would schedule any other meeting.
3. Socialising with friends: At least one day a week, I’ll be around other people who are important to me. I don’t overextend myself socially, but I ensure I have some time available to replenish my soul and laugh. Whenever I have a set date and time, I will add it to my calendar and schedule other things around that. Otherwise, I’ll schedule in socialising around my other commitments.

go easy on yourself

There are a lot of highs and lows on this journey. We put so much pressure on ourselves to do things right, keep pushing and make shit work. We face rejection, guilt, uncertainty, fear… the list goes on.

So self care is also about looking after yourself emotionally and not being so hard on yourself.

Instead of focusing your thoughts on the things that aren’t going quite right, place some thoughts on the things that are.  What’s worked well?  What positive things have been said?  What successes have you realised?

And don’t forget about all of the things that you’ve had to overcome to be where you are right now.  Sometimes it helps to remind yourself that you are stronger than you think and braver than you know.

over to you

Yes, we’re all busy, but I truly believe that we make time available for the things that are actually important to us, whether it be 5 minutes or 5 hours.

So let’s put YOU on that list of important things! What are your non-negotiables and when are you scheduling them in?  Let us know your self care principles in the comments below.