18 November 2024

Looking after your business starts by looking after yourself

By Ronald Smith

When it comes to running a successful business, we often focus all our energy on external factors: customers, finances, and growth. But what about ourselves? It’s easy to forget that our own well-being is just as important as the health of our business. After all, without a happy and healthy leader, how can we expect our business to thrive? So, let’s take a moment to reflect on the importance of self-care and how it can positively impact both you and your business.

Mind, Body, and Soul

When I talk about self-care, I’m not just referring to taking a bubble bath or going for a massage (although those can be great too!). I’m talking about nurturing your mind, body, and soul on a daily basis. It’s about making choices that prioritize your well-being so that you can show up as your best self in all areas of your life, including your business.

So, how can you do this? It starts with creating healthy habits that support your overall well-being. This could include things like getting enough sleep, eating nourishing meals, and making time for exercise. It could also mean setting boundaries and carving out time for activities that bring you joy and relaxation. Remember, self-care is not selfish. It’s an essential part of being able to show up and give your all to your business.

Stress Less, Achieve More

We all know that running a business can be stressful. There are deadlines to meet, decisions to make, and unexpected challenges to overcome. But stress doesn’t have to consume you. By practicing self-care, you can build resilience and better manage the pressures that come with being an entrepreneur.

One way to reduce stress is through mindfulness practices. This could be as simple as taking a few deep breaths and grounding yourself in the present moment. It could also involve finding activities that help you relax and recharge, such as meditation, yoga, or spending time in nature. By integrating these practices into your routine, you’ll find that you’re more focused, calm, and able to navigate the ups and downs of running a business with greater ease.

Lead by Example

As a business owner, you have the power to create a culture of well-being within your company. By prioritizing self-care and openly discussing its importance with your team, you can inspire them to do the same. When your employees see that you value your own well-being, they’ll be more likely to prioritize their own. This creates a positive ripple effect within your organization, leading to happier and more productive employees.

So, remember, taking care of your business starts by taking care of yourself. Give yourself permission to prioritize self-care and watch as your overall well-being, and the success of your business, thrive.

Looking after your business starts by looking after yourself

When I was growing up, everyone told me that in corporate America, there’s no place for selfishness. They said if you want to succeed, you have to be a team player. But I’ve come to realize that we’ve misunderstood being a team player and started believing that we can’t do anything for ourselves. This has led to unhealthy habits that aren’t good for us or our productivity.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s important to be selfless and contribute to your organization. But it’s equally important to take care of yourself emotionally and physically. In other words, it’s time for you to be a little selfish and prioritize your well-being.

Here are 5 ways to take care of your business:

We all have different needs, but there are some things that we can all benefit from. Let’s check out this second group. As someone who’s always busy taking care of everyone else’s needs, it’s about time you start focusing on yourself.

1. Pay Attention to Your Eating Habits

  • Do you eat a lot of fast food? I get it, time is precious and fast food is convenient. But let me remind you that fast food is really bad for your body. It can cause all sorts of short-term and long-term health problems.
  • Are you getting enough vitamins and nutrients? Just eating enough food to stop feeling hungry isn’t good enough. You need to make sure you’re getting the right amount of vitamins and nutrients to stay physically healthy and mentally sharp.
  • Are you drinking too much alcohol? We all enjoy a drink after a long day, but drinking too much alcohol can cause a lot of problems for your body. It can make it hard for you to sleep well, make you forget things, give you skin problems, and even affect your ability to have sex. Try to limit yourself to one drink or less each day.
  • Are you finding time to eat? Being a busy entrepreneur can be tough because there isn’t always enough time to sit down and have a proper meal. Instead, you end up rushing through your meals or eating while doing other things like driving or working. Unfortunately, this can cause some problems. First of all, it can make you eat more than you really need to. Plus, it puts a lot of stress on your digestion.

Your diet really affects both your productivity and your health. If you want to stay focused and do well at work, you need to make sure you eat healthy meals. One good way to do this is to pack your own lunch so you can be sure you have something nutritious to eat throughout the day.

2. Get More Sleep

Getting enough good sleep at the right times helps me function well all day long. When I don’t get enough sleep, I don’t do as well at work or school. I take longer to finish things, I react slower, and I make more mistakes, says the National Institute of Health. Even if I only lose one to two hours of sleep each night for a few nights, it’s like not sleeping at all for a day or two.

Just like eating healthy, getting enough sleep can feel impossible for busy business owners. But it doesn’t have to be that way. If I make it a priority, I can get at least six to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep every night. And it’s not just about the total amount of sleep – consistency matters too. It’s important to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. This helps my body’s natural sleep-wake cycle.

3. Take a Moment to Reflect

When I’m always surrounded by people, I feel like I have to be on all the time. It can be tiring and make me mentally exhausted. The problem here is that I might end up losing my temper or saying something I’ll regret later.

While I may not be able to control how much time I spend with my colleagues, I can make the most of the time I have alone. For many people, this alone time is in the morning or late at night. I can use these quiet hours to reflect on myself. If I’m someone who prays, this is a perfect time for that. If I enjoy meditating, I can use this time to practice as well. No matter how I choose to disconnect from the world around me, it’s important to dedicate a few minutes each day to doing so.

4. Stay Active Regularly

When it comes to staying fit, we all have good intentions but struggle to find the time. But being busy shouldn’t be an excuse. Our bodies don’t care about our schedules or commitments.

So, how can we make time for physical activity? Let’s start by looking at our daily routines. Are there things we do that aren’t really necessary or productive? For example, maybe we spend too much time watching TV shows, reading the newspaper, or mindlessly scrolling through social media. Instead, we can replace that time with just 30 minutes of exercise. It doesn’t matter what we do – whether it’s a jog or lifting weights – anything that gets our muscles moving and heart pumping is better than sitting still.

5. Make Connections Outside of Work

I want to talk about something important – the relational side of things. It’s awesome to have close friends at work, but it’s also crucial to make friends and build relationships outside of the office. This will help you find a good balance between work and personal life.

There are many ways to meet people outside of work. You can join local sports teams, volunteer with nearby organizations, get involved with your neighborhood’s homeowners association, or even organize fun get-togethers with your kid’s friends and their parents.

Take Time for Yourself

There’s something really important about putting other people first. It’s really great, unselfish, and kind — and these are qualities that will help you a lot in your career. But, there’s also a business world that sometimes exaggerates the idea of putting others first. It’s super important that you pay attention to your own physical and emotional needs. And believe me, you won’t start falling behind in your career just because you start adopting a few new habits.

Keep these five things in mind and you’ll start to see how taking care of yourself actually helps you take care of your business. At first, it might feel strange, but you’ll learn to love your new healthy and engaged lifestyle.