Taking care of business starts with taking care of yourself: your health, your state of mind, and your relationships.
I could tell you that self-care is all about protecting your greatest business asset – yourself – and that you need regular breaks in order to function at your best and achieve business success.
All of that is true, of course, but it misses the most important point: you are more than your business. You have a life and it is worth more than your business. If you’re not treating yourself and your family at least as well as you treat your best customer, there is something wrong with your priorities. Work to live, don’t live to work.
Your health and relationships deserve and need your time and care. If you’re giving them that already, well done. If not, here’s how (and why) to get started.
When the going gets tough, even the tough get stressed.
Let’s face it. It’s been a brutal couple of years. You wouldn’t be human if you haven’t been beaten up by Covid, lockdowns, reopening, back to lockdown, and now traffic lights. And – spoiler alert – things are not going to magically return to what used to be ‘normal’. There’s more pain, adjustment and stress to come for all of us. Sorry.
Stress, as any doctor will tell you, is a silent killer. We often don’t realise how much it’s been affecting us until the pressure has been lifted. Work on relieving the stress on yourself and you’ll be surprised how much easier everything feels.
Plan your breaks like you plan your business.
Book time for self-care and stick to it. Open your diary right now and block out not just a holiday, but an annual medical check-up, and maybe a regular slot for exercise. Working too many weekends? Then block time on weekends for yourself and your family. Skipping meals or not eating properly? Add them in. Identify every area where you are not caring for yourself properly, and create a plan to deal with it, just as you would for any other vital business activity.
Then when someone tries to schedule a meeting or workshop during your self-care time, tell them, ‘Sorry, I’m already booked at that time and can’t reschedule.’
Pretend you’re French. Stay offline.
Have you heard about the new French law that bans emailing and texting employees out of work hours? Take a bite out of their baguette and stay offline during your holidays and downtime. Read a book. Take a walk. Reconnect with family.
Whatever you do, don’t take your work with you when you’re supposed to be getting away from it all.
Then, after your holiday, your weekend, or even your walk along the beach, you can dive back in refreshed, revived, and re-energised. You’ll be surprised by the positive difference it makes, to your business and your life.
If you’re burning the midnight oil and need some time for yourself, get in touch, we can help.
