If you are reading this, you are most likely a small business owner; welcome! This is a safe place 😉 Top priority at Betsy Bash is helping business owners reach their goals happily and successfully.
We are knee-deep in the hustle, bustle, and burnout culture urging us to rise and grind every day. It is so easy as an entrepreneur to get overwhelmed with all of our to-dos that we forget to eat, sleep, shower, or even breathe! If this is familiar, take this as a sign to start incorporating some self-care into your days so that you can keep being your badass self!
There is no way to make all your dreams come true if you don’t take care of you, so we’ve got five tips on how to care for you as much as your care about your business.
Give Yourself A BREAK
We’re sure you have heard this before, “Take time for yourself,” “Breathe,” “Sleep more,” etc. etc., but for real, it is crucial for your sanity. As a business owner, it feels imperative to be “on-call” all the time, but in reality, you don’t need to be. You are the leader, but your business, your clients, and your employees can and will be ok if you put some boundaries on your time.
If you don’t have a “Do Not Disturb” schedule for your phone, get one! Implementing work-free hours will do wonders for your sleep, sanity, and stress levels. You can focus on things that bring you joy outside of work during that time. What hobbies did you have before you started your business? When’s the last time you gave yourself time to enjoy them guilt-free?
2. Make A List
This tip doesn’t seem like self-care on the surface but hear us out. We can guess that you wake up every morning with a cloud of “to-dos,” anxiety, and things to remember. Creating a detailed list of everything that will fill your day or week gives your brain a break from trying to remember every little thing! This helps provide a sense of control and relief because nothing will be forgotten. Research even supports that writing a to-do list before bed can help improve sleep.
We also recommend adding “obvious tasks” to your list, such as “Brush your teeth.” “Take the kids to school.” “Make Dinner.” or “Take a lunch break.” While adding these to the list might feel silly, as you cross them off, it can help you see how your day is filled. Often, we end our days feeling like nothing got done, but we don’t give ourselves credit for all the little daily moments that take time, energy, and effort. You accomplish so much more in a day than you think. And yes, that “lunch break” is productive!
3. Give Back When You Can
A little of the box concept for you… but doing good for others CAN be a form of self-care! As business owners, we can get caught up with the bottom line and the need to ensure that there are enough profits to pay the team and the bills and keep going. Those are valid concerns! But the community you build and support surrounding your business meets those needs. So we encourage you to consider how giving back might actually help you.
The joy, sense of community, and pride you feel when you contribute to causes/charities that align with you and your brand's values can be the ultimate stress reliever. If you’d like to explore this concept more, check out “Finding Success By Helping Others”
4. Make Time For Love
Now, we don’t mean romantic love though that is important too! What we mean when we say “Make Time For Love” is don’t forget to make time for those you love. Self-care isn’t all bubble baths, treats, and naps; it’s recognizing that, as humans, we have a lot of needs! And socialization is a very important one.
Your loved ones want you and your business to succeed in every way possible, but they also miss you! Squeezing in a quick coffee date, phone call, or lunch with your bestie will do wonders for your mental health and should feel just as necessary and productive as the staff meeting.
5. Treat Yo’Self
Save the best for last! YES! Treat Yo’Self life is essential! It may feel like getting coffee every morning is a waste of money but consider the amount of joy it can bring. A monthly massage? Maybe you need it to be your best self for your business! One fancy dinner a week? You should indulge!
Only you can decide what is worth the expense, but we urge you to consider creating a “treat” budget of time and money set aside to bring the happiness into your life that you deserve.
Remember that a well-cared-for, fulfilled, and happy you is the most creative, productive, and successful!