Guest post by Emma Grace Brown
All work and no play make Jack a dull boy. This proverb is pretty universal no matter what your title, but is perhaps even more critical for busy entrepreneurs (or really any business leader) who find themselves working around the clock. If that’s you, and you’re realizing the need to step back and take a break to refresh your mind and body, here are some self-care tips to help you get started.
Make time for exercise
Exercise is something that tends to get dropped from busy schedules before anything else. Moreover, exercise is extra important if you find yourself stuck behind a desk for the majority of the day. Choosing to be more active has numerous health benefits apart from alleviating mental stress – which is all the more reason why business owners should do it more. Heading outside for a quick walk or investing in an exercise or standing desk are easy ways to incorporate movement without cutting into your day.
Delegate tasks if need be
Most successful entrepreneurs realize the importance of delegation not only for their well-being but for the overall success of the business. Again, this may require a mental shift, as it’s natural to want to have a certain amount of control over every aspect of your business. However, to do it all yourself would not only be impossible, but this could actually end up being detrimental to your long-term success. So, don’t hesitate to delegate where necessary if you want to work smartly and avoid unnecessary stress at the end of the day.
Use technology to your advantage
If you find yourself never getting around to setting time aside each day for yourself, then why not make use of technology to help break your day up into more manageable segments so that you can take a much-needed breather. Time management apps that can help you manage your day better include apps like Todoist and Toggle Track, for example.
Get ample sleep
While it may be tempting to burn the midnight oil tying up loose ends for projects, skimping on vital sleep is definitely not the way to go about it. Furthermore, getting ample quality sleep every night will ensure you not only feel your best but work at your best too. So, try to cut out all electronics at least an hour before bed, and make sure you pause all notifications until the morning. Unless it’s an absolute emergency, there’s nothing that can’t wait.
Relaxation techniques
Practicing relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, and slower exercising techniques such as Yoga or Tai Chi, for instance, can all aid in feeling healthier overall as well as keeping mentally strong to be able to take on any challenge. If you’re not sure how to get started, there are many online videos and apps that can help you with yoga and meditation. For example, Calm and Headspace are excellent apps to explore if you want to begin a mindfulness meditation practice.
Paying attention to your home environment
Since home is where we get to spend the majority of our time (apart from work) it’s also the place where we should be investing time and energy into making sure that it’s as conducive to our wellbeing as anything else. But this can be challenging if your family is in the same stressed-out headspace as you are.
Therefore, if you want to counteract any negative energy in your home, you could try to make the atmosphere more uplifting and positive by spring-cleaning and decluttering unkempt spaces to make your environment more inviting and inspiring, not forgetting to let in plenty of fresh air and natural light to brighten up a tired-looking space.
Go on vacation more
As a business owner, sometimes the thought of taking a break can seem counterintuitive to staying productive. However, it is exactly these breaks in routine that can help us perform at our best. Plus, with technology at our fingertips, it’s easy to stay connected while getting the rest we need. Need some travel ideas for your next adventure? Our recent blog post discusses some of the best places you can visit if you need a break.
In summary, self-care is crucial for everyone. However, it depends on the person as to how much thought and consideration they end up giving to it. This is all the more all-important for busy entrepreneurs to ensure they are doing justice to themselves for all the hard work and commitment they put in every day to make their businesses a success.
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