Learning to look after yourself as an entrepreneur is something that covers a lot of ground. The fact is that entrepreneurs who are running their own ventures are going to very likely prioritize working hard over their well-being. This is why looking after yourself is not as simple as making more time for yourself, but understanding that to be an effective entrepreneur, you’ve got to look after yourself properly, but you still need to work an inordinate number of hours. The fact is that improving your health is going to improve the quality of your life and make you better at running a business. Therefore, here are a six methods that can make sure you are doing self-care ― entrepreneur style.
Understand You Deserve to Treat Yourself
The first thing that can be a curveball for many entrepreneurs is actually realizing that you deserve to have downtime, a break, or that item of jewelry. Many entrepreneurs think they have to work themselves to the bone and cannot benefit until they have done everything. The fact is, being an entrepreneur is almost like scooping water out of a flooding hole: More issues will come at some point.
This is why you may as well recognize that as long as you have done the things that keep your business ticking over the end of the day, you can afford self-care and treat yourself. Sometimes, it is a very simple thing: Jewelry providers like Wholesale Sparkle can give you a reward for you making it this far, or a massage or takeout at the end of a tough week can be enough to motivate you through. It is critical that when we have a win, we celebrate in one way or another.
Checking in with Your Mental Health
Entrepreneurs can find themselves more vulnerable to common signs of depression, mood swings, or even a lack of motivation. Sometimes the ride can go so fast, we neglect to check in with ourselves. Then before we know it, it’s too late and we find ourselves overworked and exhausted. If you are struggling with your mental health, there is no shame in making time to see a professional like a counselor. However, you must also recognize the value of the things that benefit your mental health in everyday life.
Proper sleep, regular exercise, and other self-care practices are so simple they are almost criminal. Rather than waiting until something happens to your mental health, you are far better at bringing little practice every single day that will make sure you keep on top of these concerns.
Accepting Mistakes
Mistakes are going to occur, and rather than avoiding them, you should take responsibility and learn from these mistakes so you don’t make the same mistake again. However, it will also make you feel better about yourself knowing that you’ve acknowledged these errors and have grown from them. It’s naive for young entrepreneurs to think that they will never put a foot wrong, but this is what delegating and outsourcing are for.
Rather than blaming others for mistakes, being accountable and owning them are very important lessons in humility and understanding. To be a great entrepreneur and leader, you should never shy away from problems. You are more likely going to be judged by your reactions to a mistake rather than the mistakes themselves. Rather than thinking that a mistake is the end of the world, and feeling tense constantly in fear of making one, realizing that mistakes will happen is one way for you to feel freer in your decision-making.
Fine-Tuning Your Assertiveness
To be a better entrepreneur, you have to be confident in your decision-making. Many people become entrepreneurs because they want to have more control over their lives. However, one part of the job that doesn’t come naturally to everyone is being assertive. Some people believe that you need to be assertive in order to be an entrepreneur, but these aren’t mutually exclusive.
Practicing assertiveness has a number of fantastic benefits — not just making you appear more confident. It can also actually reduce your stress levels. When we practice assertiveness, by voicing our opinions and listening, this skill will stop us from feeling like we are any form of a shrinking violet. This also means knowing that you can and should say “no.” This is because saying “yes” to everything is only going to make you feel incapable of delivering on every promise.
Work Smarter, Not Harder
Looking after yourself is as much about how you structure your day. Planning your day is one of the best ways to separate your work life from your home life. You are the entrepreneur in charge of your day, so plan it accordingly. It’s not just about structuring your workday, but you can also plan your day for self-care practices to make sure that you are delivering the best version of yourself every single time.
There will be things that need addressing that you hadn’t factored in. However, when you start to think about these things and how long they will realistically take, stretching in an extra 30-minute buffer can make a big difference.
Switching Off Your Phone
This is a very common suggestion, but in order for entrepreneurs to look after themselves, they must recognize the benefits of taking business emails during business hours. You can only look after yourself properly once you separate your personal life from your professional one.
We all know that we shouldn’t be doing work late into the night. Moreover, we know that using our phones before sleep is going to affect the quality of our shut-eye (as it says on SCL Health). However, it’s also about not feeling that temptation to pounce on an email instantly. This is because as soon as you find yourself checking an email late at night, it becomes a very difficult addiction to break free from.
Final Comments
If you want to do self-care, it’s not just about diet and exercise. It’s also about recognizing your value when you are functioning at your optimum.
