As a busy entrepreneur, self-care may be at the bottom of your to-do list. It’s time that it made its way up the ranks because how you care for yourself has a significant impact on your performance at work and your relationships at home. But before you run a bubble bath and light some candles, you should know that self-care doesn’t have to mean simply pampering yourself. Rather, there are more things you can do both at home and at work to put yourself first.
Personal Choices
There is no doubt that you spend much of your time stressed out. After all, you have a business to run and a family to support. Look for ways to relieve the stress that you carry in your mind and body. Reiki therapy is one of these. Crystal Reiki Wellness utilizes the unique vibrations of different gemstones and minerals to help you align your own energy. Reiki therapy is known to reduce stress and promote creativity, both factors that will boost your productivity at work.
One conscious decision you can make each day to care for your mind is to be aware of your thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Being mindful is more difficult than it sounds, as we are acclimated to simply moving through our days in a predictable pattern. However, Zen Habits asserts that staying in touch with your inner self can help you grow and open your mind. When you learn to maintain an awareness of all things, you put yourself in a better position to react to them without the knee-jerk stress we often feel in times of crisis.
Allowing yourself to be well-rested is also a crucial form of self-care. When you don’t get enough sleep, you may neglect your mind and body. Try to work rest into your schedule by going to bed at the same time every night. If you tend to have a late-day cup of coffee, don’t. You’ll also want to steer clear of nightcaps and heavy meals after about 6 p.m.
Business Decisions
Self-care can happen at the office, too, and not just by taking a walk at lunch. There are many business decisions that can relieve stress. One of these is transitioning your company from a sole proprietorship to an LLC. This can reduce stress as you have the freedom to maintain a flexible organizational structure and, depending on the type of business you run, will experience significant tax advantages so you save money. Your state likely allows using a formation service, and this is a process worth looking into if you have any concern that your personal assets are at risk of business losses.
Another significant decision you can make at the office: firing bad customers. This might sound counterproductive — after all, your customers pay the bills. However, when you have clients that are overly demanding and take up more of your resources than others, it’s time to sever these professional relationships.
If you are concerned that cutting ties will lead to bad reviews, take a proactive step to manage your reputation online and within your industry. This may include boosting your web presence and being ready to answer questions from other customers that catch wind of the issue.
A final business decision to consider is outsourcing “busywork.” Things like filing, sending emails, and making follow-up calls can all easily be handed over to a personal assistant, which may work in your office or as a freelance helping hand. Even if you only remove two hours each week of these time-consuming tasks, that’s two hours you can devote to self-care.
Every positive action you do for yourself at home or at work is a form of self-care. As an entrepreneur, you can’t afford to neglect yourself, and even though it feels like an indulgence, self-care really is an investment. When you prioritize your own health and wellness, you can be a more effective leader no matter where you are.
Tracie Eaves Talbott is the founder of Crystal Reiki Wellness. Consider the reiki sessions on offer as the ultimate form of self-care.