How Self-Care Can Make You A Better Entrepreneur

Self-care Tips for Entrepreneurs – Contributed by Brianna Williams

Running a business is no small feat, and it can be emotionally, mentally, and physically taxing. You cannot show up for others if you don’t take the time to show up for yourself. This is important for your clients, customers, and those who work under you as a business owner. Proving that you can check out guilt-free shows others how much you prioritize your community. Because we all know that the best business leaders are the ones who return to work refreshed. 

While this may seem impossible to some who want to have it all, I want you to take the following steps as a mantra. A promise to yourself to do better. So when you do decide to check back in, you can support your community with your cup full.

Schedule Breaks During Your Work Day

You are allowed to unplug guilt-free. Yes, even you. You have a business to run or tasks to complete, I know. But I said you are allowed to unplug guilt-free. When you run a business or are in charge of a large project, it can feel daunting to take a break. So how do you manage to check in with yourself and out of all the things you gotta do? 

Time it. 

I have learned from working full-time and blogging on the side that I can get caught up so quickly in the excitement of a project that I am working on. Some people genuinely find it hard to stop working past work hours. My first tip for people like this is to time and schedule their breaks. If you are on a deadline and cannot give yourself the whole day or you are just really stubborn and won’t listen to my advice otherwise: time your breaks. 

For 30 minutes, take a walk outside without your phone. Take a snack or a book and dedicate that time to focus on anything else but that long to-do list. If taking a walk isn’t plausible for you, turn on a tv show about 30 minutes long. Live in the moment of enjoying an activity you love that has absolutely nothing to do with your work. Not only does this ensure you are getting necessary breaks, but it also helps you come back to your tasks refreshed. And maybe it’ll even spark a creative idea or two.

Journal

You are probably rolling your eyes at this suggestion, and honestly, when my therapist suggested it, so was I. Yes, I, a writer, did not believe in the power of journaling. But once I sat down and took the time to write out thoughts I would typically tweet on social media, I felt like a weight lift off my shoulders. 

The point of journaling isn’t to magically fix the problem by writing your feelings down. Magic fixes don’t exist. The point is to address your emotions in a healthy way that provides a brief moment of relief. If you are dealing with something heavier than journaling can fix, I highly advise investing in professional help, leading to my next tip.

Invest in Your Mental Health

You cannot pour from an empty cup. That is a phrase we all know and have heard numerous times. It is more accurate than you can realize, especially when running a business or managing a team. You cannot give your company or team adequate attention if you aren’t even taking care of yourself.  

One of the most significant ways you can contribute to a healthy work environment is by being the leading example in taking your mental health seriously. You may think you don’t need therapy or that it is only for people with severe emotional issues, but that is not true. As business owners, some therapists work specifically with entrepreneurs to help them manage the stress of running a company’s day-to-day.  

This would be the only time I would promote spending money on self-care. In doing so, you would be taking care of yourself, your business, and your community too. I know that therapy can be pretty expensive, so I have come up with some resources for those who may need a little help in that department. I recommend Open Path Collective, which provides affordable psychotherapy sessions. 

Again, take these steps as a promise to do better for yourself. Remember, the best way to show up for your customers, clients, and community is to always show up for you.