How Entrepreneurs Can Prioritize Self-Care

Writer Julie Morris

As a go-go-go business owner, you’re in permanent hyperdrive, and your well-being has likely suffered as a consequence. Unfortunately, if you continue to burn the candle at both ends, you’ll exhaust yourself both physically and mentally and risk losing what you’ve worked so hard to achieve.

By taking steps to reverse the damage of pushing yourself too hard, you’ll avoid the burnout that has been the downfall of so many overworked entrepreneurs. Here are some self-care strategies for restoring your health and happiness.

Create Time

It’s a simple fact that if you work less, you’ll have more time to focus on your well-being. Yet many entrepreneurs have trouble letting go of responsibilities, fearing that to do so is to relinquish control. Instead, view outsourcing as an opportunity to grow your business by getting key tasks into better-qualified hands.

While you may be skilled at overseeing your enterprise, outsourcing duties like accounting, social media management, and recruiting ensures these responsibilities are handled by professionals with specific expertise. This frees you up to focus solely on the work you do best while adding time to your week for taking care of yourself.

Get Fit

Because experts note that exercise improves everything from your blood pressure to your focus, it’s a critical way to increase your well-being, especially if you exercise outdoors. Yet making the commitment to working out can feel more challenging than many of your entrepreneurial tasks.

If the promise of better mental and physical health isn’t enough to get you moving, focusing on tangible rewards may do the trick. The appeal of taking an extra helping of dessert, fitting back into your college jeans, or shopping for a cute workout wardrobe may push you to head out for a walk or pick up that dumbbell.

It’s amazing how buying a moisture-wicking T-shirt, a stylish hoodie, or a curve-flattering pair of leggings inspires you to hit the gym. The right leggings feel like a second skin, pushing you comfortably and confidently through even the hardest workouts and motivating you to keep moving.

Become Mindful

Although exercise is a valuable component of self-care, intense workouts aren’t exactly relaxing. Yet if you worry that any downtime is wasted time, it’s hard to justify taking even a midday break to regroup. It helps to realize that seemingly productive acts like multitasking actually slow you down, and that practising mindfulness is a smarter way to benefit from a slower pace.

Use some of the hours you freed by outsourcing as relaxation time. At least once a day, shut down your email and put away your phone to engage in meditation or simply soak in the silence and chill.

If you can’t tolerate inactivity, then relax with social connections. Meet up with a friend for coffee or take the kids to the park. Getting away from work responsibilities allows you to live in the moment and truly disconnect from stress.

There isn’t much point to doing well in business if you aren’t physically or mentally fit to enjoy it. Step back from your responsibilities by outsourcing what you can, then use the time you’ve recovered to practice self-care through exercise and mindfulness. By avoiding the burnout that has befallen too many workaholics who’ve gone before you, you’ll be better positioned to truly relish the rewards of your entrepreneurial success.