When some people think of entrepreneurship, they think of lounging poolside at a five-star resort with an open laptop. In reality, starting your own business is countless hours of hard work with little payout at first. When you have a lot of responsibilities and your working on a business, that means you may be tempted to put in those countless hours of work instead of taking care of yourself.
Most entrepreneurs put all of their extra energy into their start-up while neglecting themselves until they burn-out, which is why self-care is so essential for an entrepreneur. You have to know your limits and take care of your needs to be successful.
So, what does self-care mean, how do you avoid burning out, and how can you manage to do it all? This article will be your ultimate guide to taking care of yourself while also striving for success.
What is Self-care?
The most valuable asset you have as an entrepreneur is yourself. Think about it; you’re a self-started business. You are the one that is smart, innovative, and driven enough to take a step towards financial freedom and begin building your dream. You are the one who has to put in the work by yourself to achieve your goals.
“The most valuable asset you have as an entrepreneur is yourself.”
It only makes sense why the most important thing to an entrepreneur should be self-care. Self-care is taking care of our physical and mental health needs. Taking care of yourself usually involves the following:
- Getting enough sleep
- Eating healthy
- Relaxation
- Body care
- Exercise
- Having Fun
Self-care is different for everyone, depending on their circumstances and preferences. The details of your practices aren’t relevant, as long as it keeps you happy and healthy.
What is Burning Out?
Regardless of how passionate you are about the business you are starting, you have to realize that you are only human. You have limitations, other responsibilities, and mental and physical needs.
When we neglect these needs and push ourselves to our absolute limit, it results in us burning out. Burning out is when your health declines due to you spending excessive energy on work and little to no time taking care of yourself.
A burn out is a direct result of poor self-care and overworking. The following symptoms of burning out can range from mild to severe:
- Anxiety
- Illness
- Irritability
- Trouble focusing
- Memory loss
- Stress
- Headaches
You may think you have everything under control, but even a few days of not enough sleep or food can wreak havoc on your body. To avoid burning out which can take days or weeks from your business fit some self-care practices into every day.
Getting Enough Sleep
Sleep for most entrepreneurs ranges from minuscule to non-existent. Lack of sleep is a significant problem for those who need to continue working or taking care of kids in the early stages of their business’s development.
You probably know that sleep allows the body to recharge. What you probably don’t know is that during sleep, your body resets and heals from day to day life.
It may seem like you are getting ahead by working all night long, but you are not. Lack of sleep can cause the following:
- Memory loss
- Sickness
- Irritability
- Fatigue
- Moodiness
You can’t run a business trying to function with the side effects lack of sleep has on the body. So, make sure you’re getting a reasonable amount of sleep every night. You will be able to get twice as much done once you are well-rested.
Healthy Eating and Drinking
You can’t expect yourself to thrive without the right amount of healthy food and water. So, make sure to eat and drink healthy amounts of the right stuff so you can be fit and stay energized while working.
Fueling your body with food containing the vitamins and nutrients you need will keep you healthy. Eating healthy can:
reduce your chances for:
- Reduce your chance for chronic disease.
- Improve your mood.
- Enhance your memory.
- Give you long-lasting energy.
Healthy eating means lots of fresh food, such as veggies and fruits. You want to avoid processed and fried food. Water is also an essential part of eating healthy. Our bodies use the water we drink to filter out toxins, improve digestion, and function normally.
Skipping meals, eating fast food, and drinking too much caffeine can wreak havoc on our body’s immune system. Unhealthy eating habits will also slow you down and make you gain weight.
The effect a healthy diet can have on productivity and happiness is profound. Just adopting a few healthier eating habits will give you more of the energy you need to make your business succeed.
Coping with Stress
Starting a business is tough work. It takes innovative thinking, constant hard work, strict schedules, and lots of time. It doesn’t matter what field you’re in business-wise; being an entrepreneur is stressful.
You can quickly become overwhelmed with all your responsibilities if you don’t learn to cope with day to day stress.
Too much pressure from our daily obligations can cause:
- Headaches
- Hysteria
- Irritability
- Sickness
- Difficulty focusing
- Anxiety
These symptoms can lead to burning-out or you giving up on your goals.
Taking care of your body inside and out and eating healthy will help you to reduce your stress levels. Other things that will help you cope with stress is relaxation, exercise, and having fun.
Finding Time to Relax and Have Fun
Relaxing can feel uncomfortable or shameful if you have work obligations on your mind. The minute you start having fun, you might think about your business and what it needs to keep going. What you may not realize is that what your business needs most is for you to relax.
You get less work done when you’re stressed out. If you do get things done while operating in a stressful mindset, the quality will not be your best.
People view relaxation differently. What may work for you might have the opposite effect on a friend or spouse. Your friend may love going out to dance to unwind while your idea of relaxation is a Harry Potter marathon with your dog. Having fun is a vital part of relaxing and letting go of your stress.
Make sure to find what works for you and schedule a set amount of time to do it during your day. After taking some time for yourself, you will return to your workload happier and more energized.
Exercising Stress Away
While relaxing is essential, you also want to get your body moving. Exercise can combat stress by releasing feel-good chemicals called endorphins into your body during your workouts. Exercising also increases your ability to think critically and improves your memory.
So, if you’re ever feeling stressed a nice long walk or a quick workout routine every once in a while will make a huge difference. It won’t be wasted time either because you will come back to your work more focused and happy.
Body Care
Taking care of yourself usually refers to what is going on inside the body and mind. The outside of your body is critical, yet it might be low on your list of priorities.
Some good examples of body care are:
- Bathing
- Washing hair
- Getting hair cut
- Washing your face
- Shaving
- Brushing your teeth
Not taking care of these needs can lead to insecurity and depression. Taking care of these basic needs above will keep your stress levels at bay, improve your mood, and give you the confidence you need.
What Does All This Mean?
To start a business, you have to work harder and smarter than you ever would have to in a regular 9-5 day job or even working for a company from home. You are the brains, the drive, and the service behind everything that goes into your business taking off.
To get to ultimate success, you have to take care of yourself by fitting in the following practices into your daily routine:
- Eating right
- Drinking enough water
- Exercising
- Getting enough sleep
- Relaxing
- Having fun
- Keeping yourself clean
By completing these every day, you will develop habits that will help you stay healthy and happy on your road to success. Self-care isn’t just a word; it is a crucial part of your lifestyle.
If you tend to prioritize everything above what you need to stay sane and healthy, consider how self-care improves productivity and confidence. You need to take care of yourself if you want to be the best entrepreneur you can be.
The above post was written by guest author Lauren McManus of Create and Go who teaches people how to start money making blogs the right way. Self-care is a passion of hers, and it should be for you as well.