Business owners are encouraged to focus on their employees…provide financial security plus support good health and safety measures. Owners are also told to be customer-centric and listen to what customers want and need. And finally, owners are advised to be good stewards of the planet. This is all well and good. But business owners often overlook themselves. It’s not selfish to focus on yourself; it’s an imperative to ensure the best “you” is there to run your business. Sure, it’s challenging when you have responsibilities on top of running your business, such as childcare. But self-care is essential and there are some common sense measures to take.
1. Get needed checkups.
Owners with busy schedules may put annual checkups, dental appointments, and other routine health screening on the back burner. If they experience a health issue—a fall, a serious illness—they’ll seek medical help. But otherwise, they may neglect some basic health-related activities that could prevent or minimize potential health issues. Make the time to see health care professionals for routine checkups and testing. You’ll recall that Benjamin Franklin (or perhaps an old English proverb) said: “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
2. Schedule time off.
It’s often difficult for owners to be away from their business. OnDeck reported a number of years ago that only 57% of small business owners take vacations, while Tsheets found that 8.4% take a vacation less than once every 23 years and another 8.4% never take a vacation…but they should. Time off—vacations or even long weekends—helps maintain your physical and mental wellbeing. It may also help to recharge your batteries, giving you new insights, and the strength to see that changes are made where needed. Plan ahead to take time off. Be sure your staff and your customers are covered while you’re away. Decide to disconnect to optimize the time away from your business; restrict email and phone contact to the extent possible.
3. Get enough sleep.
Research from Australia found that the average small business owner gets only about 4.5 ours of sleep each night, which is considerably less than the recommended 7-9 hours. But sleep is essential for good brain function, better concentration, increased immunity, and a healthier heart. How can you squeeze in more hours of sleep each day? Make sleep a priority and schedule the time to do it. Hand off the activities—and worries—that are keeping you from getting the sleep you need. For example, if you’re up doing work, delegate this to an employee or outsource it. There may be added financial cost, but there will be other savings reaped—your personal health and performance level.
Here are some resources to help with time management so you can get more sleep:
- Nifty list of time management tools and techniques
- Scoro list of time management tools
- Time management tools and techniques from Brian Tracy
4. Kick bad habits.
The pressures of running a business can easily let you slide into bad habits. Maybe you’re drinking too much, eating too much junk food, using drugs (legally or illegally) to cope with stress, or staying up late with worry. Or you may suffer from certain bad practices, such as procrastination, micromanaging, or disorganization. What to do: Take a hard look at your habits and actions so you can make changes. What you do to make changes depends on the problem you’ve identified. Bad eating habits? See a nutritionist. Disorganization? Bring in a professional organizer for your stuff or work with a business coach to get and keep you on track.
5. Exercise
Like setting aside time for sleep and vacations, be sure to schedule time for regular exercise. Again, like sleep and vacations, exercise gives you physical and mental health benefits. Regular exercise can help you increase energy and focus, while reducing stress and anxiety. Regular exercise doesn’t require a gym membership or a personal trainer. For example, walking 30 minutes a day can produce valuable health benefits.
Final thought
Maya Angelou said: “As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.”
Don’t ignore yourself. The more self-care you can do, the better able you’ll be to run your business.
Find more blogs written here about self-care for the business owner.
