Self-care is a very big topic right now. After the insane year that 2020 was and us trying to find our feet in the new normal not knowing how long it will last. 2020 came with lessons about what is really important and what is one pandemic away from changing forever. One thing you will always have is yourself and therefore it makes sense to consciously and intentionally do things that ensure you have the best version of yourself available. For people who own and run businesses, this is more important than ever but ridiculously complicated because of how demanding the activity is. So if you’ve been feeling a bit out of sorts or want to prevent yourself from arriving at this unfortunate feeling consider these simple self-care ideas.

Sleep

Getting the right amount of sleep is absolutely critical for you. It allows the body to reset and lack of sleep has many effects on a physical, mental and chemistry level which can affect your performance. The pressure to cut your sleep short is felt more in business circles than anywhere else. We have the 5 am club (early risers), those who avoid sleep to work overnight, those who say you shouldn’t sleep for 8 hours when you could be getting work done and many other groups in there who are against sleep. Add to that the pressure the business itself puts on you and you are in a host of trouble. I’m no medical professional, while they recommend that you sleep 7 to 9 hours as an adult I will say sleep as long as your body needs to. If that cuts into the time you could be working then consider sleeping earlier to allow enough time.

Eat healthily

Eating healthy is a big part of your condition. Yes, we eat to live but in the process, we also have to think about what we are putting into our bodies. As the saying goes, garbage in garbage out. It is important to look at what you eat from a nutritional perspective and how that impacts your performance. While nutrition is important for all ages this becomes more important as you get older. Consider getting more water, increasing your unprocessed food intake, eating more vegetables and supplementing your vitamin and mineral intake to help your body.

Delegation and Automation

Delegation is the process of assigning tasks to others to free yourself up. In running a business you deal with a lot. The solution is to focus on the most difficult tasks or the ones that need your attention the most. This works well if your business has the human resources to do so. However, if your business is micro or solo then delegation may not be available to you as an option. Hence the inclusion of automation here. Automation is the employment of a system that means a task is carried out autonomously of you. So while the use of technology is automation you can also automate through outsourcing. All the parts of a business are important but that doesn’t mean you have to carry out all the tasks.

Invest in hobbies and other interests

All work and no play makes Jack/Jill a dull boy/girl. If you employ delegation and automation correctly you will have more time on your hands. The trap here is that if you’re not accustomed to having the time you will feel as though you are wasting time when you’re not working. This is further complicated when you end up passing the time with activities that entertain you in the short term but may not feel so gratifying in the long term. Hobbies, the right hobbies for you, can help you take time off work and feel like the time is not wasted. Nothing is off-limits here, it comes down to what makes you feel good. Music, cooking, woodwork, baking, gardening and whatever else really tickles your fancy. The most important thing is that you enjoy the activity. It helps with achieving balance.

Connect

We are human beings at the end of the day and humans are social creatures. Connecting with your customers is great for your business. Connecting with friends and family is great for you. It’s great too in business. Whether you got into business to chase your passion, control your financial life or any other reason it is the relationships you have that make it all worthwhile. While you’re at it make some time for investing in your relationship with yourself.