Looking after your health is literally the MOST important thing in life.
It might seem like common sense to most people, but it’s often a lot harder to take daily steps to look after yourself and your health when you run your own business.
Especially when you are the be all and end all of your business. If you don’t get things done, they don’t get done and who can afford that?
But in saying that, without a healthy body and rested mind, often we’re no help to anybody, let alone our business. You end up over-stressed, worn-out and the business suffers.
To avoid this and keep things consistent, it’s important to take regular steps for you and your health.
So, here are some tips to get you through:
1. Take regular breaks. A 15-minute walk around the block, a 10 minute stretch or a quick walk around the office/work area. A little bit of fresh air and body movement every 2 hours helps keep your brain at an optimum level.
2. Learn how to manage stress levels. - Breath - simple right? Long slow breaths even while you are doing your work, brings more air to your muscles and brain, alleviating the physical signs of stress as well as mental fatigue - Take a walk along the beach in the afternoon on your way home from work. Better than being stuck in peak hour traffic! - Do an activity after work that you enjoy – go for a swim, have a beer out in the garden, take the kids to the park. Give yourself an hour after work each day to just wind down mentally and enjoy.
3. Food Intake. Swap the caffeine or sugary drinks for an afternoon Vit B drink and a banana. Natural energy stimulants that won’t give you the sugar rush come-down. A more natural burst of energy works better with your body long term.
4. Take a Nap – that’s right, be cheeky and take a 45-minute nap in your lunch hour. You’ll feel rested for the rest of the arvo - but this does take training. Not everyone can wind down quick enough to just nap whenever. But if you can, it’s worth it.
5. Outsource to others. Offload whatever small jobs you can to ease your load. Even the smallest change can make a big difference and maybe give you that time to go and walk along the beach after work. Let someone else close up for the day, finish off those pesky admin tasks or follow up with clients.
Stop making excuses that you don’t have time to look after yourself!
Sacrificing your physical and mental health is not a long-term option.
