When you are building your own business, you need to be at the top of your game 24/7. Many entrepreneurs will tell you one of the first things that takes a hit when they’re getting a business operational and in those early years is your work-life balance and what you need as a person. This neglect of self-care and what your body needs can be massively detrimental and impact your ability to get the job done as required.
Sadly, neglecting yourself and what your body needs can be massively detrimental and impact your ability to get the job done as required. But when life is busy and you don’t have the time to blink, never mind head to the gym for hours on end, how do you support your body and your physical and mental needs?
Take Breaks
Taking breaks is essential. There are actually scientific studies on the benefits of taking breaks and how they are necessary for you and your brain. How long and how frequently you take breaks is entirely up to you, but even 5 minutes of downtime to sit. Closing your eyes and taking a few deep breaths can be beneficial. But ideally, you want to take a complete break, moving away from our working environment and to fresh scenery for at least 15 minutes. It should be something you do at least once per working day. Even if you feel like you don’t have the time, the restorative power of a quick break is all you need to power through and get things done.
Sleep
Your body needs sleep, and you need to be prioritising sleep even if you’re extremely busy. You need to be focused on getting at least 7 hours of good quality sleep per night, and this means banishing devices and work-related activities from the bedroom; it means having a cut-off time in the evening to get to bed and waking up at a reasonable hour, not hours earlier, to get this done Because even if you’re working yourself to the bone, if you’re getting decent night’s sleep each night, your body will be able to repair and rejuvenate you ready for what the next day holds.
Exercise
Getting a business up and running can require a lot of physical exertion from you, and it can be a hectic time. For many people, this removes the ability to get to the gym or head out for a run. But now is the perfect time for exercise to be part of your life. Regular exercise can be beneficial to your physical and mental well-being. From giving you a dopamine rush post-workout to helping you gain more energy for your business and the day ahead, exercise is instrumental in your life, and removing it entirely can be extremely detrimental in multiple ways.
If you are pressed for time, get creative. Chop your workout up into small periods, walk more instead of taking the car, have online personal training sessions instead of in-person ones, adapt your gym workouts to do at home or in the office, and so on. Instead of telling yourself you cannot work out, tell yourself you can do smaller, different workouts slotted easily into your day.
Eat Well
Skipping meals, grabbing junk food on the go, swapping meals for caffeine-based drinks, etc., isn’t going to end well for you. Not only does a poor diet and not drinking lead to your body not getting what it needs, but it can make you feel more lethargic and impact your cognitive abilities and energy levels. Your body needs goodness from healthy foods’ nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, so prioritising your diet when getting your business up and running is vital.
At a minimum, protein should be a priority, as it can keep you fuller for longer and fuel your body properly, stopping you from reaching for snacks. Take healthy snacks to work with you to ensure you get some goodness in your day. The same goes for drinking water and staying hydrated, as this can help you manage your appetite and keep your body growing for longer.
Whether you use a food meal prep service, meaning all you need to do is heat and eat, you use a balanced takeaway service to include healthier foods in your meals, or simply snack on fruit or nuts during the day, focus on giving your body fuel it needs so you’re not compromising on your health by neglecting your nutrition.
Stress Management
Stress management techniques can be your tool in the fight against increased stress levels associated with getting a new business off the ground. It is expected you will be under more stress than you usually will, so managing this stress effectively can be a great way to help you maintain your equilibrium and keep you ready to take on anything your new venture throws at you.
As mentioned above, sleep and breaks are great ways to minimise the impact of stress and take a breather. Other strategies can also help.
Deep breathing techniques, meditation, massages, reflexology, exercise, playing games, indulging in hobbies, and more can be your pathway to reduced stress. Whether you are playing spider solitaire on your phone to help get your mind off your new business, or you are having a long bath with a book, listening to a podcast, or talking to a therapist or friends, find ways you can relax and unwind to help you combat stress and keep the thing running well and too overwhelming.
Prioritise Your Life
Prioritising your home and personal life allows you to keep on top of your responsibilities outside of the business. Spending time living your life and not letting your new business overtake everything else can remind you of what is important and that there are other things that matter. And this can be incredibly grounding and can provide you with a renewed sense of purpose and clarity when things get too much or too hectic.
You need to be the person you were before this started, and you need to still have a life once the business is doing what it needs to do. Prioritising your life and those in it can help you retain this balance and not lose sight of what else is essential to your life to help you stay mentally well and emotionally healthy for what you need to run a business.
Time Management Techniques
Time management routines can be extremely beneficial in helping you prioritise what needs doing and avoid this taking over your entire life. One effective time management technique is time blocking, where you allocate specific time periods for different tasks or activities, ensuring you have a balanced schedule.
Time blocking involves grouping activities and tasks into blocks and assigning theme-specific periods of time to be carried out. For example, if you have emails and calls to respond to, you might want to dedicate 60 to 90 minutes first thing to get this done. If you have a more significant project, allowing yourself 3 hours to focus on this alone can be beneficial. It requires you to restrict and avoid distractions or activities unrelated to the task so you can be methodical and work through everything on your plate.
Multitasking isn’t where it’s at, so you need to set clear boundaries and ensure everything is taken care of to the best of your abilities. Find a time-blocking technique that works for you. The Pomodoro technique, time boxing, day theming, and task batching are all effective techniques to examine to see how they benefit you.