You know the moment when you realize it is 2:30am and you can’t remember saying goodnight
to the kids? Maybe you can’t remember the last time you ate or you didn’t return your mother’s
call, and yet you still have three proposals to finish before you can even THINK about sleep!
Been there, done that and bought the t-shirt several times! Every stager—every
entrepreneur—in the early stages of business development is seduced by the power and magic
of achievement! They manage the day on adrenaline, believe “someday” they will be able to
ease off, and go without sleep: WRONG!
When I am coaching stagers, I often hear how guilty they feel. Guilty because they aren’t
present in the lives of their children, their spouse, their family. They have dropped the friends
they had and totally forget about having a manicure! The reason? NO TIME.
You do have time. We all have time. Each of us has 168 hours a week. The point is that
planning some “ME TIME” is crucial. Time is our most precious resource, and it is NON-
RENEWABLE!
We all have the same amount of time every single day. We can’t store it, trade it,
or keep it for a day when we need extra hours! We live as if we are invincible! So, to
compensate for guilt, we forfeit care for ourselves. Working like we will never need our batteries
recharged, like we will live forever and like we will be able “at some point” to fix it all. I
remember flying back from the West coast I would always think “Wohoo! 27 hour day!” The truth
is when you ignore you, your body will betray you and the universe says, “OK, deal with THIS.”
Then, you come crashing down with a terrible flu, chronic injury or worse. Can you relate to
this?
Business owners rarely speak about how they manage it all; how they cope with a bad diet, no
exercise, no sleep and frankly, no life. Self-Care isn’t a coffee in the morning, Red Bull through
the day, and wine before bed! Entrepreneurial self-care is simply being a good steward of the
amazing blessing you were given…your body.
What does great self-care look like? Respect and honor for self. Self-care comes from a place
of loving yourself and others. It positions you to live a powerful life as well as give impeccable
customer service!
When you take good care of yourself, you’re empowered and energized to take good care of
others. When you make time for enough deep, relaxing sleep, fitness, nutrition, boundaries,
hobbies, and healthy relationships, those priorities become your foundation. From there, you
can build a great life and maintain a satisfying career. Self-care helps us intentionally navigate
life at a pace that is sustainable and livable. In fact, one of the secrets to that ever elusive
success you are chasing is conscious, deliberate, planned self-care.
Here are five things you can do which will change your life:
1. BREATHE:
Everyone does it, but I am talking about consciously breathing in slowly to the count of seven,
hold for five and release to the count of seven. Do this two or three times, every hour you are
working. It will quiet the mind, improve your ability to focus, slows the heart and stabilize blood
pressure.
2. EXERCISE:
I heard some people at #RESACON2018 say, “I don’t need to exercise I walked 15,000 steps today
staging!” MAN, THAT IS WORK!
On top of which, too much stale air can actually decrease productivity. Even if you work at
home, go out into the garden when talking on your phone or sit on your balcony. Get outside, do
something fun. It could be yoga, walk in nature, play with the kids/dogs and/or stretching.
Regular aerobic exercise boosts the part of the brain responsible for memory and learning.
Studies show that people perform 50% better on problem solving tasks when they have had a
three-day break in nature. Nature turns off the stress response which means lower heart rate,
lower blood pressure, lower cortisol levels and improved immune response. If you can’t take
three day breaks every month, at least plan one per quarter. PLAN it. Put it in your calendar and
get away or just switch off and go out to nature. Treat the appointment with yourself like you would a
valued client.
3. TREAT YOURSELF:
A spa I frequent has a membership. Initially, I thought “Wow, what a great idea!” It would make
me come every month. Then I thought, “Oh I can’t do that. I cannot guarantee I will have time!
ARGH!” I joined up and am now making the time to go. It is a little space I know is carved out for
pampering.
Mini ME-cations
Many entrepreneurs see holidays as extra hours they can “get ahead”, but without taking a
break, mornings blend into days, days turn into weeks, blend into months and before you know
it you don’t even know what date it is. Your life becomes one long work session. Holidays break
up the day in- day out grind. If you can’t take a day, take a morning. If you can’t do that right
now, take an hour. And yes, you can take an hour!
4. LOVE YOUR WORK SPACE:
When you work at home, it is vital to have enough delineation between personal space and
work space. In addition to my business office space outside of my home, I do have a home
office in my basement. My husband is always encouraging me to move it upstairs to a spare
bedroom, so I can see the garden. I won’t do that because as I climb the stairs from the
basement, I leave work behind. Make your space pretty and functional. Paint and/or add art,
flowers/plants, a cozy chair, lamps and a rug. Make it look and feel great. It is also a visual
impression for you about your business success. It affects your psyche.
5. EAT THE RIGHT STUFF:
When you are busy, eating right seems like another stress factor. So, you grab a muffin or a bar
on the way. High carb food like pasta/muffins release glucose too quickly making you peak
before crashing. High fat foods like burgers and fries reduce oxygen to the brain and sap energy
because the digestive system has to work overtime to process the food. Your food choices have
a direct impact on cognitive performance, your business success! Avoid poor choices by
planning ahead. Prepare healthy snacks! Eating vegetables and fruit actually impacts
engagement and creativity at work! it is true…and don’t forget water!
One simple thing I do and love receiving every morning is my message from the UNIVERSE
(www.tut.com) Low and behold this one arrived the other day:
NOTE FROM UNIVERSE
Be there. Go there now and never leave. Imagine that your dreams have already come true.
Live your life from that mindset. Predicate your behavior on that reality, not the illusions that now
surround you. Filter every thought, question, and answer from there. Let your focus shift and be
born again – because dwelling from, not upon, the space you want to inherit is the fastest way to
change absolutely everything. See the difference? The Universe
P.S. All together now “Because dwelling from, not upon, the space you want to inherit is the
fastest way to change absolutely everything.”
In my classes, I teach students to imagine the success they want and work from that point of
view. Conduct your sales meetings, phone calls, marketing outreach as if you already have that
business, but don’t forget also to have a life. When I turned 60 I had a health scare that
reminded me how preciously short, life is.
Taking time to do the simple things that bring pleasure and joy are so important as you build
your business. So take time for you! I just booked a massage for me. This past weekend, I did
all of the things that bring me moments of joy: went into the garden, sat by water, watched birds,
cuddled grandchildren, relaxed, turned off phone, watched a movie with hubby, and all of the
above (Ok, not the exercise). What about you?
If you’ve been neglecting your own self-care, take time right now to course correct.
What do you need to add to or delete from your calendar? Do it now.
Who will you need to say “no” to? Do it today.
The sooner you make self-care a priority, the sooner you and your customers will reap the
benefits and rewards.
Ask yourself: Which area(s) in my life need more self-care than I’m currently giving it right now?
- How to Avoid Stager Burnout - February 7, 2022
- Change Your Mind, Increase Your Business, Improve Your Life - December 12, 2019
- The Dilemma of Ethics - October 10, 2019
