Why You Need Self-care And How To Get It As An Entrepreneur

Photo via Pexels

Running your own business takes a lot of work, and it is easy to get wrapped up in what your business needs and forget about your own needs. If you're an on-the-go professional who often feels overwhelmed and harried, it might be time for some self-care. Take note of why you need downtime and learn how to fit it in with these tips from ALCHEMĒ.

WHY DO ENTREPRENEURS NEED SELF-CARE?

When business is booming, you might wonder whether downtime is really necessary. Even if business isn't great, there is still plenty to be done if you're a solopreneur. Yet taking time to relax has many benefits, so it's worth penciling in some me time. Here are some of the benefits of taking some time for yourself.

TAKING BREAKS BOOST CREATIVITY

Making time for self-care throughout your day is an excellent way to get a creative boost. Science Daily reports on one study that suggests even "micro-breaks" of 10 minutes or less can help reduce fatigue.

Take brief breaks throughout the day to refresh your mind and recenter your focus, and see how much better you feel afterward.

A RELAXED BODY MEANS A HAPPIER MIND

You already know that exercise is good for your health, but it's good for your brain, too. Exercise helps reduce stress and enhance your mood by producing endorphins. You don't have to hit the gym, either; equipment-free cardio activities are easy to do anywhere.

Other activities that produce endorphins include meditation, deep breathing, acupuncture, and massage therapy, and any or all are great methods of self-care. Try one or more to see whether they work for you.

SEPARATING WORK AND HOME LIFE EASES STRESS

As an entrepreneur, you're probably thinking about work all the time. Even successful business owners need to shut off their work brains sometimes to recharge and de-stress.

One way to separate work from home life is by creating transition rituals as you move between the two. Transition rituals involve intentional routines that you complete to shift your brain into the appropriate gear, whether for work or personal time.

It takes time to develop the habit, and set the right boundaries, but enjoying your downtime is essential for performing your best when you get back to work.

CARING FOR YOUR BODILY HEALTH

As a society, we chalk a lot of things up to stress. While this diagnosis is often right, it’s important not to overlook symptoms that could be warning you about other health-related problems. Make time to visit your doctor, and schedule a time to consult with ALCHEMĒ. They use conventional and natural medicines to identify and treat the root cause of your symptoms.

IMPLEMENT STRATEGIES THAT OPEN UP TIME FOR SELF-CARE

Running a business takes a lot of time and energy. Operating more efficiently leaves extra time for self-care, and helps you stress less. Try these tips to set aside time outside of entrepreneurship.

SET UP AN LLC STRUCTURE

A formalized business structure helps you appear more professional to clients, but it also offers tax perks. An LLC is a popular choice since it limits your tax liability and allows for advantages come tax time. State rules vary, though, so be sure to research your area's regulations first. Then, you can start an LLC in California with a formation service, so you won't need to pay for a lawyer, which will save you money and time.

SAVE TIME ON DAILY TASKS

Making time for self-care is much easier when your work days are shorter. One way to save time is by cutting down on daily tasks. For example, instead of a meeting or a ton of back-and-forth on projects, use a PDF file. You may want to try an online PDF editor tool, which lets you share and edit the document with notes, highlights, drawings, and more. When you’re cramped for time and need to quickly and affordably update or otherwise change a PDF, this strategy may be useful.

Another time-saving measure is creating filter rules for your email inbox. Filters automatically sort your mail so you can find important messages faster.

And when it comes to the personal side of your life, maximizing efficiency around the home is a great way to save time. In fact, you can also practice self-care by using highly rated kitchen gadgets, quality workout equipment in your home gym, and other health-focused products. You’ll first want to visit sites online that offer unbiased and expert home product reviews and recommendations so you’ll be assured you’re getting a good buy.

ASSIGN OUT SMALL TO-DO ITEMS

Hiring full-time staff may not be in your budget just yet, but there's no reason you can't contract some short-term help.

A virtual assistant can work remotely to complete bookkeeping, proofreading, and data entry tasks, for example. According to Mod Assistants, virtual assistants charge anywhere from $20 to around $40 per hour for administrative tasks.

TAKE TIME FOR YOUR NEEDS

Spending time on self-care can feel a bit uncomfortable, especially when you’re used to being the lowest priority on your to-do list. But knowing that your off-hours are helping make your on-hours more productive is a good incentive for making time to slow down. So find tools and strategies to make your life easier, and use your newly acquired free time to care for yourself.