Self Care for Business Owners

If you have ever heard of the saying you cant pour from an empty cup then you already understand why self care is important to business owners. In order for us to do our best and run a successful business we need to make sure we are a priority. Self care is important for our mental health and essential for business growth. Self care is not selfish. Take a look at what I do to help keep my self care in line.

Establish Boundaries- I often hear other virtual assistants talk about how over the top one of their clients can be. Texting at 9pm at night and demanding things to be complete in less time than it actually takes to complete. The first thing that comes to mind is setting the oppropriate boundaries. Being a business owner does not mean that you have to be on call or at the demand of every clients request. You are in control of setting your own boundaries and sticking to them. If a client texts you at 9pm do not reply. Don't even open the text. Simply send an email the next morning remiding the client of your boundaries. If they get upset they may not be a good client fit for you. It is 100% okay for you to enfourse your boundaries and will avoid the road to burnout.

Make Your Schedule Work for You- Being the boss means you are in control of when you are available to your clients. If you want to end the day on Friday at 12pm DO IT. If you only want to take new client calls on Tuesdays and Thursdays then make sure your schedule reflects that way. If weekends are off limits make sure your calendar is completely blocked off during those times. You are in control of your schedule. Do not be afraid to make changes to your schedule to reflect what you feel is best. It took me a lot of trial and error to finally reach the perfect schedule that worked for me not against me.

Morning Routine- I spent years avoiding a morning routine because I was afraid of not being able to stick to it. It is really silly now that I think back. Now my morning routine energizes me. I love having time to myself before the day begins. I love that I can be at a state of calm before I am tasked to make hard decisions. My morning routine is now something I look forward too and cant really function without it lol. I have listed my morning routine below to give you some encouragement and ideas for your own morning routine. I have a systomatic way of thinking so please do not pressure yourself to be so systematic. I know it isnt for everyone. :)

5:30- Wake up start my morning devotion and pray

5:45- Play one chapter of my audio book while I brush my teeth and wash my face

6:00- Journal, mediate, say daily affirmations and practice gratitude

6:15- Start on work. Go though and clean up emails. Start on a blog. Arrange tasks for the day. Prepare for call for that day.

7:30- Makes kids lunch. Food prep. Get them ready for school. Practice gratitude with kids.

8:00- Mindful walk with the kids

8:15- Listen to audio book while I garden

8:45- Make breakfast

9:00- Start on work

Treat Yourself - That's right treat yourself often. When you achieve a goal, give yourself a reward. It doesn't have to be something big. I have an amazon list of things that I want. They are not high priced items but they are something to look forward to. When I get a new client or I sell a program I purchase an item off of my amazon list. It gives me the feeling of accomplishment. It keeps me motivated and allows me to set even more goals. Think of a way that you can also treat yourself.

Say No- This doesnt seem like a self care act but it really is. Saying no can be hard. It almost feels selfish when you say no to something but in reality it is not selfish. It is needed so that you can be in control. However sometimes it is really hard to say know and almost doesn't feel right. For example, I had a potential client call. The client really wanted to work with me but after I asked her all of my standard questions I came to the conclusion that she was just not a good fit for mee and my company. I had to tell her that I could not take her on as a client. It seems really strange to pass up money and a new client but I knew if I said yes and took her on as a client that it just wouldn't go well. I had to be strong and say no to a new client and the money that went with it. I often find that when I listen to my intuition that better things come my way. Like the next call that I had with a potential client. See if I would have taken the client I no to, I wouldn't have had room for the next client . The next client was a perfect fit for my business.

In order for you to be the best you and the best business owner possible you need to put your self first. Not all the time of course but in those little moments that matter. You will see instant results if you put yourself first and trust that the universe is leading you in the right direction.