We place a lot of value on our clients, our working capital and revenue, our staff, and our marketing plan, believing that our business is built on this solid foundation. While these are all major components that provide functionality in a business, the single most important resource is really YOU. You are the person that is the driving force behind the business. You make it happen because without YOU there would be no business.
So if you’re the most valuable resource, doesn’t that mean that you should be taking very good care of yourself? Hopefully, that’s the case, but more often than not most professionals put themselves last on the list, and instead tend to the many needs within their industry. Being committed to your career is a wonderful thing, but not at the expense of your well-being. If you want to take your business to the next level and avoid burnout, you must practice good self-care.
Let’s look at how self-care breaks down. On a daily basis, eating right, getting enough sleep and exercising are essential. Eating healthy and consistently during the day is key. Avoid skipping a meal, which is a set-up for poor choices later in the day. When we skip mealtimes, we usually compensate by overeating at the next meal in order to make up for what we missed.
Take time out to re-charge your battery. This can range from a mini-break during the work day to a get-away for a few days. Allowing breaks for some fun time helps you connect to yourself in a totally different way. This will fortify you by restoring your energy, your creativity and your passion!
Honor yourself daily by adhering to what you had planned for the day instead of allowing yourself to get sidetracked by various people and events. This will help you avoid getting frustrated and having the feeling of being powerless over your life.
Support yourself emotionally. Have realistic expectations of yourself and stop being overly demanding and critical. If you make a mistake, forgive yourself. Keep the focus on your strengths rather than your weaknesses.
Lastly, self-care requires you to be true to yourself and your profession. Your career and your lifestyle must be in sync to guarantee success. Practice what you preach. Your business principles and your core values must match. A conflict between the two leads to disharmony and internal stress. And you can’t expect your business to grow under these conditions.
Now take this concept one step further by making sure that you model your industry in your own life. For example, if you’re in banking and finance, are your finances in order? Do you have an investment strategy with an active portfolio of accounts? If you’re in the health field, how well do you take care of yourself physically? If you’re in the personal development industry, what new techniques do you learn that foster your own personal growth? Do you follow the guidance that you offer your clients? If you’re in advertising and marketing, how well are you marketing yourself? Is your resume? and portfolio on the cutting edge?
Get in the habit of checking in with yourself periodically throughout the day to make sure that you’re meeting your needs. Then you can make the necessary changes in the moment, so that you’re not feeling drained at the end of the day. Remember your business is counting on YOU!
To your success in business and in life!
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