A Guide to Nurturing your Wellbeing for Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners
Wondering how to do it all, family, friendships, life... while running a business? The juggle is real, we know! In this article, we explore how to look after yourself and prioritise self care and wellbeing as an entrepreneur or small business owner.
In the world of entrepreneurship and small business ownership, the drive to succeed often propels us into a whirlwind of never-ending tasks and responsibilities.
As passionate individuals striving to make our mark, it is easy to fall into the trap of working around the clock, neglecting our personal wellbeing in the process. Without purposefully carving out time for mindfulness in the workplace and wellbeing activities, they can fall to the wayside, leading to overwhelm and burnout.
But here's the truth: prioritising your own wellbeing is not just a luxury - it's an essential ingredient for long-term success and fulfilment!
In this blog, we'll explore practical strategies to care for yourself, establish work-life boundaries, and integrate your wellbeing activities into your bustling schedule.
Why is Self Care Important for Small Businesses?
What are mindfulness, wellbeing, and self care all about? These all involve the deliberate and conscious practices of taking action and engaging in activities that prioritise and promote your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing.
Nurturing your wellbeing and mindfully practising self care is important for everyone, but especially for entrepreneurs and small business owners.
As a small business owner, you are the heart and soul of your enterprise. Your energy, resilience, and decision-making prowess directly impact your business's trajectory. According to a study by Mental Health UK, 80% of small business owners struggle with their mental health.
Neglecting self-care drains these vital resources, leading to burnout, stress, and a diminished ability to make sound judgments. By carving out time for self-care and celebrating the benefits of mindfulness in the workplace, you are not only preserving your physical and mental health but also fortifying the very foundation on which your business stands.
How to Actively Nurture your Wellbeing at Work
Few of us actually mean to let our self care slip, but we are all human. As a small business owner and entrepreneur, you may feel the constant need to ‘do more’ and keep pushing past your limits.
Deadlines, duties, and tasks keep coming, so we accidentally put off those little 'me'-moments and wellbeing activities that are actually vital to keep us physically, emotionally, and mentally healthy.
This is why you need to actively set boundaries between work and play, schedule time for yourself, and remember that not every little thing is an emergency high-priority task.
1. Set boundaries between ‘work’ and ‘non-work’ activities
Boundaries act as a shield, safeguarding your personal life from the demands of your business.
As tempting as it may be to keep working late into the night or responding to emails during family time, blurring the lines between work and non-work activities can have detrimental effects. Not only does it erode the quality of your relationships and personal life, but it also chips away at the time you need to effectively rest and recharge.
If you struggle with setting these boundaries yourself, try setting your devices to turn off or restrict access to certain work tools in the evening (with an emergency override, just in case).
By setting clear boundaries, you communicate to yourself and others that your wellbeing matters. This separation allows you to engage fully in both work and personal activities, enhancing your overall satisfaction and effectiveness in each area.
2. Incorporate wellbeing activities into your schedule or calendar
Just as you allocate time for meetings and deadlines, consciously allocate time for your own wellbeing activities.
Whether it's exercising, meditating, spending quality time with loved ones, or pursuing a hobby, integrating these activities into your physical or digital calendar reinforces their importance and ensures they aren't overshadowed by work-related demands.
Treat these appointments with the same level of respect you would give a business meeting.
Giving your wellbeing equal priority to your work isn't selfish; it's a strategic move that ensures you have the energy and clarity to tackle challenges head-on and make impactful decisions.
3. Recognise the difference between urgent and important tasks (and delegate efficiently!)
As small business owners, it's all too familiar to be swept up in the whirlwind of urgent tasks that demand our attention. However, in the pursuit of success, it's essential to differentiate between tasks that are genuinely high-priority emergencies and those that can wait.
By acknowledging that not everything is an urgent crisis, you free yourself to allocate time for activities that contribute to your wellbeing.
Plus, the "I can do it all" mentality is a common pitfall among entrepreneurs. It's vital to recognise that you don't have to shoulder every responsibility alone. Delegate tasks that can be handled by others. By entrusting others with certain responsibilities, you create space to concentrate on high-priority tasks and devote time to self-care.
Get a Change of Scenery: Connect with Local Resources in Leeds (or elsewhere!)
Just as important for wellbeing when running a small business is the energy and environment we immerse ourselves in day after day.
If you are a remote or hybrid small business entrepreneur, breaking away from the confines of your home office or regular workspace and connecting with others can invigorate your creativity and perspective. This uplifts our wellbeing and keeps burnout at bay.
Coworking spaces offer a dynamic solution by providing a change of scenery and a chance to interact with like-minded individuals. For instance, free coworking spaces in Leeds, such as the Santander Work/Cafe and the Virgin Money coworking space, not only offer a new setting for work but also foster networking opportunities that can be invaluable to small business owners.
Networking and connecting with others who share similar goals and challenges can lead to collaborations, partnerships, and the exchange of insights that might not have occurred within the confines of your usual workspace. For example, the North Affinity Network in Leeds offers a collaboration of dynamic Northern businesses to power growth and development.
Carve out moments to step out, engage with fresh surroundings, and interact with peers can inject a new lease of life into your business approach and, most importantly, your overall sense of wellbeing.
Workshops & Webinars to Prioritise your Time
“The key is not to prioritise what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” _Stephen Covey
There’s lots of benefits of mindfulness in the workplace. If you’re looking for health and wellbeing courses online or in-person, Mind It offers tailored corporate mindfulness workshops, including:
Staying Calm And Productive In Uncertain Times - In the era of hybrid and remote work, both employees and small business owners are having to relearn what it means to be calm, productive, and have a good work-life balance in the modern era. This 60-minute workshop teaches you practical tools you can implement at home to minimise the negative impacts of stress.
Better Managing Your Time - Everyone knows it’s important to manage your time… But how? This 60-minute helps you realise that you do have time, you can make better use of it, and it feels good to take charge and be actively in control of your time management! Activities include managing expectations, recognising priorities, the Eisenhower Box, and 5 Ways to Wellbeing.
For more information on what we do, or to book a workshop, get in touch via info@mind-it.co.uk.
