Self care for new entrepreneurs

While many people subscribe to the belief that hustling is the only way to succeed in business, it’s entirely possible to have a sustainable and life-giving entrepreneurial experience.

Here are 3 ways to take care of yourself in the context of your business, especially if you’re new to the world of entrepreneurship:

1. Taking space from your business will benefit you and your mission

While it’s tempting to work all the time when you’re building a business, creating space for replenishment and revitalization will ensure you remain inspired and well-sustained as you move forward. We often believe that taking time away from work will stunt our growth in some way, but in my experience, it’s always the opposite.

Every time I’ve intentionally stepped away from my business, I’ve been flooded with new creative ideas, decisions I’ve been struggling to make became clear, and my next strategic steps were obvious when I returned to work. Playing hooky from our businesses (whether it be for a few hours or a few weeks) can be incredibly clarifying and regenerative.

Here are a few examples of how you can create spaciousness as an entrepreneur to fuel both yourself and your business:

• Block time in your calendar for a lunch break every day

• Carve out time at the end of each day to wrap everything up and decompress 

• Keep Monday mornings free of client meetings so you can prepare for the week

• Dedicate Friday afternoons to wrapping up the week instead of taking more meetings

• Dedicate one day each month to playing hooky from your work

• Do something rebellious like taking a bubble bath in the middle of the workday

• Schedule dedicated time off for personal revitalization and replenishment

• Schedule vacation time at the beginning of the year and plan your business around it

• Include a note in your email signature about your upcoming time off

2. Intentional practices and rituals will ensure your entrepreneurial journey remains sustainable and vibrant

In addition to creating spaciousness in your schedule, it’s equally important to consider practices and rituals that will keep you emotionally, spiritually, and physically nourished as you continue moving forward on your entrepreneurial path. Your business is a direct reflection of your well-being and what’s good for you will undeniably be good for your business over the long term.

As you grow and expand as a new entrepreneur, start thinking about experiences that make you feel well and whole. Do certain morning practices like yoga or meditation help you feel grounded as you transition into your workday? Does a specific diet or meal schedule throughout the day make you feel the most energized? Are there certain support systems you can tap into like a coach or therapist who will help you expand into your greatness?

It’s also important to think about how your practices will change and evolve seasonally. In Ayurvedic medicine, for example, practitioners recommend consuming different foods as the seasons change. As you begin to build your repertoire of self-care practices, consider how they might evolve and change with the seasons.

The following questions will help you make restorative practices and rituals part of your entrepreneurial experience:

• What practices, rituals, or routines help you show up as your best in business?

• How can you make these practices a non-negotiable part of your experience?

• Is there anything you need to start doing that will benefit you and your business? Is there anything you need to stop doing because it’s taking away from you and your business?

3. Boundaries will help you stay true to yourself and expand your business with more ease

In order to avoid falling into the trap of hustle culture, establishing solid and enduring boundaries will help you grow your business intentionally, uphold your values, and ensure you’re not compromising on the things that matter to you.

Let the following questions guide you in creating healthy boundaries:

• What boundaries do you need to create and uphold with team members, customers, clients, family members, co-founders, industry collaborators, etc?

• What are your boundaries when it comes to your time? When are you available? When are you unavailable?

• What are your financial boundaries? Where will you cap your expenses each month? What is the minimum amount of revenue you need to earn each month?

• What are your social media boundaries? Where do you draw the line when it comes to creating and consuming online content?

Taking space from your business, developing a repository of practices and rituals that keep you grounded, and establishing meaningful boundaries will ensure your entrepreneurial experience remains vibrant and sustainable. If you want to dive deeper and create a tangible plan for lasting success and fulfillment, we created Bedside Business Plan: A guided journal for entrepreneurs to help you move forward with more ease and intention.