5 Ways to Practice Self-Care as a Female Business Owner
Balancing work and life can sometimes be a difficult thing to do, and that only gets harder if you’re an entrepreneur. You’re already wearing multiple hats likely at work and at home. But the importance of self-care can’t be ignored, it’s something that every career-driven female and entrepreneur need to be sure they address.
Self-care doesn’t have to mean spa days and weekends away. It can be as simple as drinking enough water and eating healthy. Don’t get so lost in the world of business that you lose yourself in the process, both you and your business will suffer if you do.
We’ve put together a list of ways to practice self-care as a female business owner. These ways will not only help to prevent the inevitable burnout, but you’ll also feel so much better.
Create Healthy Habits
We’re not telling you anything new. You know this is what you need to do. Creating healthy habits is easy; keeping them is the tricky part. A new habit can form in as little as 18 days, but if you want that habit to become part of your lifestyle, it will take about 66 days of sticking to it (ominous number, right?).
These “healthy” habits can start anywhere from eating healthier or meal prepping, practicing meditation, reading before bed, even practicing breathing techniques for 15 or so minutes. You may think you “don’t have the time,” but how long do you spend on social media the moment you wake up?
Exactly, you have time – you just have to use it wisely.
Once you’ve adopted these new routines, make sure you are consistent. You want these habits to fully form. Don’t overwhelm yourself with all of these changes, though. Take it slow and gradually incorporate them into your daily schedule. Not everything works for everyone either, so find what works for you and get to it!
Make Time for Yourself
Following in the shoes of creating healthy habits, create some time for you (and yes, this can be one of your new habits). Taking time for yourself is not selfish, and you should never feel guilty about it. It’s your body and your mind, and how you treat those is incredibly important and will reflect in all areas of your life.
Have some quality “me time” each day. Instead of talking on the phone in the car, put on a motivational podcast or your favorite album. While you’re in the shower, do some reflections or daily affirmations. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
When days aren’t as busy as usual, take the time to do something you enjoy. My favorite is reading or making art, or sometimes writing in a gratitude journal. Some other ways to make time for yourself includes going to the gym (even if it’s just for 30 minutes), taking a walk, taking a bath, getting a massage, even just binging a little Netflix.
Get Ready in the Mornings
As an entrepreneur or business owner, you likely get a lot of time to work from home. This makes it easy just to wake up and get right to it. Sometimes, though, taking a morning shower, doing your makeup, etc. is your little “me time” and time to spend with your own thoughts. You’ll likely feel better and more productive. Plus, if anything happens and you need to leave the house, you’re already ready to go!
Don’t Be Afraid to Say No
As an entrepreneur, you likely feel like you have to say yes to everything. You don’t. And you shouldn’t be afraid to say no sometimes. You shouldn’t take on more than you can handle.
Saying no isn’t rude, and it isn’t going to hurt someone’s feelings – or cause you to lose a client. Simply explain why you are saying no. If they don’t understand, then they’re not someone that should be in your life to start with.
You can also say “no” at home. After working all day, you probably don’t want to go grocery shopping or cook a giant meal. And that’s okay! It’s 2020, and we’ve got services to help us with the little chores and tasks that sometimes are just too much. Check out these apps and services that can make your days easier.
Celebrate
You should celebrate both big and small wins. If you feel proud of yourself or your business, celebrate it! It doesn’t have to be a giant party. You can simply enjoy a night out, a good dinner, or even a hot bath with a glass of wine – whatever you want to do. Treat yourself!
As an entrepreneur, it can be easy to look over your accomplishments or expect others to celebrate for you. Once you get out of that mindset, you’ll feel so much better! Set small and big goals for yourself and watch yourself and your company smash them. And as you do, celebrate them however you like!
We hope these tips can help prevent you from burning out and get you on the right track of not only being an incredible female business owner but being a healthy one too!
What are some ways you practice self-care as an entrepreneur? Let us know your tricks in the comments below.
Alyson Pittman is a contributing writer for WBD and a JR marketing associate for Excite Creative Studios, an Atlanta-based creative agency.
Alyson graduated from Kennesaw State University with a Bachelors of Business Administration and a concentration in Marketing. She was in multiple organizations at KSU where she held leadership positions. As a part of the Delta Phi Epsilon Sorority, Alyson held the Social Coordinator position and planned/promoted large events.
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