As a business owner, how often do you stop and think about yourself? I mean, really think about yourself. You are always thinking about your business, customers, clients, products, sales records, banking, accounting, shipping, inventory, taxes, and so much more. So how often do you stop and think about how all of this is helping or hindering you? It’s an important part of self-care, yet so many entrepreneurs don’t take the time to care for themselves while running down the dream of successful business ownership. We want to change that. If you are a workaholic business owner, it’s time to start doing more things for yourself. Here are some of the best gifts you can give yourself to make your job as an entrepreneur easier.
More Time
Couldn’t we all use more time in the day? There’s no doubt that you are already overwhelmed with to-do lists and meeting deadlines so how can you possibly think about taking any time off? Giving yourself more time doesn’t mean you have to jet set off to a foreign country for three weeks at a time; it can be reclaimed little by little. Carve out 30 minutes in the morning before you start your day to drink your coffee in peace. Don’t look at your phone. Take 15 minutes around the middle of the day to get outside and take a quick walk and clear your head. You might not be able to take a full hour for lunch, and that’s okay. You’ve got a business to run. So take a few minutes to get out and smell the fresh air. Read before bed – not emails. Read a book that doesn’t have anything to do with your business and remind yourself that tomorrow is another day to get ahead. But right now? Right now, you need a break.
More Space
If you are like most business owners, you are overworked and underpaid and can’t dream of getting more space for your operation until you hit a certain revenue-generating point. Stop right there! There are lots of ways for you to get more space and not break the bank, but you need to give yourself the gift of going out there and finding them. Sure, a good coffee shop is a great place to break away from the shop but getting yourself an outside space that is dedicated to you and your team is even better. Somewhere that you can go alone, or you can bring along coworkers means everyone gets a different view and can be inspired by new and fresh faces and ideas. Consider a coworking space – it’s like Airbnb for office space! You can pick and choose different locations, and it makes it easy for you to move around when you need to. Give yourself the gift of more space so you can have more room to breathe and do your job.
More Help
It goes without saying that the best money you’ll ever spend is to hire good help. Whether you decide to outsource or hire a full staff, more help means more time for yourself. Not only do you get some precious time back, but you also get to let go of some of the things you can’t manage on your own. Every business owner has a growing list of things they wish they could make time for. You are not alone. But it feels like you are all alone because you are trying to do it all by yourself. Give yourself the gift of help and soon you’ll wonder what you ever complained about in the first place. Don’t try to do it all on your own.
Better Tools
Have you ever tried to cut your bangs with dull scissors? It’s impossible and makes a mess. Any job needs the right tools. Whether you are quoting a project for a client or you are putting the finishing touches on a dress you’ve designed for the runway, having the right tools means the job gets done faster, takes less time to correct later, and can do some of the work for you. Investing in quality tools might cost you money up front, but it won’t be long before you are seeing the return on that investment. Talk to your employees and contractors about the products and tools they use to make their lives easier and to buy back some of their own time. Make a list of the ones that are a priority and start looking for the money to invest in your business. Because after all, an investment in your business is an investment in yourself, your future, and your happiness.
If you are starting to feel burdened by your business instead of invigorated, consider taking back some of your own time and energy by giving yourself these gifts. They are simple things you can do to take back control of the life you created for yourself and provide you with the support, functionality, and stamina to continue to lead the way for yourself and your employees.
