3 Self-Care Tips For Entrepreneurs
3 Self-Care Tips For The Busy Entrepreneur
As a child, you likely daydreamed about what you wanted to be. As you grew in experience and developed your unique skill set, you committed yourself to a profession, funneled your energy into manifesting your desires into reality. You went through years of schooling – all in the quest to enrich yourself and become an influential force in your profession and the world.
For many entrepreneurs, however, truly committing to your field requires a level of dedication that often goes beyond a traditional education.
The reality for entrepreneurs is that no school or program can prepare you for all that you need to know in order to run a viable business. The majority of learning for you likely comes from self-education: reading books, listening to podcasts, watching videos, and of course, good old trial and error.
I, for instance, studied to be a Psychologist and currently run a private practice. No one taught me how to do this. Graduate programs are notoriously negligent when it comes to preparing their students for life after graduation. When I was in-between finding administrative support, I had to get on YouTube and watch tutorial videos on how to post blogs to the back-end of my website. I had to be creative and use skills that I did not learn as part of my studies to adequately run my business. I had to go above and beyond to build my practice from a vision to reality.
The life of an entrepreneur requires you to work long hours, to be responsible for both the mission and the logistics behind your operation, and, perhaps most importantly, to be your own advocate.
Part of advocating for yourself as an entrepreneur means knowing when and how to tend to your personal needs. When you wear many hats, implementing a self-care regimen is imperative for the sustainability of your personal and professional success.
Here are some quick and easy tips on how to prioritize self-care if you’re a busy entrepreneur:
SELF-CARE FOR ENTREPRENEURS, TIP #1: Learn how to outsource and reclaim your time and energy
As an entrepreneur, your business is your baby; it can be hard to trust other people with it. At the same time, we must recognize our strengths and our weaknesses. Sometimes there are people who are better equipped to handle specific aspects of our business, and we would do better to loosen the reigns and let them help. Outsourcing to professionals with a different expertise than your own – whether that be graphic design, content production, social media, etc – is not only super efficient for your business, but also for your well-being. Hiring help allows you to step back and channel your energy where it is most needed, and spend your newfound free-time pouring back into yourself through self-care. Relax, catch up on sleep and check in with the physical state of your body.
Rest assured in knowing that it takes a team to build a successful business. When the boss is taken care of, the business thrives.
SELF-CARE FOR ENTREPRENEURS, TIP #2: Streamline your operations for efficiency
Sometimes, onboarding new employees is not a viable financial option – that’s okay!
If your business is a one-person show, there are still ways to streamline your processes for efficiency that will help you reclaim your time for self-care.
Look into social media scheduling apps such as Planoly or Hootsuite. These sites will help you with social media management so you can spend less time posting and writing captions, day to day, and more time focusing on the bigger picture. You can also look into email listserv services such as Mailchimp to help with customer or client engagement and marketing. While these may sound like small adjustments, they will save you a lot of time that can then be poured into yourself.
SELF-CARE FOR ENTREPRENEURS, TIP #3: Invest in a therapist, performance coach, or mentorship program
Even bosses need direction sometimes. Being the captain of an operation is tough work, and even tougher when you isolate or try to handle everything on your own. Explore the option of working with a therapist, performance coach, or mentor who has lived through building a business to help increase your self-awareness and self-care practice.
By pouring into yourself, your pour into your employees, your business, and your future.
From financial struggles to self-doubt, from burnout to burning through the pain, entrepreneurship can be a lonely road, but it doesn’t have to be. Sitting down with a seasoned entrepreneur or performance coach is a wonderful option for support. I myself offer entrepreneur, start-up, creatives, and venture capitalist performance coaching for professionals and I find it incredibly inspiring.
Self-care is a personal practice; we all have different methods. Whatever self-care looks like for you, it is of the utmost importance. Remember, we don’t get to opt out of taking care of ourselves simply because we’re busy. If anything, the busiest people often stand to gain the most from prioritizing their emotional health and overall well-being. Take care of yourself; take care of others and take care of business.
ARE YOU AN ENTREPRENEUR IN NEED OF GUIDANCE OR SUPPORT? ARE YOU FEELING OVERWHELMED BY THE UPS AND DOWNS OF BEING IN BUSINESS FOR YOURSELF?
Call Dr. Logan Jones at 646.798.8354 for a complimentary phone consultation.
Dr. Logan Jones is a psychotherapist and performance coach in Manhattan. He specializes in helping entrepreneurs maintain their stamina while navigating the demanding world of business. If you would like to feel more grounded in your professional endeavors, feel free to contact Dr. Jones today.
Follow Dr. Logan Jones on Instagram for more daily inspiration: @drloganjones
No matter what you’re going through, whether depression, anxiety, or PTSD, there is hope. If you are looking for therapy in NYC his psychotherapy practice is located in central Manhattan near Flatiron, West Village, NoMad Chelsea, or Union Square.
