When you start the journey of nurturing your biz, you sometimes forget to nurture yourself. That is what we’re focusing on today.
Let’s explore some great self-care ideas you can do daily to keep yourself happy and healthy – and therefore help your biz thrive...
Because you are the foundation of your biz – so in order to keep it running smoothly, your private life needs to be on point as well.
What exactly is self-care?
“Self-care” is a super trendy term that’s been described as “a self-initiated process to stay healthy in body and mind”. Think of it as being proactive and taking responsibility for your needs.
Self-care encompasses not only basic physical human needs such as sleep, nutrition (healthy, with a focus on antioxidants), and water (hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!)...
... but also mental/emotional needs like social interactions and mental exercises to keep stress at bay.
I polled uber-successful entrepreneurs about their self-care practices…. and I’m sharing them with you.
Top 5 Self-Care Hacks of Successful Entrepreneurs
Hack #1: 7-9 hours of restful sleep
Do you treat sleep like it’s an “option”?
The most successful biz owners prioritize rest and sleep.
Why?
When you get truly restful, natural sleep, your body gets a literal reboot. That means it has time to sweep away what it doesn’t need (including mental, physical, and emotional stress) so you can go after your goals effectively the next day.
If you try to skimp on those Zzzz’s, your body is trying to process yesterday’s leftovers AND the new shiz you’re throwing on top today.
Does that sound like a recipe for success? Yeah, I don’t think so either.
So if you wanna be more productive – and see your biz thrive – make sure you get proper shut-eye each and every night.
Hack #2: Fuel up
Studies show that good physical health contributes to good mental health as well. It decreases depression and stress.
But what really happens when your biz is bustin’ your butt? You reach for fast snacks instead of taking the time to eat well.
When you put trash into your body, you’re gonna get trash out.
This doesn’t happen overnight, but if you find yourself grabbing handfuls of chips, granola bars, or microwaving a ready-meal you got off the shelf at the grocery store, what happens?
he pounds creep up.
- Your belly starts bothering you.
- Your mind gets foggy (which you probably blame on stress instead of your diet).
But here’s a little-known fact you gotta understand right now…
What you eat has a direct effect on your mental health. Yep, it’s due to the gut-brain axis.
Have you heard of “leaky gut”? It’s a new area of science being researched right this very minute.
Long story short, science is showing that what you eat can deteriorate your gut lining. Toxins release from your digestive tract into your bloodstream… which then sink right into your brain lining.
That means you’re coating ALLLL your important brain functions with toxic gunk.
Yeah, not good.
So instead, focus on anti-inflammatory foods that strengthen your gut lining… and keep your brain healthy too.
Here are some good ones to keep on hand:
- Fruits - especially strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and oranges.
- Nuts - healthy fats are important so stock up on nuts like almonds and walnuts.
- Olive oil, tomatoes & leafy greens - mmm now I want some vegan bruschetta.
- Avocado - I mean if there’s ever an excuse for guacamole, here ya go.
- Turmeric - probably the best spice you’re not using… toss it in your cooking, smoothies, or morning latte to sneak in this potent inflammation fighter on the regular.
Remember, good mental health increases productivity and creative thinking so your biz can succeed. So eat consciously… and think of your biz. 😉
Hack #3: Regular mental housekeeping
Check in with yourself mentally… how are you feeling? What’s on your mind? What’s causing you stress? How is your body feeling?
If your answer is: “I don’t freaking know”… then journaling every morning can help you get in tune with your inner world.
Keep your mental house clean. This can mean setting aside time for meditation, mindfulness, fitness, and activities you enjoy.
If this is hard for you to do on your own, there are some really great products and apps that can help you gain peace of mind, awareness, alertness, and resilience.
Take a moment each day to practice some soothing exercises like meditation or deep breathing – and engage in mindful movement.
My fav app is BrainTap, but you can literally google “meditation” and a bazillion free YouTube videos come up.
Another activity I totally love is yin yoga. It’s a version of yoga where you hold poses for 3-5 minutes but it’s about reaching the connective tissues in your body… not the muscles we rely on daily.
Use the time in your yin poses so tune into your body. What are you thinking? Where are you feeling sensations? What messages is your mind throwing at ya?
It’s crazy how often our mind wants to fill the silence. But we need this inner quiet time for insights, creativity, and inspo to flow in.
So practice clearing the mental decks daily so that freshness can come through. It’s gonna elevate your biz game more than pretty much anything else.
Hack #4: Create and actively enforce boundaries
My friend, it’s ok to say no!
I know that’s hard to hear if you’re a people pleaser. But the world won’t end if you aren’t available to do something that’s asked of you.
As entrepreneurs, we tend to overwhelm ourselves by taking on too much – and it can result in burnout.
Which means the biz isn’t going to thrive…
The first step in this boundary process is to actually know what your boundaries are.
What are your non-negotiables? What expectations do you want to set with the people you work with… and yourself?
This could be:
- Firm business hours.
- Not working weekends.
- Responding within 24-48 hours of communication.
- Scheduling personal appointments into your calendar – and treating them like a client meeting (AKA: not skipping them for work).
- Not accepting work below your minimum budget threshold.
Then, communicate them with confidence. People generally will accept your terms… if you share them.
This is the secret the most successful entrepreneurs know. You gotta be your own leader – even if your biz is just you right now.
Do this confidently and consistently… and watch how quickly everyone else falls in line.
Hack #5: Invest in self-improvement
This is prob my fav hack because personal development leads directly to biz development.
If ya ask me, learning how to improve yourself is the best way to take your biz to the next level.
There really is no difference between spending time and effort improving your biz … and improving yourself.
Struggling in your biz? Head on over to the self-help section of the bookstore. You’ll be shocked at how many things there will actually help your biz problem.
For example:
- Learn how to set (personal and professional) goals well.
- Learn a new language (it literally triggers new neural pathways in your brain that benefit your biz).
- Pick up a new hobby (train your brain to think differently and watch what new biz ideas flow in too).
- Conscious communication is a tool literally everyone can use for both personal relationships and biz ones.
- Time management techniques help you squeeze more juice out of every precious minute in your day – learn how to do more with less effort.
Here’s something awesome one of my fav entrepreneur besties swears by… the 5 love languages.
This tool isn’t just for your significant other. My girlfriend has everyone on her team take this quiz during the hiring process.
Why? So she knows what makes them tick. How they feel valued and seen. What triggers the reward center in their brain so she can approach them differently.
This might sound woo-woo, but you know what? She has the least amount of turnover I’ve ever seen in a small biz. Her team sings her praises to everyone and her company has a super high employee satisfaction level.
It’s helped her grow her biz exponentially. Everyone cares about the biz, pitches in to go above and beyond, and feels personally invested in their success.
Pretty badass, right?
And guess where you’ll find that book… yep, in the self-help section.
So if you wanna have a rockin’ biz, you gotta recognize that people are what make it happen. Including yourself.
Know your love language and be able to communicate it to others.
For example, if your love language is acts of service, sharing that will help people give you what you need. Like…
- Proactively take a task off your plate.
- Order you a proper lunch when you’re super crazed.
- Schedule that appointment you’ve been putting off for weeks.
You’ll be shocked at how a little self-improvement and self-awareness goes a long way in skyrocketing your success.
Wanna get even more practical tips for your biz?
You’re gonna hear from over 20 of the most successful biz owners in the world about…
- How to improve sales without it feeling slimy – and without stressing yourself to death.
- The latest marketing techniques and tricks that are working right now – and how to feel confident using them to help more people.
- Improving your leadership skills – so you can guide your biz forward and be a strong mentor to everyone around you.
- How to funnel your prosperity into meaningful goals – and make a difference for the people, causes, and organizations that matter to you.
- Which self-care practices are key for long-term success – so you can feel good in your body, mind, and emotions and be fully present in your life. Without burning out.
- The secrets to making more money so you can spend less time working and more time with your fam.
- Smart wealth-building strategies so you can make more money, have more financial freedom, and create a legacy of impact.
The Uncap Your Income Summit is a labor of love… and the ultimate way to set yourself (and therefore your biz) up for optimal success.
It takes place October 12-14, 2021… and is a completely LIVE event.
AKA no replays.
You gotta show up live if you want to soak in everything the smartest biz owners in the world have to share.
Think of it as a real-life conference… you wanna get the intel, you gotta be there. Same thing here.
And I’ll see ya on October 12 for our kickoff!
XO,
Hayley