How to prioritise your own wellbeing whilst running a business
Introduction
You made the decision to run a business but something does not feel quite right. Maybe your priorities have changed.
Without you knowing, your business now always comes first. At times, this means your wellbeing can get pushed aside.
Perhaps this is not intentional, but it happens gradually over time. Maybe you convince yourself that there ‘are not enough hours in the day.’
But what is the cost of neglecting your own wellbeing?
Your wellbeing shouldn’t feel like something you have to sacrifice to keep your business running.
Why wellbeing takes a back seat
Running a business is hard. There is no doubt about that.
No matter what business you run - a hairdresser, a plumbing business, a healthcare professional, or a café, it is likely that you have an increase in responsibility.
This extra responsibility can soon turn into added pressure.
Your business needs you, and everything feels urgent all of a sudden. Your attention may be torn between clients, admin, finances and marketing.
You’ve put expectations on yourself and you are determined to run your business with all the energy you have.
Boundaries begin to blur, and structure starts to crumble. There is no time for anything but your business.
The Consequences
You may be thinking that you are doing the right thing by your business now. But the consequences of not prioritising your own wellbeing can sneak up on you.
One of the main consequences is burnout. A word I am sure you have heard so many times recently but feel like it would never happen to you.
Burnout is “physical, emotional or mental exhaustion, accompanied by decreased motivation, lowered performance and negative attitudes toward oneself and others,” as described by the American Psychological Association’s Dictionary of Psychology.
This gradual build up of exhaustion can suddenly hit you and your wellbeing will suffer immensely.
As well as burnout, you may begin to feel resentment towards yourself and your business. If all your time is spent on your business and you get no time for yourself, you may feel disconnected from your business as it is taking over your life.
This all leads to a reduced quality of work. How can you possibly keep running on burnout and meet your expectations?
It’s a reminder that your wellbeing isn’t something to push aside, it’s something that needs to be protected.
The shift
It is not about building a perfect ‘work/life balance’. Your wellbeing isn’t separate from your business.
A business is not built overnight. Systems need building. Jobs need allocating. Research needs conducting. This all takes time and it needs you to keep things running. Your business depends on your capacity.
Integrating your wellbeing and business together can optimise your health and in turn optimise your business.
If all of your energy goes into your business, with nothing left for yourself, it becomes difficult to sustain anything long-term.
Don’t let your business become a burden and sacrifice your wellbeing. Structure protects your wellbeing in ways you don’t always notice. Support creates space where everything once felt heavy.
And systems reduce the pressure of holding everything in your head.
What prioritising wellbeing actually looks like
When you have forgotten about your wellbeing for such a long time. It can be difficult to even know where to start. But that’s okay. It is never too late to shift your mindset and take care of yourself.
Some of the most successful businesses will almost always have clear boundaries in place. Why is this important? Because it gives you peace of mind, knowing what your business stands for and what you are willing to sacrifice in order to make things work.
Without boundaries, mental energy can be wasted on decisions which should be in place from the very beginning.
For some, that might look like protecting an hour in the evening for something personal, time that isn’t negotiable.
Another element of prioritising your wellbeing is having a realistic workload - are you in a mindset to take on a 60 hour week or do you need support to ease the pressure?
Don’t be afraid to reach out - consistent support means creating stability around your business, so everything doesn’t rely on you.
Being aware of your own capacity means running at a level that will minimise your risk of burnout.
Closing
You know you and you know your business. It is simply about understanding what is sustainable for your wellbeing.
Calm businesses will always have structures in place and clear boundaries set. Without this, something will be sacrificed, and usually that is your personal wellbeing.
It is all about long-term thinking, how will your business evolve if you are running on burnout? Burnout isn’t something you can sustain long-term.
Take this moment for yourself. Give your own wellbeing that extra 10% and you will not only see improvements in you, but growth in your business.
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you”
