Running a small business can easily take over your life! Throw in your family responsibilities and life can get crazy. I am here to help with a few ideas on how to find time for yourself.
I’ve experienced burnout and it’s not fun. I had to really start focusing on self care and finding opportunities to take time out.
I’m going to share with you my tips on how you can ‘fill your bucket’ and maintain a healthy balance. After ten years of being a small business owner and twenty two years as a mum of, I think I have finally found the sweet spot!
I guess my main message for you is this : you are important, your health, happiness and well-being is important. We don’t have to sacrifice all that to be a good mum/wife/friend/person. In fact, we can fulfill all those roles better when we do take time out to take care of ourselves.
Don’t forget that by taking time out for ourselves, we role model to our children (and other people in our lives) all sorts of messages and boundaries around about self-worth, self-care, health and wellness and that joy and fun are important!
If there is one piece of advice I could give, it’s to establish a habit of self-care now, even if you don’t think you need it.
If you get to the point of overwhelm, that’s too late! You might think you are doing okay but the stress can creep up on you slowly until one day it’s too late and you are angry, exhausted, miserable and not coping.
It’s so much better to incorporate self-care into your daily and weekly routine as a preventative strategy.
get organised
A little time spent getting organised, setting up routines, minimising clutter and making up meal plans means you can use your time more efficiently and have some time left over for yourself. If you are constantly chasing your tail you will just get more overwhelmed and stressed!
make a list
I often have had unexpected free time and panicked, wondering what exactly I should do to make the most of this precious time? Put things on your list that take from as little as five minutes up to two days so you always have a variety of things to choose from.
What exactly is it that you enjoy doing, what things make you happy, fulfilled and balanced? Are there activities that make you feel refreshed and re-energised?
What one person would think of as self-care or me-time can look totally different to someone else’s and your own definition can change from day to day as well! One day you might need brunch with a friend, another day you might need some quiet time reading a book. Even doing laundry might be just what you need to feel better that day. There are no rules!
focus on what really matters
It can help to get really clear on what the most important things in your life are – like your health and happiness and your family – and allocate your time there. Don’t waste time doing things you hate, spending time with people that drain you, doing things out of obligation or getting caught up in other people’s drama.
outsource
You can get back some of your time by letting someone else do some of your things. If there is something you really hate doing or never have time for, then try to outsource it. Mowing the lawn, washing the car, ironing! Get yourself an awesome virtual assistant to help you in your business (wink, wink).
just say no
Your health and happiness has to come first, so if you really don’t want to do something or you simply just know it will just add to your overwhelm, just say no. You don’t have to explain or make up excuses, you can simply say, “‘No, that’s not going to work for me.”
ask for help
I know this seems so obvious, but are we good at asking for help? When things are getting crazy and you can’t cope anymore, reach out. It really does take a village to raise a child (and run a business), so don’t be afraid to ask when things are getting tough.
find joy in five minutes
Self-care doesn’t have to be a day-spa, a massage or a weekend away with the girls (although, hello, that’s awesome too). Self-care can also can look like regular, small amounts of time to do something relaxing or fun. Finding time to add in a yoga class every week can seem overwhelming, so start small.
Take five or ten minutes to sit and have a cup of tea, do some colouring, meditate, stand outside with your face in the sun, take a quick aromatherapy shower or do some stretches. This is where your list comes in handy!
get up earlier
If it works for you, get up half an hour early and use that quiet time to do something for yourself. Have a cup of tea out in the garden, do some journalling or meet a friend for a walk.
schedule it in and prioritise
Schedule in your self-care. You might put a monthly catch up with friends, a fortnightly date with a partner and weekly solo hours in your diary.
lower your standards
If you are a bit of a perfectionist, burn out can quickly creep up on you.
Soften and allow things to be less than perfect. It’s totally okay to have mess at home, to feed your kids muesli for dinner and not get everything on your to-do list finished.
go to bed early
Use that half an hour before you fall asleep to fill your cup and recharge. Give yourself a lush body scrub, do a guided meditation or just read a book. While social media can be great, it can also zap our energy and lead to anxiety. Create space in your life that is screen-free.
ditch the guilt
Self-care is not selfish! Don’t feel guilty about taking time for yourself. Relaxing and recharging are an absolute must for good health and wellness. We are not robots!
I hope these tips give you some ideas on how to find time for yourself.
I would love to hear from you! What are your tips and strategies for carving out time for yourself?