Why Is Self-Care Essential for Business Owners?

Learn to look after your self-care needs as a business owner to create a thriving business and the success you desire

One of the main reasons I became a business owner was because I wanted life balance. I used to feel stressed, burned out and suffered from a lack of energy, and after burning out multiple times in my 9-5, my aim was to build a business with balance. 

I know you might be thinking that you just don’t have the time for self-care in your already hectic schedule. I understand how easy it is to prioritise getting things done and completely neglect self-care as a business owner. However, self-care is essential for us business owners to be able to build a sustainable business. 

Dedicating time to self-care will make you feel so much more energised, productive, and more positive throughout the day. When you look after yourself, you’ll feel revitalised and more connected to yourself and your business. Your schedule won’t feel overwhelming and you’ll complete your everyday tasks with ease. 

Looking after my own self-care needs has resulted in such a huge shift for me, and for my one-to-one clients. I know how much of a difference self-care can make so I’ve noted my top self-care tips below.

The mindset shift towards self-care

I used to view self-care as a luxury but the reality is that it’s a basic human need. As a business owner, it’s imperative to look after your self-care needs to create a thriving business and the success you desire. 

If you look at Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, presented in the infographic below, you’ll notice that only when you have met your basic needs are you able to self-actualise and become the very best version of yourself. Taking care of your basic needs provides the foundations for you to reach your full potential.

If you ignore your basic needs, it will have a direct impact on how you serve your clients, and ultimately how much success you create in your business. When you take care of yourself, you’ll be able to show up with inspiration and authenticity every day. When you give yourself what you need first, you have more time and energy to truly serve others. 

I often hear people say that they don’t have time for self-care but it actually makes you more productive. So, making time for yourself actually buys you back time because you can do things more efficiently and effectively. 

As a business owner, you work for yourself and you get to make the rules. When you start to step away from the hustle and the “doing”, you can start to enjoy the process and find more freedom and fulfilment in your work. 

So, start making time for looking after yourself and make self-care a priority with simple daily practices. There are a number of different ways to incorporate self-care into your every day and you definitely don’t need hours for your self-care routine. 

How to create a self-care routine as a business owner?

1. Tailor your self-care plan

Remember that an effective self-care plan should be created by you, for you. Your self-care doesn’t have to look like anybody else’s. Take the time to connect with yourself and what it is that you need more of at the moment. 

Here are some examples of self-care activities you might want to try: meditating, journaling, repeating affirmations, setting boundaries, exercising, drinking water, sleeping, decluttering your home, going for a walk in nature or calling someone you love. 

Your self-care needs may change so keep connecting with yourself to make sure you’re giving yourself what you need. Adapt your plan as necessary and honour your needs. 

When you’ve effectively tailored your self-care practices for you, they won’t feel like one more item on the to-do list anymore. Connect with what it is that’s going to bring you joy and wellness in your daily life. You’ll also be more likely to keep up with your self-care when it doesn’t seem like a chore. 

2. Plan for challenges

If you know that you’ve got some challenges ahead and you may not be able to dedicate as much time to self-care, plan ahead. Make sure you’re prioritising your self-care. 

I understand how easy it is to skip self-care when you have a busy day ahead and you feel like you don’t have the time. However, self-care is about learning to put yourself first and starting to view it as something that’s just as important as client calls or other things in your business. 

3. Take small steps

You don’t have to tackle everything at once. By taking small steps you’re more likely to continue caring for yourself in a sustainable way. So, I recommend starting with 1-3 practices you feel most called to do and adding to your routine through the coming weeks and months. 

When you start a self-care practice, you are rewiring old and unhealthy patterns, and the best way to do this is by starting slow. Remember that the goal is to build a sustainable habit and that you don’t have to include lots of self-care activities when you’re just starting out. 

4. Schedule time to focus on your needs

Create some time for yourself in your daily routine. I recommend creating short self-care sessions throughout the day. Perhaps you start with quick morning, lunchtime and evening routines. You’ll notice that by taking small breaks throughout the day you are able to operate much more effectively. 

Start to check in on how you feel throughout the day. Then, give yourself what you feel you need that day. Do something you enjoy. Perhaps it’s a meditation to quiet your busy mind or finding some inspiration from listening to a podcast. 

I am so excited to share that I’ve created a beautiful self-care e-book to make it as easy as possible for you to add more self-care throughout each day. So, for a copy of these tips and to try my 7-day self-care challenge, keep reading to download my free e-book.

Journal prompts for self-care

These journal prompts will get you started on your self-care journey. 

• What do I need right now?
• What can I do to support my well-being today/this week/this month?
• If I had a whole day of self-care, what would that look like? (Where can I add some of these practices into my every day?)

Affirmations for self-care

As mentioned in my previous blog posts on self-doubt and self-confidence, affirmations are positive and uplifting statements that help you rewire the neural pathways in your brain. Affirmations are extremely powerful when you’re trying to build new self-care habits. 

These affirmations can be used together with your new self-care routine. I recommend repeating these as much as possible. Create a daily routine for repeating your affirmations. This can be in the morning after waking up, at lunchtime, or in the evening before bed. 

• I listen to my needs and honour them
• I am worthy of feeling well rested and energised 
• When I prioritise my own needs, I am able to give my best to others
• Taking time to rest is productive

Would you like to feel rejuvenated, more connected to yourself and have more energy? Would you like to invite more self-care into your daily life? If you’re not sure where to start on your self-care journey, download my free 7-day self-care challenge e-book.

The e-book will guide you through seven pillars of self-care and it is full of self-care tips and examples of self-care practices for you to try. I’ll also share my top mindset shifts related to self-care with you. 

Click this link to download my free 7-day self-care challenge e-book. 

If you have any comments, thoughts, or questions, feel free to leave them in the comment section below. I’d also love to hear how you’re getting on with the self-care challenge so do let me know via Instagram or email. 

I would also love to connect with you on Instagram – follow me for mindset coaching and business mentoring support. 

Love, 

Helen x