Today, I’m sharing the most amazing Burlington NC maternity pictures. I am so in love with the way this gorgeous expecting mamas session turned out! We were the first studio in the area to offer complimentary hair and makeup and it must be a great idea as now everyone is doing it. Our purpose behind this is to make sure our expectant moms feel nothing short of glorious for her portrait session. Our MUA for this mom was Adrianne from The Loft Styling Studio. Her job was easy because this mom is one word…STUNNING! But first, In the midst of this crazy season of my life, my husband continually reminds me of self-care! It’s one of the hardest things to do when owning and managing your own business! I find myself putting the needs of myself at the very bottom of the totem pole and that does NO ONE any good, but most importantly, my family and my clients!
A few weeks ago I was chatting with another busy small business owner and he was expressing his needs for stability in his workplace, that he struggles with anxiety, that he feels the weight of the world on his shoulders from all the balls he has up in the air! I mentioned this to Chris, my husband who owns Professional Wellness Counseling, and I thought it would be a great idea for me to share his thoughts. Hopefully, even if you are not a business owner, you will gain some helpful insight!
Self-Care is a Me-First Sensibility
You need to make it your business to take care of yourself. There are many people who are so busy taking care of others that they neglect taking care of themselves. Business owners have a lot on their minds, They say things like “I just don’t have time.” The reality is that self-care is a me-first sensibility. You have to put yourself first. You have to make a decision in your mind that taking care of yourself is as important as taking care of others or of working hard for your clients. This may be a sensibility that some people are uncomfortable with.
Self-Care is an intentional Activity
Self-care is intentional. It is something that you really should be doing on a regular basis, preferably daily. The problem is many times business owners don’t have a self-care routine or don’t think about their mental and emotional wellness until it’s a critical issue. It is not accidental. Business owners are intentional about sales, marketing, personnel and many other aspects of their livelihood. They should intentional about their self-care routine as well.
Self-Care Means Having Fun
You need to have some fun. Some business owners after reading the previous sentence might be thinking “business is fun” or “selling is fun.” That may be true. However, you need balance. This means you need to find ways to have fun that are unrelated to your work. You need non-work recreation. Find a hobby, spend time with family, exercise, read books, etc.
Self-Care means logging off
As business owners are constantly engaged in their work. This means pressure to answer client calls, sometimes at inappropriate times. It might mean being constantly engaged in social media platforms. Perhaps it also might mean answering nighttime client texts and emails. However, to be healthy, you need some time offline. There needs to be a time that you are not connected. You need this time to connect with your family and have some time to yourself. As business owners, this may seem like a difficult thing to do. However, it is possible to have the balance of time being logged on and logged off.
Self-Care Means Taking Sleep Health Seriously
Being a successful business owner includes working hard. All the pressure is on you. Business Owners worry about the bottom line, taking care of their employees and clients, acquiring new clients and sustaining growth. That is a lot of pressure. This pressure can result in poor sleeping habits. The National Sleep Foundation suggests that adults need seven to nine hours of sleep a night. Good sleep health means that in general we go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day. This might seem difficult to do but with good self-care habits, you can develop good sleep habits as well
Being a business owner can be can be a difficult stress-inducing experience that many people are not prepared for. It is equally a challenge to maintain a healthy life and a thriving business. It is possible though to have both. However, it requires an intentional decision to care for your cognitive, emotional and physical self.
