When you’re running a business, there’s a thrill to having so much to do. Especially when you’re just starting and seeing your sales take off, it can be incredibly exciting. But sometimes, stress enters into the picture. It might be related to some HR drama between a couple of people you work for; it might be related to a failed project that you thought was sure to succeed. Or maybe you’re just so busy that you’ve suddenly lost sight of being emotionally healthy. You wake up in the middle of the night, worrying about your business, and you find yourself dealing with stress in bad ways like eating too much or drinking every night.
The fact is, it’s important for you to be emotionally healthy. Not only for yourself, but also for the health of your business. The two go hand in hand, after all. Luckily, there are some great ways to stay emotionally healthy no matter how busy you are–and here’s how.
Schedule “me” time into your calendar
Running a business takes a lot of your time out of your life. If you’re starting a new one, this is especially the case. That’s why it’s so important for you to take at least one weekday night a week, and at least one weekend day, and use it just for you. Do something you love, whether that’s catching up on your favorite Netflix shows or going for a long walk through the city on Saturday. In addition to making you feel good, you’ll also subconsciously be thinking about work issues without realizing. Whether it’s online promotion examples you’re brainstorming or you’re thinking about who to hire, you’ll suddenly have a solution by the end of your time.
Think about this: in the UK, in 2017, 74 percent of people in the UK were “overwhelmed or unable to cope.” In the US, where we’re even lonelier than in the UK, it can be even harder to be emotionally healthy. So take some time to take care of yourself!
Sleep enough
When it comes to being a business leader, one of the biggest risks is not sleeping enough. After all, 51 percent of adults worldwide don’t get enough sleep already. If you’re running a company, and constantly talking to investors and working on your social media presence, chances are you’re lacking when it comes to those important hours. But sleep deprivation has disastrous effects on your health. Additionally, it’ll have disastrous effects on your business. If you show up to a meeting tired, people will be able to tell. And eventually, it can lead to you making mistakes like sending the wrong email to the wrong person.
So schedule a reasonable bedtime for yourself. Don’t look at screens before going to bed or drink. However tempting it is to drink a glass of wine while watching your favorite TV shows on Netflix, this is going to mess with your sleep schedule. So value the amount you sleep, and if you need to, plan fewer morning meetings or move so that you don’t have a long commute to work. It’s worth it!
Get exercise
Another important part of being healthy, even though it takes time out of your schedule, is exercising. In addition to making you feel good about yourself, it’ll get you pumped up to face the workday. Plenty of entrepreneurs fit a jog or visit to the gym in the morning, no matter how early, because they know it’s going to refocus them and get their dopamine levels up for the day ahead.
If you don’t have much time, think about using ClassPass. Their app rating is 4.5 stars according to App Annie, which is no surprise considering how useful it is. With this app, you can take classes all over your city (or in other cities if you’re traveling), scheduling even hours before. For creative entrepreneurial minds, this means not getting bored of the same spin class every week, and it’s also flexible in case you have unexpected meetings a lot of the time.
Additionally, don’t forget to eat well! Otherwise, all that time spent exercising is going to go to waste. Figure out what diets work for you, and stick to it. Using calorie-counting apps can be a great help, too!
These are some of the best ways to stay emotionally healthy while running your business. It’s all about knowing what you need and making time for it. What other strategies do you use to stay healthy, even when you’re constantly busy?
