How to actually rest.
Owning a business can (and will) take up immense amounts of your time, without you even realising. Small tasks that you think will take 10 minutes, end up taking an hour. Admin always takes a lot longer than you expect. There’s always something more urgent that needs to be done first.
Amongst all of that, are you actually taking a break? Are you slowing down? Are you giving yourself time to breathe?
No? Didn’t think so.
There’s been a giant push to wellness in recent years, with the pandemic as the catalyst. It’s prompted conversations and questions around productivity and rest. We are experiencing a major period of burnout. It’s been a big couple of years for just life in general.
And now, on top of that, throw in the success of your business, a family, your friends and loved ones, a social life, health and wellbeing, exercise and more.
It’s all just a bit too much.
Counteracting the threat of overwhelm
Even writing this is causing my stress levels to rise.
You will start to feel overwhelmed when
every little thing annoys you
you feel personally responsible for every single task (this is unfortunately, sometimes the reality)
you haven’t done your laundry in two weeks and you have piles everywhere (guilty)
haven’t washed your hair because it takes too long when you could be working instead (also guilty)
not sleeping well
begin taking feedback personally (also guilty)
jittery and nervous all the time (yep)
When you feel like it’s all getting a bit overwhelming, you know it’s time to take a damn break! If you can’t go on a holiday, you need to at least schedule some time off, to do absolutely nothing.
Rest, even in regular, scheduled events, is how you begin to take control of your life again. Regular rest and rejuvenation allows you to
think clearly
enjoy your life!
manage your time better
effectively plan for upcoming projects/events without feeling overwhelmed
create manageable to-do lists that you actually work through
Sometimes, it all you might need is five minutes alone to just breathe.
What next?
So, you know all of this, right? You understand why it’s important to rest and give yourself time off. But how do you implement this in the real world?
Take your lunch break
Schedule in 45mins to an hour for lunch and actually take it. Grab yourself a healthy lunch, or make something at home. Grab a bottle of water and sit outside in the fresh air, in the sun. Take this time to be mindful of the present moment. Feel the sun, enjoy your food. Don’t look at your phone, don’t think about work, don’t do anything except just be in the moment. If you finish early, go for a walk or play with the dog/cat/fish — whatever pet you might have.
Schedule a no-meeting day
Have one whole day that has no meetings. One whole day for you to really sink your teeth into something. A whole day without interruptions.
Prioritise self-care
Self care (and not just face masks and salon visits), but real self care is so important to not only your happiness and wellbeing as an individual, but also the ultimate success of your business. You can’t expect to run a successful, profitable and highly magnetic brand if your cup is empty. You can try
exercising
spending time with friends
enjoying a glass of wine
watching some trashy reality tv show
cooking your favourite meal
reading a good book
Delegate
If you can find no time in your busy schedule to book in even an afternoon off, it’s time to delegate. Bite the bullet, suck it up and outsource a task that is just draining you. You’ll feel better for it! Of course, it’s something you might need to pay for, but shifting your mental load will help you in the long run.
I’m telling you as much as I’m telling myself, take a break. And enjoy yourself.
K x