Why Self-Care Matters for Female Entrepreneurs

By Jenna Sherman

How good do you want to feel each day? It’s within reach, but it requires some new self-care habits.

Are you a busy entrepreneur with a full schedule of tasks on your to-do list? Tasks that look you in the eye and scream, "COMPLETE ME NOW!"?

I'm sure you are that woman, just like the rest of us, trying to run a business and household and make space to prioritize our health.

Gosh, saying that out loud sounds silly, "make space" for my health. You say it now....sounds harsh, hunh?

With that said, how much time in your day do you reserve for self-care? Unfortunately, many business owners fail to make adequate space for the 'me time necessary for proper mental health and introspection. If this sounds familiar, then now is the time to make some changes. Ultimately, practicing self-care is an excellent opportunity to learn as you face the challenges of the business world. 

What Is Self-Care?

Well, it's about doing activities that fill you up and make you feel more wholly yourself. It is about taking care of both your physical fitness as well as your mental well-being.  How you self-care is entirely up to you, but do know this, it IS necessary. As they say, "you can only give from your overflow," so if you want to show up for yourself, your business, and your family in the manner you've always dreamed up, its' time to take time for yourself.

Addressing your personal needs is easily overlooked amid other daily priorities. This is especially true when you're trying to grow a business. Think about your everyday needs. Are you getting enough sleep? How is your diet? Is there too much clutter at home? Take a look at your daily life and habits. Small details like body aches and teeth grinding can offer significant insight into your stress levels and where to begin your self-care journey.

Related: Weekly Planning Tips to Get You Ahead

Why Is Self-Care Essential for Entrepreneurs? 

One of the greatest benefits of self-care is the self-awareness that results. A top personal attribute of successful entrepreneurs, self-awareness happens when you have time to gather your thoughts and reflect on your experiences. In essence, it is how you learn from your mistakes and improve moving forward.

In addition, self-care helps boost creativity and enhances social connections. Because you feel your best self when you take care of all of your needs, you can see the results everywhere. When you feel your best, you can think more clearly, naturally reducing stress while increasing productivity. Surveys show that almost half of all small business owners report feeling burned out at some time. Lowering stress can make you more productive.

How Can Business Owners Incorporate Self-Care Into Their Schedules?

Given your hectic schedule, you may wonder how to incorporate self-care practices into your daily life. For starters, think about how you can make self-care convenient for your work schedule. Perhaps that's grabbing a quick 20-minute bodyweight workout in the morning or taking your lunch break on the road by putting on your shoes for a 45-minute power walk. For those who are always on the go, high-intensity interval training workouts may be ideal, as they can have high-impact results quickly.

Beyond the sweat sessions, you also need to consider sleep habits. Are you getting 7-9 hours each night? If not, how can you adjust your routine? Of course, it will absolutely mean you have to give something up, like watching TV or eating too late, but that investment into your sleep routine will pay off quickly. Waking up refreshed is the best gift you can give yourself. Use a sleep mask like the Manta sleep mask, and grab some quality earplugs. These little things can have a dramatic positive effect.

How about your eating habits? I know running to the corner cafe is super convenient, but if you aren't making healthy choices, you'll pay for it later. The 3 pm slump is a thing, and it suuucks. Try prepping all lunches the night before, like during dinner prep. You are already making a mess in the kitchen anyway.

How you self-care is up to you.

Lastly, I want to remind you that how you self-care is up to you. Don't let others think you aren't taking time to top up your batteries because you aren't doing it their way or even as I've suggested above. You can't let anyone else's schedule (or problems) take away from the things you need to do to feel refreshed and relaxed. Remember, the point is to reduce stress and start living a more integrated life.

As an entrepreneur, be careful not to neglect yourself even as you care for your company. However you choose to fit self-care into your schedule, the most important thing for yourself and your business is that you do.

Jenna Sherman hopes to help other parents acquire the skills they need to raise future leaders by providing a collection of valuable, up-to-date, authoritative resources. A mom of three (two girls and a boy) created parent-leaders.com as an avenue for parents who want to make sure their children grow up to be strong, independent, successful adults