From the Harvard Business Review, Are You Taking Self-Care Seriously?

I’ve talked to a lot of business owners carrying the burden of guiding their business through these difficult times.  The idea of self care, of putting our needs first, to better serve the members of our team, is an idea that may not come naturally to all entrepreneurs.  Remember, you team may be in a sprint, but you as the leader need to focus on the marathon, never losing your long-term perspective!

Read this short article from the Harvard Business Review, and think about your day to day priorities.

Are You Taking Self-Care Seriously?

You probably already know that sufficient sleep, proper nutrition, physical exercise, human connection, and time to relax are important — but do you actually carve out time for them? When you consider caring for yourself as unrelated to work, you’re likely to let your business priorities come first. But your resilience is a high-priority business issue, especially when you’re leading a team through the stress of our fast-paced world. Research shows that our decision-making dramatically suffers when we neglect to properly rest and refuel, so make self-care a daily priority. You don’t need to dedicate hours a day though. You can boost your short-term resiliency by taking a short walk or reaching out to a friend you haven’t talked to in a while just to check in. Investing in yourself isn’t indulgent — it’s mission critical. It’s time to tell yourself, “It’s so busy at work right now, I can’t afford NOT to take care of myself!”

 

This tip is adapted from “Reframe How You Think About Self-Care,” by Liane Davey