All Work and No Play
Balancing personal life and a career has NEVER been easier!!
- Early Morning Yoga on the Moon
- Post a Viral-Worthy Social Media Ad
- Cook a 3-Course Breakfast
- Host a Zoom Meeting on Mt. Everest
- Take Over the World
Finish before noon and you have the rest of the day ahead of you!
Some people are capable of this level of productivity and balance, however, for many small business owners, stopping for a snack or binging a couple of episodes on Netflix can be overwhelming.
By the numbers, it seems that roughly 75-80% of small businesses are self-financed. In addition to this, 22 million small businesses in the U.S. are individually operated, which means that there are no other employees besides the owner. Business owners that fall into both categories are faced with a constant battle, while also combating the lurking fear of failure that waits just around the corner. Unfortunately, this isn’t an unrealistic concern, because over half of small enterprises fail during the first year. It is a gamble that can prove to be both financially fruitful and personally rewarding, but there with great risk.
Apply Your Oxygen Mask First
Self-care has become somewhat of a buzzword, which refers to taking time to assess the needs of yourself and tend to them. The best way to illustrate this seems to be the usage of the airplane analogy. Those who have flown any distance are familiar with the pre-flight safety routine.
The flight attendant runs through the safety precautions and preventative measures present on the aircraft and mentions that if the masks drop from overhead, be sure to apply your own before attempting to help others. Giving yourself to other people and activities all day, every day can become exhausting. This is why you must put yourself first, which can feel counterproductive. Amy Chen of The Entrepreneur frames self-care in a different light, which may make it more palatable for business-minded people, posing that the self-employed should consider themselves an investment. If you are unable to work, this disrupts cash flow, and can actually cost you money in the long run.
Some tips on self-care from Deep Patel include:
- Scheduling Me Time-Prioritize yourself, even if it’s only for 5 minutes
- Exercise-Walking around the block can provide the break necessary to reset your mind
- Make Sleep a Priority-Fatigue, much like stress can impair necessary functions
- Learn to Say No-Establishing boundaries allows for control and personal empowerment
Asking for Help
A trend among entrepreneurs is priding themselves on the long hours they keep and the sacrifices that they make in order to be successful, but this is hardly healthy. Sometimes spending money on a business advisor or outsourcing work to other companies to help with creating media packages or campaigns, printing, paperwork, or doing the legwork for you can be worth the investment. Not only does it create a small network of others in similar situations, but it helps to ease the weight on your shoulders as well. Take a moment to ask around or go to small networking lunches, and maybe host your own event. You never know who is available and willing to help, especially locally.
In These Trying Times…
2020 has certainly been trying for everyone, but especially business owners. It is doubtful that anyone would have predicted something like Covid-19 happening in their lifetime. In between the temporary closing and layoffs, there was also financial fragility.
As it sits, the new normal is hardly that. Luckily there is aid available for those greatly impacted. Follow the link for more information: Coronavirus Small Business Guide.
Check on Your Business Buds
Do you know anyone who might be struggling in general or with their business? Be sure to reach out to them and remember that they need your support. If you can’t invest with them, share their pages, like their content, and recommend them anytime it’s applicable!
Resources:
Cherokee Tenario