As a business owner, you’re prone as most people are, to working forty plus hour weeks, and perhaps even sometimes on the weekend too. It’s difficult to put your business tasks down when there is a never-ending to-do list, and your worry and anxiety about getting projects done begin to mount.

Your company is more than likely your livelihood, and it’s what gets you out of bed in the morning, but it’s not the be-all and end-all – however, you are! Without you, there is no business, which is why it’s essential to protect and care for number one to make better company decisions and be the greatest manager you can. Delaying self-care will only lead to burn out. Meaning you will be mentally and physically forced to step away from your business, and you don’t want that, do you?

Set an Alarm System

Your own alarm system or schedule is what will keep you in check. You can compartmentalize your time for work, and spend the rest of your time doing anything but work, to recuperate, connect with others, and enjoy life! You may notice that when you clock in a ridiculous amount of hours per week, you’re not actually achieving much more had you just stuck to a consistent working pattern. Your alarm system should work in sync with your productivity levels so that you maximize your energy to get the bulk of your urgent work completed asap.

Working long days (and sometimes nights) causes you to create mistakes, become irritable, and increases your probability of an accident occurring. Whether a trip or fall, it could be the type of accident that renders you incapable of working for a long time and requires you to hire personal injury attorneys offering experienced legal representation. To reduce the risk of this happening, start by creating a schedule for your business and for your home-life.

Social Support Network

You need your family and friends as much as they need you. So yes, this post advocates seeking support from your loved ones, as creating and running a business is a tough gig. But, this step is also about reciprocity. It’s about stepping out of your world and into someone else’s. After all, you’re not the only one with stress and worries, other people have their own problems that they probably want support with to. Realizing this should help you to put your business ownership into perspective. When it feels like your business is one of the only things in the world that matters, take a walk in someone else’s shoes. Although this step isn’t just to converse with family and friends about your problems, of course, it’s about having fun, making each other laugh, and making memories.

Outside Interests

What are you interested in besides your business? It helps if it’s something you can get lost in with ease, and it’s something that isn’t linked to making money, it’s just about passion and love for something you enjoy doing. Maybe it’s creating miniature model cars, painting, bird-watching. Or perhaps you enjoy adventures, such as rock-climbing and theme parks. Allow yourself ample time to divulge in your other interests. It will have significant benefits in feeding your soul, plus it shall positively impact your business to. Bringing diversity and fun into your life will bring you fulfilment.

You may have mentally mocked up an idea of how much time you’ll spend at work per work, who you want to devote more time to outside business hours and had a few thoughts about your outside interests. And so touching on the step of exercise may have you wondering how on earth you will fit everything in AND run a thriving business. Which is why this section covers exercising you already do or can do without realizing it. This means you don’t need to organize a jog before work every morning and take an exercise class twice a week (unless you want to), it means taking a look at what passive exercise you do and how you can increase this. Do you walk to your office, partake in gardening? Or, do you chase after your nieces and nephews around the park on the weekend? Because this is all exercise! And so, if you can think of ways to increase this, do. This way you’ll never be short of those happy endorphins, plus you will keep your health in check too.

Creating a strict schedule initially may seem like a difficult thing to do, because it’s hard to instantly unwind. However, if you persist in following your plan, it shall eventually become ingrained, especially when you notice the benefits it brings to all areas of your life. Beyond your schedule, socializing is incredibly important. It’s great for your mental health and wellbeing, plus it means you are not letting your life be entirely consumed by your business endeavours.