(A round-up of real-life advice from small business owners)
Why are wellness tips so important for Small Business Owners?
Let’s be real, as small business owners it can be completely NORMAL to feel a little off-kilter. There’s so much to juggle and you might not be connecting with others the way you would in other workplaces.
I don’t know about you, but the last 19 months have *certainly* tested my resilience at times.So what I really want to know is – how are you doing? Really?
Are you revelling in wearing your favourite snuggly jumper, nourishing yourself, retreating and getting creative?
Or maybe the darker nights are really getting to you? You’re trying to push through, but it feels like you’re juggling all-the-things?
Let’s face it, this can be a hard time of year even without pandemic fatigue.
So what can you do to stay on track?
I definitely don’t claim to have all the answers, that’s why I’m sharing a roundup of wellness tips from small business owners.
Read on and infuse your work week with some of these techniques to help you stay on track. Even one of these tips could help to make it all feel a little easier.
My top three tips for staying on track:
1. Going to bed early
2. My pen and paper to note what needs doing or just to jot my thoughts. Better out than in.
3. Water and exercise
Adrienne Lee
When things get rough or hairy, because life throws a curveball at you:
Remember nothing lasts forever, life is always changing. The clock still turns, seasons change, the tide ebbs and flows. Life and nature are cyclical.
There is usually light after dark, sunshine after rain, a thaw after the frost. A mantra that has gotten me out of many serious scrapes and dark times is “everything always works out for me.”
Saying this mantra over and over and over again, out loud or in your head can help.
Andrea Dalton
1. Ask for help, not always easy but it can save you lots of frustration & give you precious time
2. Eat well – healthy body, healthy mind – cook & enjoy healthy comfort foods like homemade soup, stews & casseroles & curries.
3. My favourite – put your coat on & get out in nature every day. Good for body mind & spirit.
Barbara Byrne
As a business owner and mentor my top three tips for staying on track are:
1) Use a diary – we all have online calendars but you can’t beat an old fashioned diary that you can write your appointments into and use to take a few notes at a meeting. Christmas is coming so why not put a Diary on that Kris Kindle list.
2)Keeping accounts and filing your taxes is something all self-employed people have to do at this time of year. I recommend working with an Accountant but I also recommend writing up your books yourself (online or offline). It’s a good exercise to see your expenses and what you need to do to make money.
3) My third tip is to thank people who you work with or who helped your business in the past year at the end of the year. I work with American clients so I will be reaching out to them this Thanksgiving Day which falls on 25th November. I might send a card or a calendar or even a photo but it’s nice to say thank you.
Cairin O’Connor
What keeps me on track is the practice of calm and staying present, feeling grateful for all that’s good in my life and the world. More so this Christmas after the restrictions of the pandemic on last Christmas…we’re back to enjoying Christmas Dinner with family in Celebration of Peace, Love and Joy to all.
Elsie Cummins
For me staying on track ìs to key into the needs of my clients as they move through the school year. What do they need right now? Also, on a personal level as we move into Autumn/winter, I adjust to a slower pace to keep my body & mind aligned to the season.
Helen Dillon
I love to use what I call… “Deliberate Thinking.” All too often we let mean, negative thoughts run about in our heads.
So I choose my preferred thought/mantra. I walk about for a few mins while I repeat my “Deliberate Thinking” phrase in my mind… And if there’s no one around I even do it out loud!!
It really helps clear negativity and sharpens your focus.
Helen Doyle
My tips are to mind yourself during the busy, dark times of this season.
1) remember to bundle up to protect yourself from getting chilled (layers are great).
2) keep working towards your goals – even when there are more demands on your time and even when it seems like the year is mostly over.
3) Appreciate the little things in life – practising gratitude raises our spirits, helps us to see the good in our life, and attracts the good into our lives.
4) Take time for self-care – we need to recharge our batteries to be there for our clients and for our loved ones. Even if it seems like there isn’t time for self-care.
Doing a bit of meditation even for a few moments can help shift things. Taking an hour out for yoga, a walk, or a treatment can help make us more productive for the other 23 hours of our day.
Jackie McGloughlin
1. Write my goals down and check them out at the start of the day.
2. One file open on my desk at a time.
3. Write big commitments on my academic year planner so I can see what’s coming up and not miss important deadlines.
Jean Ramsey
Kicking through leaves with my bichon Lily
Chatting with other like-minded people – thank you to Amanda Delaney for creating a community where I have met kind, compassionate business owners who want to make a difference.
Recognising that some days I might need a sneaky daytime nap to feel 10% more human and that other days I’ll have the to-do list nailed by lunchtime. Both are ok.
Marie O’Sullivan
- I love this time of year to reflect and plan for the year ahead
- Listen to your body when your tank is nearing empty, slow down, you can make up ground when your tank is refuelled
- As for every season, spend time in the company of those who support and lift you up
Mary Farrelly
If you’re feeling overwhelmed and it’s more than just the time of year, please remember that there is help available. Sometimes we need more than wellness tips.
There is no shame in reaching out and talking about how you feel. It can be cathartic to finally admit that things are not great. It doesn’t mean that you’re stuck where you are now forever.
Don’t let your financial situation be a barrier to accessing help. There are free and low-cost options available.
Helpful Resources:
24/7 online access to online Mental Health Programmes from Suicide or Survive
Life Skills online from Aware.ie
What’s YOUR favourite way of keeping yourself on track? Please do share, because your answer might just be the tool that helps someone else.
