Dean Burgess

As an entrepreneur, it is your sole responsibility to earn your income. And, if you have employees, you also feel the pressure to keep them working as well. But, as they say, you cannot drink from an empty cup. This means you have to take care of yourself.

Today, the smart girl brand blog shares a quick post on the few ways that self-employed individuals can prioritize themselves.

Easy Ways to Care for Yourself

If you’re already thinking that you don’t have the time or energy to take care of yourself, that’s one of the best signs that it’s time to start. Self-care doesn’t have to be time-consuming, costly, or interfere with work. In fact, the things that you do for yourself may even help you be more effective during working hours.

Exercise

Physical movement is one of the core functions of the human body. Unfortunately, our modern world has many of us sitting in front of the computer for eight to 10 hours or more each day. Make a point to exercise at least 30 minutes every day. You can go for a run, take a Pilates class, visit the gym or enjoy an online workout video. What’s important is that you prioritize moving your body.

Balance

Balance means a lot of different things, but, in this instance, we’re talking specifically about work/life balance. As a business owner, you likely find stress at every turn. Keeping up with your employees is a full-time job in itself, and you can lower your stress levels by taking simple steps, such as establishing clear boundaries and taking breaks when needed. You should also make a point to take a vacation (and encourage your employees to do the same) and, when needed, work from home.

Eat Well

This is going to sound cliché, but the food is fuel. Every bite that you put into your body either gives you energy or depletes it. Make healthy choices, which Eating Well asserts doesn’t have to eat your entire profits or take up hours of time. Simple dishes, like shrimp scampi, vegetable wraps, and salmon croquettes, will feed your mind and body so that you will feel your very best.

Get Enough Sleep

Just as food is fuel, sleep is your body’s maintenance cycle. Without it, your body and mind quickly suffer many damaging effects, including brain fog, lethargy, and, as The Conversation acknowledges, depression. There are many tricks to help you get enough sleep, including taking a warm bath before bed, turning the thermostat down, and ensuring that your room is quiet and dark. If you rent and live in a noisy complex, sleep is critical enough that you may need to consider an upgrade. Whether it’s to a bigger home or larger apartment, it’s wise to look for a complex that offers the amenities you need along with an atmosphere that you can count on being quiet during typical resting hours. With so many options in the Northern Virginia area, you’re bound to find the perfect match.

Meditate

You may not think of meditation as anything other than quiet time. The truth is that giving yourself permission to reflect on yourself, your day, and your feelings has many health benefits. Not only can meditation enhance your empathy, but it can also reduce stress and improve your overall cognitive responses. Meditation can also increase your attention span, which is helpful if your mind tends to wander while you work.

Self-care essentially means anything you do that improves your physical or mental state. And, when you are self-employed, you can’t afford not to do things that give you your best chance of mastering your domain. From taking your vacation time to cooling things off at night, each tip above can put you one step closer to learning how to love yourself the way you were meant to.