It’s always good to remind oneself that you really can design your business and your working days and hours, around your own needs (and that of your family).
 
Even when you’re just starting out.
 
Because it’s sooo incredibly easy to neglect our own needs when we’re in ‘hustle’ mode and trying to get our business off the ground, or scale it to the next level, and we end simply work, work, working without any play, play, playing.
 
But, it’s not healthy. And it’s certainly not always necessary.
 
Sure, in the earlier days of business you do need to work hard.
 
You need to be dedicated to what you’re doing and go after that dream.
 
But there’s no point doing this whole business thing if we completely forget about ourselves.
 
And our health, both mentally and physically.
 
And the needs of our families, our animals, our friends and simply partaking in what we love to do.
 
It may initially feel a little selfish – particularly if your family is relying on you to bring in income from your business, or you have a partner paying the bills while you get your business sorted, etc. etc.
 
There’s a tonne of excuses why you can’t possibly look after you.
 
Believe me, I’ve used them all.
 
But know this – your business success depends entirely on you.
 
How you do things, how you approach things, how you think, feel, act and what you believe.
 
Your business is always a direct reflection of you – whether you’re aware of it or not :)
 
So when you value you – your clients and customers will too.
 
They’ll take more notice of you when you’re looking after you and when you’re feeling good.
 
Therefore, taking time out to do the things you love, to sleep and rest, to cook decent meals and to spend time with your family is an absolute MUST – for both you and your business to survive and thrive.
 
A little self-sacrifice may be necessary – but please, not too much!
 
I myself totally fall into this trap from time to time – and I keep having to consciously pull myself out of it.
 
I will literally run myself into the ground, working crazy hours, because when I have an idea or get a bee in my bonnet about doing something – I’m totally like a dog with a bone. Have to get it done, and everything else comes second, including me.
 
That’s not good! But, I’m getting better at recognising these patterns, and breaking them. Very deliberately and very firmly.
 
There is ZERO point to running a business if you don’t take and get the freedom and flexibility that drove us to do this in the first place.
 
But no one else will do this for you. It’s up to you to come up with the systems, processes and schedules that work for you. To put those boundaries in place, and be strict at upholding them for yourself.
 
Regardless of what other people think or say or so themselves.
 
Us business mums – we commonly work during school hours. Which for me, equals 9.30am to 2.30pm. I then do a bit extra with some early mornings (I’m not great in the mornings, but sometimes its needed), and some later evenings, after kids are in bed (if we manage to get them to bed before 10pm as particularly in summer, our kids don’t always appreciate the idea of sleep!).
 
Because I have my horses and my riding, and I’ve been getting a little bit more serious about my riding lately, I build this into my day – and work happens around it.
 
Yep – it feels funny going for a ride at 9.30 or 10am in the morning, when I feel like I SHOULD be working, but believe me, I’m so much more inspired, energetic and happy for the rest of my working day, that it’s worth it.
 
Some days in fact, its an absolute must, as I can be dog tired and unenthused about life – yet force myself to go for a ride – and suddenly I’m 4 times more productive than I would have been without my ride.
 
Once a fortnight, where I can, I also go and get a massage. And because we’re out of town, it’s not just the one hour for the massage, it also takes another hour and a half at least out of my schedule to drive there and back.
 
But, I get some pretty bad back pain, and I do not work nor sleep effectively when in pain. Massage relieves the pain – and also relieves the built up stress. Totally worth the time and money investment if you ask me, as I’m much more pleasant to be around after :)
 
I also take the odd break during my work hours, to go play with or walk the puppy, or go feed the horses – as it gives me that little bit of a mental reset.
 
Often, it’s out in the horse paddock, when I’m collecting buckets or stuffing chaff bags full of hay, that my best creative ideas come to me.
 
It’s actually pretty cool.
 
The more you look after you, and get really determined to build a business around your needs – the more productive you are, the more attractive you become to clients and the more your business takes off.
 
At the risk of sounding a little ‘woo woo’ I do believe you attract the energy, that you put out into the world.
 
Treat yourself like crap, and you’ll either not attract any clients at all, or you’ll get some ordinary, high-maintenance ones that aren’t willing to see your true value.
 
Confidence and boundaries and self-care is sexy.
 
And awesome.
 
And stuff.
 
And sometimes, no matter how witty or clever or creative or crazy or professional or anything we try to and want to be, we just need to get super duper honest and real.
 
Know when it’s time to take a break and take it.
 
Look after you. Now. Please. Go on – take a break, and do something for you.
 
You’re now under my very strict orders to relax and have some fun.
 
Your business will be better off, because you took that tiny step away from it, just for a moment.
 
(And it could well prevent you from becoming mentally, emotionally and physically exhausted and burnt out)
 
Sarah – The Rural Copywriter :)