Mantis Counseling and Coaching Services will be giving a presentation on Friday, June 1, at the Mile High Business Alliance’s Small Business Forum about self-care for the busy entrepreneur or small business owner.
We thought it would be a good idea to offer a few of our suggestions in advance, as a sort of sneak preview. You’ll get a lot more if you attend the event, but you’ll get a taste of what we do if you can’t attend. Also, we may be posting more suggestions in upcoming blogs.
I think about the importance of taking care of myself every time I ride on an airplane. In the safety instructions before take-off, you might remember that the crew tells you to put on your own oxygen mask before you put on the oxygen mask for someone else, including children or the elderly. It’s pretty clear that if you pass out from lack of air because you’re helping someone else, you aren’t going to be able to help them for long, but I wouldn’t have thought of that until I was told. Taking care of yourself in other ways is similar. If you’re hungry or tired or angry or just need a break, you aren’t able to give your full attention to the person or the task at hand, however simple that task may be. You might find yourself making mistakes or taking a much longer time to do something that usually doesn’t take very long.
Taking care of yourself doesn’t have to cost a lot in money or in time. Take a break, or simply use a break you already take more wisely. Commit to doing one thing every day that is just for you and refills your energy gas tank. Here are some ideas:
1. Ask someone directly to give you something you need. It could be a hug, an extra hour of sleep, running an errand, or a mug of hot cocoa, but ask for it instead of hoping for it and not saying anything. Start small and work up to bigger requests. You might be surprised at what you receive.
2. Do something creative or artistic. Write a poem, sketch, paint, doodle, color with crayons, use your imagination, go to a ceramics shop and make your own mug. Don’t worry about the finished product, just have fun doing it.
3. Exercise. Every day. Do a little or do a lot, just do something. Take the stairs, walk instead of drive, do sit-ups during the commercials, plan a weekend hike, go swimming, take a yoga class. Standing up and stretching every half hour during the work day is recommended. How often do you do it?
4. Do something just because you want to. Don’t tell anyone else, don’t expect they will approve, just do it. It can be big or small, but do something that is important to you.
