Stress. It’s thought to be one of the “silent killers.” There’s nothing that any one person can do to totally eliminate every bit of stress that comes along with life. Yet, an increase in stress is linked to dying sooner and an increased risk in various health concerns, including high blood pressure and heart disease.
According to a study, it was estimated that 16.2 million adults in the United States, or 6.7 percent of American adults, have had at least one major depressive episode in a given year.
From a business perspective, stress can lead to burn-out. It can lead to you no longer feeling the same enjoyment from your job that you once experienced. When we start a business, there are two purposes behind doing so. The first is to make a difference with what we do. The second is to devote ourselves to what we enjoy doing and make a living doing it. Stress, depression, and burn-out steals your joy.
The truth is all over the world, people continue to get broken down mentally, emotionally, and physically. Sometimes, people don’t even understand what’s happening to them. That makes it hard for them to look for resources that can solve the problem. Even those who see what’s happening may be reluctant to reach out. They’ve seen how some people get treated when they do ask for help: some get mocked along the way.
Simple Self-Care Habits to Help You Help Yourself!
The good news is that there are some actions you can take to start helping yourself. It’s a simple concept known as self-care. Yet, some people think that the idea of self-care is far too simplistic to help them get back to being the productive and happy business owner they once were. However, taking great care of yourself is very crucial. Studies have shown that exercise, for example, makes entrepreneurs more creative, more energetic, and happier. Meditation has been shown to help people remain calm and more focused. Engaging in hobbies, or taking some down time, has been shown to increase over-all productivity. Self-care is important.
In this post, we highlight 4 easy to implement self-care habits that will help you achieve productivity in all spheres of your life.
Spend 30 minutes a day reading books. Self-help books, books about business, books about your passions, books covering subjects you want to master, and even fiction books you’ve been dying to read are all valid choices. There is probably no better way to get yourself motivated then taking 30 minutes per day and learn something new or just unplug from what’s going on around you. Sadly, some people underestimate the potency in reading books that are motivational, inspirational, or just plain old interesting. Self-help style books are great choices because the writers have usually been in your shoes. You get the benefit of learning from the experience of another person. Books that help you tackle a business problem or learn something new are great because you get to learn from an expert. And that New York Times best seller you’ve tried to find time to read? Do it. Just carve out 30 minutes a day to do it. It’s a great way to take a little time for yourself!
Take time to meditate. Most of the time, people become too busy with their responsibilities that comes with business and family to the extent that they never find the time to meditate. Despite many recent articles on meditation and a current trend of mindfulness, many people think it’s just too simple or time consuming to work for them. Meditation doesn’t have to take long. Even taking five minutes to sit without distractions and learning to quiet your mind can give you incredible benefits. Meditation helps you to focus your mind on specific thought or activity that results in mentally and emotionally calm state. Physiologically, meditation positively influences the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, the thalamus, and the reticular formation which are involved in reasoning, concentration, sensation, and alertness. You can learn the simple basics of meditation by clicking here. And, just a note, that while meditation in itself is a simple idea, it does take practice. If you find that your brain doesn’t want to be quiet, you’re not alone. It’s common and just takes more practice!
Have a clear idea about your daily priorities. There is every tendency that life becomes frustrating when you don’t set your priorities for the day. Know this: if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Most people who quit do so because their day became more than they could take on; and most of what happened could have been proactively planned for and solved. Proper planning helps you get into the right state of mind for productivity. It also helps you from becoming overwhelmed or intimidated. There are several free planner pages available online. Find a set that works well for you and use it. Look for one that is goal-oriented and that can help you stay focused.
Take breaks from social media. This may seem unnecessary, especially for those who can’t remember a life without Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. As much as social media can help you stay in touch with friends, family, and to even grow your business, it can also damage self-esteem and steal your motivation. When you take breaks from social media platforms, you are able to see through events and circumstances efficiently and you aren’t as quick to compare your success with that of others.
Clients ARM Helps Business Owners Make More Time for Themselves
At Client ARM, our job is to help business owners make more time and money. With our wide variety of services, we help our clients make more time for self-care. To learn how we can help you, schedule your free consultation.
