Over the past two weeks I’ve been honored to have Registered Dietitian, Holli Lapes, and Sarah Allison, share self-care tips for millennial entrepreneurs. Today, I’m really excited to wrap up this self-care series by sharing a little more about my journey and how to make all of these self-care tips work for you.
BEING ON THE ROAD TO FULL-TIME
Exactly this time last year, I embarked on a journey of taking a side-hustle full time that didn’t even exist. The past year has been filled with lots of dreaming, AND a lot of doing. I’ve been in a long season of hustle. Hustling before and after my full-time job, on the weekends, and every moment I could squeeze in between.
As we enter the holiday season and start to reflect on the past year, I realize how far down the list I put myself. My priorities were different – it was on deadlines, new projects, networking, building, creating, and making things happen.
And, as much as it has been helpful in getting my business off the ground. I suffered greatly this year.
There was a huge increase in the number and frequency of my migraines. Too many to count.
If you’ve experienced a migraine before (I hope you never have), you know how truly debilitating they are. It was my body’s way of saying enough is enough.
I shared how much I suffered from migraines on Instagram and in my email newsletters, only to realize I was far from alone. There are so many other creative entrepreneurs who suffer as well. Migraines are not only affecting creatives, but it was crazy to see how many of my biz friends struggle with the same thing.
IT WAS TIME TO MAKE A CHANGE
A few months back I acknowledged that something needed to change.
This change didn’t happen overnight and I still have a long way to go, but I’ve been slowly working towards making myself a priority again.
After reading the previous blog posts, here and here, you may have that light bulb moment too – that change is needed.
I find this soooo much easier said than done.
Priority shifts have to change, boundaries have to be made, and a conscious effort to carve out is needed in order to implement these self-care tips on an ongoing basis.
Just like anything in life and business – consistency is key. Going to the gym once in a blue moon isn’t going to cut it. No different than a business or marketing plan, we have to be intentional, and for self-care, that means planning out time for ourselves.
HOW TO MAKE THESE SELF-CARE TIPS WORK FOR YOU
Managing our time and figuring out a way to make these tips work for us can be challenging. But I was able to find a few ways to make myself a priority again. I’m sharing a few real ways I’ve incorporated self-care back into my routine, and maybe a few of them will work for you!
CARVE OUT TIME
- Schedule in workout and meditation time on your calendar – you’ll be less likely to skip if you plan for it!
- Prepare your meals in advance (this doesn’t have to mean cook your meals in advance, just identify what your meals are for the day or week)
SET BOUNDARIES
- Determine a cut-off time for work – lately, I’ve been burning the mid-night oil – setting a cut-off time for work has helped me identify when to shut it down
- Eliminate phone use from quality time with your significant other or family members
MINDSET SHIFTS
- Acknowledge that .you are doing more than you did yesterday or last week, or last year, even if it is going for a 10-minute walk or 15 minutes of meditation
- Make a conscious effort to eat one healthier meal a day – baby steps people!
- Speak your goals out loud, or write a blog post, either will do 😉
MAKE IT FUN!
- I challenged myself to 30 days of being active! This can range from running, yoga, or a 30-minute aerobic workout to 15 minutes of meditation, a walk around the neighborhood, or picking up a book and spending some time on myself
- Get an accountability buddy to workout with – meeting my mom at the gym has kept me going, especially on nights when I just want to crawl back into bed
Challenging myself to 30 days of activity has been really helpful. Setting boundaries, having mindset shifts, carving out time for myself and making sure that I am having fun along the way has got me back into the swing of things.
Do you have any tips on how to implement these self-care tips into your routine? Tell me in the comments below!
xo,
Sianne
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More from the Self-Care Series:
Self-care tips for the Millennial Entrepreneur | Self-care Tips: the Importance of Good Nutrition as an Entrepreneur
