Self Care Strategies You'll Actually Use: A Small Business Owner's Guide
As entrepreneurs, we prioritize our businesses so much that we frequently end up putting ourselves last- and that can be dangerous.
I did a talk for a large group of businesswomen a few years back about burnout and was asked what my favourite self care strategy was. I mentioned that (at that time) that turning off push notifications for my social media accounts and only checking at 4 designated times during my working days was one of my personal favourites. I saw a few gals in the back side eye one another, and a few up front roll their eyes (one even ironically looked up from scrolling through twitter to do so.) I took no offence to this. I resumed my talk, addressing these ladies directly- “I remember being just like you, and rolling my eyes at stuff like this constantly, and that’s okay. It actually suited me just fine until the one morning I woke up with my business in ruins and less than nothing because I thought myself too “strong” and too “ambitious” to ever look away from my business social media feeds for even a moment.”
That got their attention.
Self Care often presents itself as a luxury item in the form of massage, retreats, mani-pedis and grand meals. And while all of these things are nice and good, self care for the small business owner need not be such a grand gesture. Small gestures, daily habits and self-prioritization can make all the difference.
It’s high time that the business community shakes off it’s archaic “hustle culture” attitude. It’s not only highly toxic, it’s extremely dangerous for an entrepreneurs physical and mental well being. And I propose it stops now.
Self Care isn’t a luxury item; it’s an integral part of a well executed business strategy.
Last week we talked about what would happen if you suddenly weren’t well enough to run your business- this week it’s all about preventative measures. If you’re not rested and happy you won’t be able to guide your staff, make good decisions and run your business efficiently. So take some time for yourself and look out for number one baby!
Here are some simple, realistic strategies you can implement to promote self care as a part of your businesses long term wellness plan.
Get off the Phone. I mean it. Delegate a time each day when the phone goes away for awhile- like turned off and in a drawer away. It can be as little as an hour over supper or family time, or (my personal favourite) 8pm to 8am. When you’re on the phone, you’re still at work -technically and emotionally. You need a break. Start small as it can be traumatizing for some folks- I know it has been for a few of my clients. Find a new, phone free activity to enjoy. Personally, I promised myself I’d go back to paper books this year and have been dropping by the library every 2 weeks for a fresh read just like my Mother did for us when we were kids to keep our minds active. I’ve already noticed my stress levels lowering and my attention span and vocabulary improving.
Push Notifications To Off. Since culinary entrepreneurship is so incredibly physically demanding, any distractions at all can cost you dearly in production costs. Constant pinging of tweets, instagram likes and facebook notifications can rob you of valuable time, especially if the notification is alerting you to a negative situation. Turn off all your push notifications for starters if you don’t believe me and see how much more productive you are. Once you get used to that, try and cut back on the compulsion to check. Delegate 4-6 times per day to check your business feeds for 5 minutes, doing your best not to get “sucked in” as a fellow owner I know likes to call it. Unless your job is Social Media Manager you have no reason to sit on your feeds all day long. Go produce for the real, paying people and worry about the virtual ones during the allocated time.
Do Not Disturb. Every phone has a wonderful setting I’m obsessed with- go to your settings and look for “Do Not Disturb”- it’s the one with the little half moon beside it. This wonderful little button stops text alerts and phone calls for the entire time it’s switched to “ON”. This is ideal if you’re going to have a labour intensive work day rising dough, cooking that reduction, or anything else that requires your undivided attention. It’s wonderful too if you just want a little quiet. The best part about this setting? Any numbers saved as “favourite” can get through for phone calls, but no one else. Perfect if you have elderly parents, kids, pregnant BFFs or anyone else who’s call could be of great importance.
Email Bounce Back. We all want to provide an efficient, prompt service, but it can be tricky to explain to those whose lives are outside of the kitchen how much time each day we are physically preparing our wares and not in front of a computer. (This problem is especially unique to Ottawa, where the majority of our clients are Government or High Tech Folks who literally spend their entire day online.) For some folks, lack of a prompt reply to an order inquiry is seen as “rude”. One of my clients once got a request at 4pm on a Friday, and replied Monday when her business reopened for the week and was called “unprofessional” for not replying immediately or at least over the weekend. (We’ll talk more about work boundaries in a sec). The good news is that I have cracked the manners code in this situation and am happy to share my hack with you. Most emails have an auto reply or vacation responder function and you can use that to your advantage. For example: “Hi and thanks for emailing ______, I check my emails at 9, 12 and 3 pm Tuesday - Saturday. I’ll be back to you as soon as possible. If your matter is time sensitive, please call the shop at xxx-xxxx” This not only pacifies the sender with an immediate reply, reestablishing their sense of control (I’ve written before about how control is a major dynamic in a client relationship) but it also provides them with a timeline, setting them at ease. And you get to be up to your elbows in dough until it’s time for the next email check period.
Facebook Bounce Back. I absolutely loathe facebook messages to my business page as I manage multiple pages and sometimes the notifications are missed, again making me look like an unorganized entrepreneur. The good news is that you can set up a bounce back for your page too. Link is here for full instructions. Here is the message from my page: “Hi there and thank you for reaching out! This inbox is not monitored as frequently as I'd like it to be as I'm a one gal show. For a more timely reply to your inquiry, please email me: yum@foodbusinesscoach.com Have a delicious day. Mandi” this provides a clear explanation and directs the inquiry to my direct email- which is regularly monitored.
Boundaries. This one is a biggie and one I get asked about a *lot*. If you’re not a small business owner quite yet, it’s a little bit like being a celebrity in the sense that folks feel like they can have direct access to you whenever they wish. I’m here to tell you that that is not acceptable and you are entitled to your privacy. Story time: I live in a central area of Ottawa. One night when I was still a bakery owner, I was walking home after cocktails and cards with a friend. As I got to the main street near midnight, a young woman who was quite wobbly was crossing the road. I stopped to watch for a moment as I was concerned and as she reached the side of the road I was on, she tripped on a snowbank as she attempted to jump over it to the sidewalk. I leapt up and caught her as she began falling towards the busy street. Her friends then ran over, and as they did she began shouting jubilantly “Guys! Auntie Loo just saved me from traffic!”Now, I was grateful she was happy with me, but within minutes I had a large group of her friends around me, asking about cake and orders and flavours. And while I was grateful for the love of my business, I was more tired, cold, a little drunk and just wanted to get to my bed. So, boundaries without coming off as ungrateful? I could write an entire piece on that in itself (and perhaps I shall) but the main takeaway is this: your private time is yours so don’t hesitate to claim it. Be cordial if interacting with clients in public, but keep it brief. Another strategy I love is having a “dummy” instagram or facebook for clients to add you on so they get that glowy happy feeling. Then, have accounts under fake names that are for close friends and family only where you can share all of the memes and pictures of your kids you wish in a safe space with folks who genuinely know you.
Regular Day(s) off. It’s good to set yourself on a schedule and stick to it as best you can. I understand that small business can become fluid quickly as far as scheduling is concerned for the owner, but it is vital that you set aside one day (or one half day) a week that you’re not working. No going shopping for more supplies or googling the competition to see what they’re up to- I’m talking a real time off. Reading, going for a stroll, binge watch stuff, playing with your kids, these are all things folks would do on a day off. You deserve one too and it’s more valuable in the long run when you are happy and rested to lead your team.
Delegation Nation. This is one of the most challenging for every entrepreneur I know, but it’s gotta happen if you ever want to be able to take a vacation. Delegation to your staff is absolutely vital. When I hired folks I would choose those who compensated my weaknesses- a trained pastry chef, a cake decorator, etc. If I could go back the one thing I would have hired would have been a Manager as I am excellent at business but have no business whatsoever managing people. Take a few things off your plate, have faith in your team (you hired them for a reason, right?) and see how much more relaxed you’ll feel.
Stepping away can be tricky, but ignoring the warning signs of entrepreneurial burnout can be dangerous and even fatal. I challenge each of you this week to implement one of my strategies and see how you feel after 7 days.
Want me to hold you accountable? Take a photo, tag me on FB or IG and use hashtag #hustleculturesucks. I’ll check back on ya 7 days later.
There will be a mid week special post on Wednesday about my freshly announced Presidency of Canadian Women in Food Eastern Ontario Chapter and what that means for our community- stay tuned!