How self care can boost your business

Image by Holes in the Wall

Bizarrely this post isn’t about floristry at all, but about entrepreneurship and self care.

The last few months have been wild. We’ve had twins, moved 200 miles away from family and bought a smallholding. The feeling of arriving at our destination has been magic, but wow, there’s now so much to do.

When we run our own businesses, we get to call the shots. Why then do we work as many hours as we do and pile on so much pressure? Is it because we are passionate about what we do? Yes, and we want to succeed. But if we look closely, often our boundaries are lacking.

I’m definitely guilty of putting work, clients and weddings before anything else.

I recently heard Health Coach Amy Kuretsky say that ‘good self care begates good client care’ and the penny really dropped. If I look after myself more, my business will flourish too.

It sounds so obvious, but our health and wellbeing are vital to reaching our business goals.

I’m a one woman band, so if I go down, the whole ship goes down with me. Looking after myself is essential to the smooth running and sustainiablity of my business. I honestly hadn’t realised this before.

I love my work, but it is just that - a job. I have to switch off, so I can come at it fresh the next day. I don’t think there is anything to gain from staying up late into the night writing quotes.

There isn’t merit in being so busy chasing career objectives that I forego conversations with my partner and miss weekends with my kids.

When it’s a wedding week, I expect to work every waking hour, so it’s even more important that I’m well prepared by eating well, exercising and making sure I have enough freelancers booked in to help share the load. Next year I’ve blocked out weekends that I won’t take bookings, so I can have a break. I’ve worked enough wedding seasons now to know how draining it can be.

I’m not aiming for perfection, just an improvement. There will always be grey areas - because I work from home and love what I do, so often think about work when I’m doing other things.

But, I’ve noticed that it’s usually after yoga or working in the garden, that I’ll stop fixating on a particular problem and a simple answer will reveal itself.

Work less and be more productive - that’s the goal right? It sounds like a false promise doesn't it. I love the freedom and flexibility of being my own boss, but what I routinely need are measures in place that serve me.

So, I’m going to put my money where my mouth is, log off and go to yoga.

I would love to know what self care strategies you have. Please do share.