How to Set Your Business Up For Success with Self-Care

Last month on our blog, we mentioned self-care during the summer and how important it is to take care of yourself so you are better prepared to take care of your business. With that in mind, we’ve been thinking more and more about business burnout. After a tough 2020, businesses everywhere are working overtime to make up for the losses. And we totally get the motivation! Many of us are glad to be back, up and running, full steam ahead. But how much have you thought, really, about the negative impacts burnout can have on business?

It’s especially important to start thinking about ways to avoid burnout as you prepare for the holidays ahead, arguably the busiest time of year for businesses everywhere. We want to encourage you to slow down and take a break or vacation before the craziness of the fall and winter months. Not only that, but we thought we’d offer some ideas as to how to manage the biz just a little more efficiently so that you can take a breather… without the guilt.

Outsource

Outsourcing your work isn’t just lightening your workload and handing off menial or nonessential tasks. Outsourcing can actually be effective in boosting revenue as well, all while shaving hours, maybe even days off your workweek.

Another benefit of outsourcing is that it can take the weight off your shoulders when it comes to tasks you may not be as gifted at. Be honest with yourself—do you love every single aspect of your job!? Some things are harder than others because we’re all human. Luckily, there are people out there who love doing the stuff you hate. And when you’re dragging your feet to get something done, chances are you’ll end up wasting a lot more time than you should, either putting it off or stressing over it. 

There are many different ways to outsource your work, but virtual assistants are widely available and there is a lot of freelance talent out there! Do your homework now, find someone whose values align with yours, and relinquish some of that need for control that’s been holding you back. Give yourself a break!

Prepare and Plan 

In preparing for the upcoming busy season, it’s always a good idea to plan early (right now, for instance!). Start thinking about what your ultimate goals would be by the end of the year, and plan ahead several weeks in order to reach them. If you haven’t already heard of S.M.A.R.T. Goals, now is a good time to look over your objectives and make sure they are: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-oriented. One method of planning ahead would be to establish these goals and then work backward.

Another way to plan for the month ahead is to write out a list of priorities. What are the most important things that you and your business will need to accomplish, versus the least important? It’s a good idea to work collaboratively with any staff, too, to make sure everyone is on the same page about objectives and to make sure your staff is trained and equipped to meet them. 

Schedule in Time to Relax

That’s right, you did not read that wrong. We recommend you actually pencil in time on your schedule or calendar for downtime. Why? It’s so easy to tell yourself, “Okay, after X thing gets done, I’ll take a break.” But one thing leads to another, weeks fly by, and before you know it, you’ve never taken that much-needed break. In reality, sleep and relaxation will allow you to be more productive. You get a lot less done when you’re exhausted or spread too thin!

Schedule in some time where you can truly relax, and we mean truly. Put down the devices and set up an away message if you need to. If there’s someone who can step up and take your place for your break, hand over the reins. Whether it’s a true vacation, a spa day, a 24-hour movie marathon… whatever it is you need, do yourself and your business a favor by taking that rest!

Design Day

Think of our Design Lab as a spa day for your business. After you’ve established those goals for your business, you can schedule a full day for our designers to work on meeting them. We handle a wide variety of projects, from a website and social media graphics, brochures, brand swag, packaging, and much, much more.

For a full day, we’ll be hard at work like the workshop elves of your dreams while you’re kicking back, listening to that business podcast you’ve been meaning to get to, reading that bestseller, or whatever else you choose to do with that time! Our designers will be in touch with you twice to go over and finalize details before handing over those much-anticipated deliverables. Before you know it, your brand will be polished, made over, and ready for the holiday season ahead! Check out our Design Lab and see if it’s right for you!

P.S. Want to learn more about what it’s like to go through the Design Lab? Check out our full process here.