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by The Handcrafter Soap & Cosmetic Guild

5 Ways To Be a Boss, and Maintain Your Well-Being

Being an entrepreneur is a difficult, but rewarding path. When you own and run your own business, you have almost complete control over your schedule, and how your time is managed. Furthermore, many handcrafters have their working space right in their own home, which can make “going to work” more convenient.

While you are working hard perfecting your recipes, narrowing down designs and focusing on your customer’s experience, it can be easy to forget that your most important business asset is yourself!  Let’s take a look at five ways you can maintain your own well-being, while still being the boss you are.

Take Time 

Time is precious. Time is limited, and the temptation to devote yourself fully to your work can be strong.  But, before you dedicate the entirety of your waking moments to work, pause.

Designating time for yourself is crucial to maintaining your mental well-being. We aren’t talking long periods of time, because of course, when you’re the boss, manufacturer and salesperson of your empire, long breaks are not always feasible. The time we are talking about here is an hour or two, just 60 minutes out of the 1,440 minutes in a day, to focus on something you enjoy. That something can be reading, gardening, spending time with family or just meditating, but it is important to dedicate at least a few moments to something that is not work related.

Ask for Help 

Sometimes, things can get overwhelming. Perhaps you are swamped with orders, or worried about carting all of your products and setup materials to a local show; reach out. Your friends and family are also human, and can be a great source of strength and support. Asking for help does not invalidate your entrepreneur status, so don’t be afraid to lean on someone if you need to!

Take a Vacation, or a Staycation 

If you’ve got a bit of time to take off, don’t let the potential improbability of jetting off to a tropical location stop you! Sometimes, a staycation is more productive and more relaxing than an actual vacation. Take the time, do things around the house, visit your favorite coffee shop; and stay way from your workspace! Your mind and your body will thank you.

Know Your Limits 

Boundaries and limits are made to be pushed and broken, at least to a certain extent-but having an understanding of your own physical and emotional limits and adhering to them will make for a healthier mind and body. Sure you could work seven days a week, for 20 hours a day. But you shouldn’t. You could skip lunch to make a few more batches of product, but you shouldn’t. You will be sharper, more aware and better able to serve your business needs if you are rested and have been taking care of yourself.

Be Kind to Yourself 

When you are every cog in your business machine, there is no one else to look to when something goes wrong; it can be very easy to be extra hard on yourself. And before you think “it’s easy for you to tell me not to be hard on myself”, wait! Put yourself in your best friend’s shoes. If they were beating themselves up over every mistake, would you join in or tell them to keep their chin up? Be that friend to yourself. You are the most effective encouragement that you have.

Final Thoughts 

Being an entrepreneur is the dream. To make your dream a successful reality, it is imperative that you take the time to take care of yourself; by doing this, your business will thrive. Taking  a moment to take care of you is a sound investment in your empire!

A Penny For Your Thoughts...