Episode 027 – Self Care.

As a small business owner self-care is the last thing that anyone thinks about! But taking care of you needs to be your first priority, from what you think to what you eat and how much sleep you really need to be productive!

Self-Care starts with you!

No one else can take care of us like we can take care of us, we know intimately what our bodies and minds need on a daily basis! Often, we get lost in the busyness and rush of our daily lives and neglect the fact that our bodies and minds are the only ones we have! Self-care is often not even a thought for many small business owners, and if you are not scheduling it in your calendar then you are doing yourself a massive dis-service. You need, and the need here is in capital letters, to schedule time in your week for self-care.

Do you eat lunch?

Eating well and nourishing your body is a multibillion-dollar industry today, so why are you possibly skipping lunch and snacking on high sugar/carb products to get you through the day? I know why, but do you? Are you even realising that you are putting this beautiful temple we call our body and mind at risk! Sometimes when deadlines are due, or we are so engrossed in our work we often forget to eat or choose to grab something simple. Nourishing our bodies also nourishes our mind, enabling us to stay focused and concentrate. A healthy diet mixed with preplanning is the key to keeping your health on track! Eating healthy as we all know takes time to prepare, so by planning out your lunches and breakfasts for the week it means you can take the stress and guess work out of taking care of your nutrition. There are many options to get your meals delivered or to purchase pre cooked meals if this will help you, but nothing beats fresh cooked and prepared meals!

Do you have hobbies outside of work?

Often, I hear laughter when I ask this question, but do you have any hobbies?? I personally love flowers, and floristry is my hobby! I have taken many courses, and activities to learn the new skill, and love when I have the opportunity to practice and create new arrangements for family and friends. It takes me away from thinking about the many responsibilities and to do lists items that float through my head on a minute to minute time frame! Hobbies can be anything, but they need to be something that you love, not something you necessarily do with your family. Men are very good at taking time out, especially around sport and physical activities, and it is normally women who are busy amalgamating their down time into getting things done around the house or specifically with their family. If you love bush walking, then that is definitely something you can do as a family, my point is more around women putting their needs ands wants first even if it is just once a week! The hobbies you can choose are endless, from rock climbing, racing cars, baking, supporting a local youth group, surfing, sewing, gardening, building furniture it really is up to you. I just want you to take your thoughts away from constantly achieving for money, and achieving for the sake of enjoyment

Do you do something for yourself each week?

Do you have any rituals for yourself or do you enjoy small acts of personal kindness? I love essential oils and I use them religiously throughout the house, as a perfume, for cleaning and when I need to unwind and relax. I love popping them into a hot bath with Epson salts and magnesium and soaking for a good hour. I also use them when I am working, to help promote my mood, help me to relieve stress and anxiety, while other oils help me focus and stay grounded. A beautiful cup that you use to make a special tea once a day as a treat. Take that 5 min in the morning, to apply your moisturiser slowly and incorporating some face yoga or take 10 min after lunch to lay down in the sun! I promise you the work is still going to be there when you get back, and the world will not stop. I want to also remind you all about setting boundaries, boundaries with yourself, work, family, and the world in general. You dictate how you show up and how you want to be treated, if you are not taking time to do something nice for yourself, then unfortunately some hard truth is that you are to blame!

Do you allow your work not to fill your thoughts when you are in downtime?

Meditation and yoga are great ways to help you care for your body and mind. Our thoughts are filled with work related stresses when we are not working, and you need to learn to Switch Off! I know easier said than done, but I often talk about your best ideas happening when you are in the shower or when you are driving in the car! This is because you have given your mind space, space to just be, concentrate on something different. Perspective happens so quickly when you allow your mind to just rest. You don’t solve any problems, situations or come up with new ideas when your brain is being forced to do so. Its like smashing your head against the wall and hoping it won’t be so hard next time. Time away and thoughts away from your business help to give you perspective. It also allows your brain time to rest, god knows you need it! We are being bombarded with so much information on a daily basis, that allowing yourself and your brain the time to just be is vitally important. Download an app, take a class or watch a class online, start to learn how to clear your mind when you are not working.

Are you family and friends getting time with you, of are they missing out!

Small business can be all consuming all the time! But are your family and friends starting to resent the fact that you are never around, or not present with them? You are bigger than your business, and your needs come first, you cannot put your life on hold for your business. Having a small business should compliment your life, remember you started this to get away from a JOB so why are you working at it like one? Do not buy into the rubbish that hustling and killing yourself is the only way to be successful. You will become rich and lonely, I can let you all know now, I am happy being comfortable and surrounded with friends and family. What is the point of burn out and resentment, losing your family, friends and general social circle in the pursuit of success and money? There is balance, I don’t care what others say, I live it every day, you can have your cake and eat it too, you just need to be realistic about how much cake you want to eat before your butt gets too big!!!

Hard ball truth time ladies!

This is for all my ladies, I am shocked to hear what some of you are prepared to put up with at home, partners and kids will be lost without you. What happens when you get ill, gosh what happens if you are permanently injured, and the unthinkable, what happens if you die?

Set time in your calendar to do the things that make you happy. Partners can look after kids, please don’t tell me that they can’t, you create a rod for your own back by constantly running around making sure that everyone is ok! Your time is now, more than ever to really consider how you want your life to look moving forward, you never know when it will be your time to depart, morbid I know, but I feel like I need to speak this truth to get you to understand its now or never lovely.

Put your foot down, create jobs and activities for your family to complete, you are not their slave! Domestic duties should be shared, and children need to learn from a young age how to contribute to their household, not because it shouldn’t just be you doing everything but because this is teaching them valuable life skills that they will take with them into adult hood! Be proud to create functioning members of society, not dependent individuals who can’t do anything for themselves.

You are the most precious, giver of life, sustainer of creation, your time is now to love yourself more than you have ever done before. Nourish your mind, worship your body, it’s a temple and your vessel to live your best life, you don’t need to make radical change, but the saying I live by is on point today, your smallest actions will create your greatest reality, I hope you enjoyed today and talk to you all again soon xx

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Meet Your Host

Carol Lange 

From a young age I have been surrounded by business success. Having formally studied a Double Degree of Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Management, this led to many successful opportunities.

I have been an employee for large accounting firms and international companies. I have run two highly successful businesses, becoming sought after in my industry internationally.

I have spoken nationally on the topic of money management and loved having the quiet coffee making radical changes for my clients. I am not a limelight chaser, just a quiet achiever looking to make a difference in the world.

Thankyou for joining me on the podcast, my dream is to inspire you to take action that will create a difference in your life! Dream no more and live the life that you have always wanted.