Well being in work for women is at the forefront of all we do and that is one of the reasons that Supportal Services exists. Overwhelm is real and it can happen to entrepreneurs and small business owners as they grow their businesses.
It is amazing when your business starts to take off, but it is a lot of responsibility too. You find yourself pulled in all manner of directions. Entrepreneurs naturally want to maintain control of all aspects of their work, but there comes a point when it is not possible to do that and still enjoy any kind of healthy work-life balance.
We are here to support people just like you and restore that well-being in work that takes weight from your shoulders and helps you enjoy your success. In this article, we offer practical tips and advice to keep that overwhelm at arm’s length.
Why is Well-Being and Mental Health Important?
Running a business is hard – like, really hard. It’s what you’ve dreamed of for what feels like forever, but now the reality of running your business is here, it also looks an awful lot like late night working, never feeling like you’re at the bottom of your to-do list, and whilst working alone cuts out the chats at the water cooler, what about the chats over a coffee? What about those brain-storming sessions when energy flows and all the creative ideas come out?
What about the feeling of connection, as opposed to the feeling of loneliness?
We all strive for a work/life balance – but do we know what that actually looks like?
An unhealthy and unbalanced approach to working life directly affects our home and social life, and in turn, our mental health.
Our Founder Chloe Jessamy holds this topic close to her heart; in her 15 years of providing support to independent business owners, she has helped, re-focused and supported the road to recovery from burnout to flourishment.
What Does a Healthy Work-Life Balance Look Like?
A healthy work/life balance will look different to each of us. It’s not about splitting your time equally between work, self-care, home life etc – it’s about feeling fulfilled and content in all areas of your life. Well-being in work, well-being at home.
A healthy balance could look like this:
- Meeting your working deadlines, whilst still having time to meet with friends throughout the week
- Getting to bed at a reasonable time, and resting well
- Eating well, and getting to that exercise class that’s in your calendar
- Not worrying or fretting about work when you’re at home
How to Increase Well-Being in Work
Pause for a moment
Take a minute to pause and reflect. Ask yourself – what’s currently causing you stress. Which area of your business, or task on your to-do list do you find yourself procrastinating over or dreading doing? Pausing and considering your priorities can help you understand what is and isn’t working well for you.
Set (and stick to) boundaries
Plan your days realistically. Be kind to yourself – fill your day to around 70-80% capacity. That will allow some wriggle room if something crops up or a task takes slightly longer than expected but still stick to your set finish time for the day. Sticking to the boundaries of a start and finish time will allow you to feel fulfilment along with being in control of what happens throughout the day.
Develop good food habits
When you are super busy, it is easy to pick the most convenient option to eat, rather than the healthiest. We all love some fast food once in a while, but when it becomes a common occurrence because you are too busy to put together a healthy lunch or dinner, it can have ill effects. You start to feel sluggish and this can affect your well being in work.
The guilt that you might feel outweighs the short burst of joy that fast food brings. And the consequences for your physical health are obviously negative.
Try taking just ten minutes a day to prepare a healthy lunch for work. It will be ten minutes well spent and you will feel much happier with yourself for doing so. You will also likely feel more energetic.
Plan your dinners ahead for the week and order in the ingredients so you know exactly what you are going to eat each day and you don’t have to waste time thinking about it and then popping into the shop every day to get the ingredients.
Cut down on caffeine
When we’re tired and need to keep ourselves alert for the day, we tend to reach for the caffeine. However, the short-term high is followed by a lull and because it hydrates you, that makes it more difficult to concentrate. Be careful with how much caffeine you consume each day.
Consider alternatives
If there’s a task or area of responsibility in your business that you don’t enjoy, brings you the feeling of dread, or you feel always takes you ten times longer than it should – seek an alternative route. The likelihood is this is a necessary task in your business if it’s still around. So find another way to get it done. There are all manner of support systems available to you, find out about getting help with business tasks here.
Make time for CSR
Giving back, volunteering, doing a selfless deed – these can all bring well-being in work. It’s not always about things you do for yourself. Helping others brings all the good feelings that we all need from time to time. Those warm, fuzzy feelings that only come from a random act of kindness – a well-balanced work/home life will allow the time to work that into your schedule.
Support for Well Being In Work
'Self-care is, fundamentally, about bringing balance back to a life that has grown imbalanced from too many commitments or responsibilities.' — Robyn L Gobin Click To Tweet
We can help you if you need support to help with your well being in work and create more definition in your work-life balance. Have a conversation with Chloe to help you understand what’s realistic and what alternatives you could consider. Just get in touch for a free 20-minute conversation about your needs and take the first step to a healthier lifestyle.
