Entrepreneurs are always hustling, and life and work often intertwine. This is also the case when we experience a crisis, such as a personal tragedy, health issues, or even a huge life transition. In times like these, it’s vital to make space for self-care, not just for your own well-being, but for the sake of your business. Here are 4 ways to practice self-care during a crisis.
Acknowledge your emotions
When you are experiencing a crisis while also trying to run a business, your emotions will be everywhere and you will likely try to carry on as normal, burying your feelings. But to heal yourself, it is vital to acknowledge what you’re feeling from a place of kindness and honesty.
I like to use the wheel of life approach. It is a simple yet powerful tool for looking at all areas of your life at once including relationships, health, work, etc. (we actually have a real graphic for this!) to uncover which areas need more support and attention.
Are you experiencing a huge personal or family transition? Facing a business obstacle? Once you have acknowledged the difficult circumstance, stop and ask yourself, how am I really feeling about this? What emotions are running through my mind? Take 5 minutes to write down any words that describe how you are feeling.
If you ignore and suppress your emotions for long enough, you will hit a point where the stress of these feelings will be felt on your physical body, too, in the form of overwhelm, foggy brain, headaches, an inability to get out of bed, or other health issues.
Your body is like a flowing river, and when there are emotional blockages, it’s like throwing rocks into the river that impacts the flow of energy that empowers you.
Begin with small steps
Self-love isn’t selfish, it’s essentia! Self-care is so important and every little thing counts. Start small and begin with tiny daily habits to create lasting change. Decide that you will do one thing for yourself each day, whether it’s lighting your favourite candle each morning, saying a prayer, using crystals, or pulling a tarot card and connecting to yourself for just five minutes.
Meditation and mindfulness are also extremely effective. Five minutes is all you need. Even going outside and listening to the birds and wind rustling through the trees is a form of meditation that can work wonders. Laughter is also healing! Never underestimate the power of a hilarious animal youtube video.
Even the smallest acts of self-care can transform your well-being for the better. Once you are in the habit of doing things for yourself, you can work your way up. Personally, I love to connect to my sense of smell and use aromatherapy throughout my day with essential oils, beautiful smelling flowers and candles at my desk.
Practice mental fitness
Maintaining a good mindset is probably the most important thing you can do.
At its core, self-care consists of small habits that you engage in consistently, to keep your energy flowing smoothly. No matter the crisis you are facing in your life, practicing these habits is a form of mental fitness that can not only help you recognize your emotions, but process them and eventually heal.
Sit in silence for two minutes and simply listen to your breathing, counting your breaths. While eating your meals, feel every bite, experience the flavours, temperature and textures. These are all simple forms of mental fitness that can strengthen the self-awareness you need to recognize your worth and heal.
Separate your work from your home life
As entrepreneurs, our work time and “home” time often blend together. When experiencing a crisis, you are mentally blocked in a way that can make it difficult to be inspired in your business.
It’s OK to take breaks and slow down during difficult times. You don’t need to be “busy” constantly! Sometimes “busy” is a way to protect yourself from feeling the hard emotions. By taking time off to recharge, you reinvigorate your mind and body to reach your business goals.
Don’t forget, YOU are your business’s greatest asset, and if you are using work to distract from a crisis, you will eventually become stressed and burnt out, which can reflect on your work.
We all experience tough times in life. Experiencing a crisis is a blockage in your energy flow that you are being called to work through. To be able to work through, you must acknowledge your emotions and allow yourself to feel what you are feeling so you can grow.
Remember, you don’t need to do this alone! We are not meant to. Reach out and ask for support or help if you need it, whether from family, friends or even like minded strangers xo
