How to figure out what restores you and restores your business (and actually build it into your schedule!)

🔋 What’s your battery at?

If you don’t know or can’t answer, this is for you.

In the fast-paced world of entrepreneurship, it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle. 

Especially if you are navigating it alone. 

We often prioritize our businesses over our personal well-being, leading to burnout and exhaustion. 

But what if there was a way to restore both yourself and your business?

The Importance of Restoration

Restoration is key for both personal and professional success, and more importantly, sustainability!

When we’re feeling depleted, it’s difficult to focus or be creative, let alone manage your team. 

By taking the time to restore ourselves, we can improve our mental and physical health and ultimately achieve our business goals.

The first step to finding restoration is to check in with yourself:

• What am I feeling right now? Am I stressed, overwhelmed, or exhausted?
• What do I need to feel better? Do I need rest, relaxation, a change of scenery, or a helping hand?
• What am I avoiding? Are there certain tasks or activities that I’m putting off because they’re overwhelming or stressful? Is there a client or employee I’m dreading working with, training, or providing feedback to?

Once you have a better understanding of your current state, you can start to identify the activities that will help you restore yourself.

Authentic Self-Care

Many people associate self-care with things like getting a pedicure or going to the spa. I personally love exploring a new city or trying a new restaurant. 

Don’t get caught up in what the Internet tells you self-care should be… The key is to find activities that truly nourish your soul and help you recharge.

Finding Your Restoration Activities

When you’re always in “get stuff done” mode, it’s easy to forget what restores you. Here are some suggestions for when you need a break: 

• Spend time in nature: No matter the weather, hiking, or simply taking a walk in the park can be incredibly restorative, both mentally and physically.
• Connect with loved ones: Spending time with friends and family can help reduce stress and boost your mood.
• Connect with other business owners: Bouncing ideas off of other professionals who may be going through or have gone through similar challengers can be incredibly resourceful and validating. Sometimes, just having a sounding board can go a long way in feeling better.
• Learn or do something new: This is my personal go-to! Seeing, hearing, eating, or being somewhere new creates new connections in my brain and inspires me to think differently. 
• Prioritize sleep: Self-care is not an extravagant spa package, but being able to clock 8 hours of sleep. You’ll be amazed at what you can achieve when you are well-rested.

Building Restoration into Your Schedule

Once you’ve identified your restoration activities, it’s important to actually build them into your schedule to keep yourself at peak energy. This might mean setting aside time each day, or taking a longer break every few weeks.

The most important thing is to find what works best for you. 

Remember, a well-rested and rejuvenated entrepreneur is a more successful one.