When people take the plunge to go Self Employed they often cite being master of their own destiny, earning more money and having more flexibility and freedom as some of the main motivators. It’s easy to think that all your new found freedom should come with perks such as time to look after yourself. But with great power comes great responsibility and the weight of that responsibility can often weigh heavy. 

General good health and wellbeing is important for all but when you are the boss, the worker and the everything in between it’s VITAL.

There are several ways in which you can look after your mental and physical health. To help you on your way, we’ve written a handy guide to looking after yourself so YOU can look after your business. 

Feed Yourself

We all know what we should and shouldn’t be eating. Make sure you’re eating plenty of fruit and veg. Try not to hit up the cookie jar every hour and don’t rely on caffeine to fuel you. Your brain is 73% water, so make sure you’re drinking plenty of the wet stuff, you’ll feel sharper and more alert for it.

Get Physical

Exercise is really important, sitting down is the new smoking. Research by the American College of Cardiology linked prolonged sitting to an increased risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer and even early death. 

If you’re fortunate enough not to be constrained by a 9-5 day, make the most of an off peak gym membership and break the day up with a workout. Taking a short break from your desk for a walk is a great way to reset, giving you a chance to get some sunlight and fresh air. 

Feeling stressed and stationary? Why not join a local Yoga studio? Yoga is a great way to get moving in a gentle way. It’s also proven to reduce stress level and help improve sleep. 

Time for Bed

If you’re self employed you won’t be a stranger to the old ‘all nighter’ but it’s not a healthy habit to keep up. With a lack of sleep being proven to increase irritability and lack of concentration, catching some zzz’s should be a priority. Try to establish a bed time routine that lets your body and mind know it’s time to relax. Switch off devices, that means no more checking the work emails. Enjoy a bath, listen to some music or read a book and have a quite hour before lights out. 

Talk to someone

With social networks like  Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn dominating our business and personal lives it would be easy to think that we’re all social creatures. Sadly, our reliance on platforms such as these means we often forego face to face time, kidding ourselves we’ve had our fill of people! 

If you’re self employed and work solo then it can be a lonely place. Instead of sending a message, make plans to meet a friend or family member for lunch, join a networking group (find out more about our Members Group, Enterprise +) or get a group of friends together for a weekly quiz night.

The takeaway (not that kind….)

Whether you tackle all the above or pick a couple of healthy habits to adopt, any extra focus you can give to your wellbeing is worth it’s weight in gold. 

Overworking is dangerous, its bad for you and for business. The efforts you put in at work must be countered by periods of rest so that you maintain peak functionality both in your home and work life.