Self-Care for Side-Hustle Success
Maybe you need extra money to pay off your student loans. Perhaps you’re looking to save for your children’s college or simply want to pay off debt. For whatever reason, you’ve opted to monetize your talents and create a new income stream for yourself. That’s great, but you also have to remember to take care of yourself in ways that keep you healthy, happy, and whole. Need ideas? You have found them.
Take care of your health.
Taking care of your health is the greatest thing you can do for yourself, your family, and your business. If you’re not sure where to start, contact PHOENON today to schedule your fitness coaching session. Once you know how to manage your fitness and nutrition, you’ll feel better physically, emotionally, and mentally. This will put you in a better position to thrive as an entrepreneur.
Outsource tasks that don’t utilize your expertise.
We all have our strengths and weaknesses, which is probably why you started your side job in the first place. You know what you’re good at, and you know that other people might not be able to do what you do as efficiently. Apply the same thought process to your “job.” You might, for example, get a little help with things you don’t know much about, such as business formation. Because establishing an LLC means understanding local regulations, it might be best to use this formation service (instead of a more expensive attorney) that has these together already. The same goes for taxes, marketing, or any other area that requires specialized knowledge or training.
Get plenty of sleep.
Outsourcing can also free time for important self-care activities, such as sleep. Sleep Foundation explains that sleep affects every system within the body. Knowing this makes it easier to understand why getting a solid eight hours every night is crucial to your personal and professional productivity. Giving yourself even an extra 30 minutes after the sun goes down will help your brain recover from the day, making you that much more ready to tackle the next.
Take a vacation.
658 million — this is the number of paid vacation days that sit unused on company books each year. Unfortunately, not taking time off from work is actually detrimental to your career. When you spend time away from the hustle and bustle of your everyday life, you have an opportunity to renew your inner passions. You’ll return to the workplace, whether it’s your full-time job or your side job, ready to tackle problems. Plus, you’ll have fun, which in itself reduces stress and improves your energy.
Read business books and blogs.
Reading has plenty of cognitive benefits and reading books on how to refine your professional skills gives you the added benefit of knowledge. The Entrepreneurs on Fire blog suggests Think And Grow Rich, The War Of Art, and more than a dozen other books for aspiring success stories. You can also look at professional and industry blogs for your daily dose of inspiration.
Promise less, deliver more.
Taking care of yourself might also mean taking care of your customers. If the goal of your side hustle is to ultimately replace your full-time income, you’ll want to put measures into place now that help you grow. One of the greatest things you can do now is to promise less than you deliver. A quick example: ship in 24 hours instead of an advertised 48. This may result in happier customers and free word-of-mouth advertising.
Self-care might not be exactly what you think. While it can be composed of fun things, like having a cocktail with friends on your favorite waterfront patio, there are also many practical activities you can do each day to care for yourself so that you can be a better business. Prioritizing your health, brushing up on business basics, and letting other people take the reins sometimes are all great ways to fuel yourself so that you don’t run down while keeping your business up and running.
The PHOENON blog is free to read and offers up lots of great info and insight for busy business owners.
