If you’re finding yourself feeling overwhelmed by the demands and expectations of running your own small business, it’s time to take a step back and assess what you’re doing right and where you might need some help. In this article, we’ve put together a list of personal development tips to help you love your small business life. From incorporating a self-care routine to accepting your limitations, these tips will help you thrive in this challenging environment. So why wait? Start taking action today!
Here are 13 personal development tips that these business leaders practice:
- Incorporate a Self-care Routine
- Trick Yourself to Do the Task You Don’t Want to Do
- Live by the One-Minute Rule
- Remind Yourself of Your Mission On a Daily Basis
- Work On Setting Healthy Work/Life Boundaries
- Form Networking Relationships With Other Small Biz Owners
- Actively Become a Better Boss
- Prevent Getting Caught Up In A Frenzy
- Get Involved in Your Local Community
- Appreciate the Little Things
- Understand That The Grass is Never Greener On the Other Side
- Celebrate Your Success Regularly
- Accept Your Limitations
Incorporate a Self-care Routine
When you take care of yourself you have more energy and clarity while working.
Start your day in a way that works for you – whether it is time to meditate or exercise, have a morning routine that sets you up for the day. During your day, schedule time to step away to eat, walk, or think. Be intentional about creating time for people and fun too.
Running a business is hard work and your self-care including time for others and fun is how you ensure you are focused and motivated when working. It will keep you going!
Cathy Liska, CEO, Center for Coaching Certification
Trick Yourself to Do the Task You Don’t Want to Do
As small business owners, we wear many hats. If we don’t do a task, it doesn’t get done. Some days, it gets tough to complete the tasks we don’t love doing. One day you might have a planned day off, but something comes up, a sale comes through, and you end up working that day. Or other days you’re not motivated to do the task you don’t want to, for whatever reason. On those days, when I’m not very motivated, I listen to some advice my mentor gave me. I tell myself I enjoy what I’m doing. It’s a mental trick that motivates you to kick-start those mundane tasks. I’ve been doing it for a month now, and it’s been working for me.
Michelle Beauregard, Founder, Quietly
Live by the One-Minute Rule
Living by the ‘one-minute rule’ is a simple way to nurture personal development. If any task takes less than a minute to do, do it immediately, that is the only rule. Living by this simple philosophy ensures that the small things get done immediately. That, in turn, leaves more room for bigger, more complex tasks later in the day.
Chris Coote, Founder & CEO, California Honey Vapes
Remind Yourself of Your Mission On a Daily Basis
Remind yourself of your mission on a daily basis. Things get tough when your fighting in the trenches every day to make something work. Sometimes it seems as though the world conspires to aid you and at others, it can feel like everyone is secretly working against you. The most important thing anyone can do is to stay true your mission, and let that guide you through tough times.
Patrick Robinson, Founder & CEO, Paskho
Work On Setting Healthy Work/Life Boundaries
Boundaries are essential for maintaining a healthy work/life balance, and this is especially true if you run your own business. Due to the responsibility involved, it can be tempting to take too much on and overwork. After all, if you don’t get it done, who will? However, this approach often backfires and leads to burnout.
Healthy boundaries will help to prevent this and enable you to give your best without losing yourself in the process. For me, this means working set hours, taking regular breaks, and turning off my work devices at certain times. I can find myself thinking about my business 24/7 if I’m not careful, but I know this is unhelpful long-term. I make sure to take time to do things that benefit my well-being, such as hiking, watersports, and spending time with loved ones. This replenishes me and means that I can return to work with renewed energy, passion, and commitment.
I find that implementing appropriate boundaries makes me more efficient, productive, and successful.
Alex Mastin, CEO and Founder, Home Grounds
Form Networking Relationships With Other Small Biz Owners
Running a small business can be taxing on a person, more taxing than you ever thought possible. As a small business owner, you have to be mindful to feed your “small biz soul” to prevent burning out.
One of the most overlooked ways to do that is by forming networking relationships with other small business owners. Being able to have friendships and alliances to boost one another up as well as share resources will be a great asset to you. This can often be difficult to do because as small business owners we can often be insecure, fearing free sharing of information and resources. What is missed is the opportunity to level up yourself and your business as a community, and that’s a win for everyone!
Melissa Mohr, Owner and Founder, Mohr Coaching and Development
Actively Become a Better Boss
Having a small business lets me learn more about my employees, which makes me a better boss. Knowing all of my employees personally is a substantial small business benefit. I make time to check in frequently one to one. I express a genuine interest in them as employees and people. I want to know if they’re having a tough time at work or if their dog is sick at home. A small business allows me to really understand my people, and that makes me a better boss
Temoer Terry, Partner, The Mommy Care Kit
Prevent Getting Caught Up In A Frenzy
Running a small business, whether you do it as a solo entrepreneur or a business partner, is no joke. Left unchecked, your dedication can turn into an obsession that leaves no room for housekeeping, errands, a social life with family or friends, or a healthy bank balance. You may end up fighting the urge to quit.
But there is something you can do to prevent getting caught up in the frenzy with no room to breathe: make three short lists. The first one will detail why you are passionate about your particular line of business; the second will remind you of your principal values; the third will include the names and numbers of people who can handle the tasks you hate the most because they don’t represent your strengths.
Once you focus on what’s most important, delegate tasks that will allow you to concentrate on what you do best, and free up hours you can choose to spend as an ordinary human being, you will rediscover yourself and enjoy your life again.
Terise Lang, Health and Wellness Coach, Speaker, and Writer, Terise Lang Writes
Get Involved in Your Local Community
As a small business owner, I’ve found that getting involved in my local community gives me a great sense of pride and joy, which is crucial for appreciating small business life. Attending local events, volunteering at charities, and regularly meeting with other small business owners will motivate you to continue growing your business.
Additionally, getting more involved in your local community not only gives you a better understanding of your core customer base, but also helps with networking, which can lead to more opportunities for future business.
Alaina Ross, Co-Founder and Registered Nurse, Sleep Family
Appreciate the Little Things
My tip would be to appreciate the journey and the people that you work with in achieving your goals. Too often we get busy and forget to appreciate the little things. Take time to reflect and be appreciative of what it means to operate a business not only for you as an individual, but for the lives of the people you work with and the community at large.
Shane Hudson, Attorney, The Hudson Injury Firm
Understand That The Grass is Never Greener On the Other Side
Make a conscious decision to love the space you’re in and to thrive continuously. There’s always going to be a new media darling, big new thing, or kid that came out of left field and made $50 million in 6 months selling the same services as you. Don’t let this get you down. You’ll never get the full story, there are always elements to the equation that made all the difference but they don’t want to be disclosed. Stay focused on yourself, your company, the customers you have, and the customers you want to earn. The rest will fall into place over time.
James Scott, Founder, Embassy Row Project
Celebrate Your Success Regularly
Celebrate wins. While it’s customary to celebrate team wins, don’t be afraid to celebrate individual wins as well. Running your own business is hard work, but it’s rewarding. Don’t forget to actually reward yourself when you achieve one of your goals. Take yourself out to dinner, or if you achieved something big, book a weekend getaway. If you want to love your small business life, you must learn to celebrate your successes.
Kim Walls, CEO and Co-Founder, Furtuna Skin
Accept Your Limitations
You cannot be all things for all people and all organizations. It is important to set boundaries. It is important to have workday start and end times. Quality of life should not be an issue for small business owners. The thinking used to be that if you were not working 12-hour days, you don’t love your business. We now know that is not a good model to follow.
You need time to relax and release the stressors of your day. You need time to plan for your next day. Listen to your body and mind and you will not have to deal with anxiety trying run your business. Many businesses fail because the business owner becomes overwhelmed and stressed out. If you know your limitations up front and accept those limitations you will be able to build your business and enjoy the journey.
Beth Smith, Life Coach and Owner, Thriving With Resilience