10 Self-Care Practices to Boost Productivity, Beat Burnout, and Live a Balanced Life

I’ll never forget the feeling I had about one year into my business when I realized what burnout actually was. I was tired to my bones. My body ached everywhere. I would wake up from a full night of sleep with zero energy. We’d go on vacation, and I would sleep for the first three days.

I was grouchy, gained weight, and wondered if I was depressed. I even made a list in Evernote of moments I remembered feeling happy. I thought maybe if I could figure out what made me happy in the past, I would feel better. Unfortunately, everything I thought of felt like a lot of work.

All the hustling, pushing, driving, and grinding in my business had worn me down to an empty shell of a human. I was physically, emotionally, and mentally drained. By definition, I was burned out.

Burnout is a challenge for business owners

Unfortunately, with the last few years of uncertainty, inflation, and an unpredictable market, the feeling of burnout is becoming more and more common among business owners.

“Running a small business in the past year has taken a toll on the entrepreneurs. Nearly half (42%) of small business owners say they have experienced burnout in the past month, with 24% saying they are currently experiencing burnout, a syndrome resulting from chronic stress at work that is characterized by overwhelming exhaustion, negative attitudes, or a lack of commitment with clients and dissatisfaction with job performance.”

https://www.capitalone.com/about/insights-center/small-business-confidence-2022/

I’ve noticed it in my clients recently. People who were once excited about their businesses are taking time off. Others are looking for ways they can simplify and streamline.

Of course, there are lots of ways I help my clients make growing their businesses easier, like automating things that don’t require a human touch, creating simple strategies to get better results from the work you’re currently doing, and leveraging tools and resources online to make your work easier.

But those things won’t fix burnout.

So how do we prevent or overcome burnout?

The simplest solution in a word is Boundaries!

Boundaries are an indispensable part of self-care. Without boundaries, my business took over my life. I was getting up early and working late. I was mentally working when I was technically off. Work was with me everywhere I went. My clients’ “emergencies” became my emergencies. I felt like I was “on call” with maintenance tasks.

Boundaries are HARD, especially for people-pleasers like me. One coach I worked with gave me an assignment to purposely disappoint someone every day for a week. I didn’t think there would be any way I could follow through with that, but I did and learned it was really hard to truly disappoint people.

Rescheduling an appointment, adjusting a deadline, or saying “no” was a much bigger deal in my head than it was for the people I was working with.

So let’s talk about some of the ways you can set healthy, self-honoring boundaries in your business:

1. Set clear expectations.

In a service business, communicating clear expectations is the key to a happy client relationship.

• What are your working hours?
• How quickly should they expect a response from you?
• How should they communicate with you?
• Which communication channels are off-limits?
• What is the scope of your work together?
• Say “no” to projects that are outside your zone of genius.
• Say “no” to clients who feel like they’ll be high-maintenance on your discovery calls.

2. Manage yourself and your work.

If you’re working all the time, it’s time to set some boundaries with yourself.

• Take care of your body, mind, and spirit
• Designate specific working hours.
• Physically turn off your computer at the end of your workday if you have to.
• Put your phone on the charger during evening hours with your family.
• Create a designated work space (if you don’t have a home office) to help you maintain the boundaries between work and home.
• Ask your family to help hold you accountable to work your work boundaries.
• Stop trying to do laundry and housework during your work day. Work when you’re at work and be off when you’re off.

To maintain a healthy work-life balance and avoid burnout, you’ve also got to take care of yourself!

Here are a few self-care practices I like to incorporate into my routine:

3. Prioritize sleep.

If you’re a night owl, quit the 5-AM club and get an extra hour or two of sleep. Or if you’re most productive in the morning, go to bed before 9:00.

A consistent sleep schedule will do wonders for your mind, body, and energy levels. Geek out on sleep technology if it’s interesting to you. Trying to get my sleep score to be as high as possible on my Oura ring is a fun challenge for me.

4. Move your body.

I learned the hard way that sitting at a desk all day killed my back. Now I get up every hour to move, refill my water, go potty, stretch, or change my position.

Do whatever type of exercise you like. Go for a walk. Do yoga. Lift weights. Stretch. Play with the dog or your kids. Do squats every time you return to your desk. It will do wonders for your mind and body!

5. Eat healthy food

By “healthy,” I mean real food. The kinds of food that will turn to slime in your fridge if you don’t eat it in a few days. If it can sit on a shelf for months on end, it’s not real food. I’ve completely cut out all sugar from my diet, and the only carbs I’m eating are nature’s carbs from fruits and vegetables. I’ve never felt better.

6. Practice mindfulness

This doesn’t have to be some fancy schmancy woo-woo routine. Do whatever helps you. Make a gratitude list each day. If you like to meditate, get the Insight Timer app and have at it. If you like journaling, buy yourself a pretty journal, and go to town. If you like going for a walk in nature, lace up your shoes and head outside. If prayer is your thing, do it. Maybe it’s even a combination of these things!

7. Socialize more

Introverts, please stick with me here. I totally understand that your happy place might be your cozy chair with your nose in a book, but interacting with other people is a great way to keep you present in the moment. Go to lunch with a friend. Take your kids on a date. Plan a weekend getaway with your partner. Go to a party. Join an axe-throwing league. Volunteer at the local pet shelter. Do whatever floats your boat and will get you out of the house and connecting with other people.

Trust me when I say that I’ll usually prefer to stay home when I have a social event on my calendar, but like exercising, 9 times out of 10, I will be glad that I went after the fact.

8. Take a break

Plan for some downtime throughout your day and week. Give yourself an hour for lunch. Take Monday mornings to get focused and ease into your week. I love taking Friday afternoons off from clients to wrap things up so I can unplug on the weekends.

I also started planning “Time to Breathe” week each month in my membership program. It was time to give me a break and give my members time to get caught up on their work if they needed it. (Best decision ever!)

Take time off each quarter. Plan a vacation or a week away from work to do a house project or something else you’ve been wanting to do. You’ll be more productive and get more done when you’re taking regular breaks. Think about how much work you get done before a vacation. If you take every Friday off, you will still get it done.

9. Learn a new hobby

Many people come into entrepreneurship by turning their hobby into a business. If that is your path, find another hobby or a goal. You may love your business but don’t make it your hobby. Find something you’ve wanted to learn but haven’t had the time for. Sign up for a class at the community college, join a hobbyist group on social media, or take a class on Skillshare.

I’m part of a minimalist group on Facebook. I love the process of decluttering my house and the tips and simple steps I’m learning. I’ll never make home organizing “my thing,” and I’ll probably never be a true minimalist, but I’m totally enjoying the process and the results.

I’m also learning to cook. Many of you know my embarrassing story of burning the kitchen down during finals in Home Ec class in high school. Well, I’ve decided this year is my year to face that challenge and learn to cook. I’m a beginner, and in all honesty, I stink, but I’m getting better! At the beginning of the year, my 15-year-old son asked politely if we could just try one new recipe a week instead of a new recipe every night because he was really hungry. Now he’s asking for things I made a second time! (Hooray for small wins!)

10. Take the time to look your best (for yourself, not anyone else!)

While I’m always down for a no makeup, no bra, and jammie day, I have noticed that on the days I do my hair and makeup and wear something cute, I am happier, I have more energy, and I feel better about myself. Taking the 30 minutes to dry my hair and run a flat iron through it pays off in unexpected ways. I can pop on a quick video for work or say “yes” to a last-minute lunch date. I bought a new dress last weekend, and when I wore it, I kept glancing at myself when I walked by a mirror and felt pretty.

So, wear sexy undies if they make you feel confident. Buy yourself a pair of cute shoes. Get your hair or nails done. You deserve to feel pretty or handsome. Taking the time to look your best is a great way to practice self-care.

The bottom line is that self-care is not a one-size-fits-all approach, but it’s something everyone needs, especially business owners who can frequently feel stressed and burned out.

Yes, as entrepreneurs, we can tend to be a bit of a crazy bunch, but we don’t have to let our businesses make us actually go crazy. Experiment with these activities to find what works best for you and make the practices you love a regular part of your routine. I hope my story and tips will help you avoid burnout and maintain overall well-being in your business and life.

Remember this. Your business would be nothing without your passion. Don’t let burnout take you out of the game.