Wellbeing Tips for Small Business Owners
With these business wellbeing tips, we'll be covering how to manage stress, prioritise tasks, and schedule breaks for a healthier balance and better productivity. Empower your team with flexible hours and wellness programs for a thriving workplace.
Here at Clear Business, we appreciate that running a small business can be like juggling a dozen different plates at once: you've got deadlines looming, customers to keep happy, suppliers to manage, and always that drive for growth pushing you forward. With all this going on, it's no wonder that taking care of yourself often falls by the wayside.
But here's the thing: neglecting your own wellbeing doesn't just affect you—it can have a big impact on your business too. Stress, burnout, and health problems can all sneak up on you if you're not careful. That's why it's crucial for small business owners to prioritise their own health and work-life balance.
In this blog post, we'll share some business wellbeing tips and tricks for finding that balance and keeping both yourself and your team in tip-top shape.
Effective time management is crucial to achieving a healthy work-life balance. By implementing a few strategic practices, small business owners can reduce stress and free up valuable time for personal pursuits and rest.
Taking regular breaks is crucial for maintaining mental sharpness and avoiding burnout, and it's a fact backed by science. The human brain wasn't designed for extended periods of concentration; it functions best when given periodic rest.
Cognitive psychologists have found that brief diversions from a task can dramatically improve the ability to focus on that task for sustained periods, reduce mental fatigue, enhance creativity, and decrease stress levels.
Below is a range of break types that you can incorporate into your workday:
Microbreaks: These short, five-minute breaks taken every hour can be as simple as standing up from your desk, stretching, or walking around the office or home. Microbreaks help to reset your cognitive function and are particularly useful for those who perform high-intensity tasks.
Coffee or tea breaks: Mid-morning or mid-afternoon coffee or tea breaks can provide a welcome mental reset - not to mention a caffeine boost if you choose. These breaks also offer a chance to socialise with colleagues, both of which contribute to improved emotional wellbeing.
Meal breaks: Longer breaks, such as lunch breaks, are essential. They should be long enough to allow you to step away from your work environment, eat a meal without hurry, and ideally get some fresh air. These breaks separate the day, helping maintain sustained focus.
Incorporating breaks into a busy schedule can seem challenging, but with a few practical strategies, it can become a normalised part of your day:
Set alarms: Use alarms, wellbeing apps, or calendar reminders to prompt you to take breaks.
Plan your breaks: Plan your breaks into your work schedule. If possible, try to align breaks with natural pauses in your workflow.
Be disciplined: It’s easy to skip breaks, especially when you feel overwhelmed. However, discipline in taking breaks is crucial for their benefits to take effect. Treat breaks as non-negotiable appointments.
Encourage team breaks: If you work in a team, encourage them to take breaks too. In addition to improving overall productivity, it helps to build a healthier work culture.
A culture that prioritises health and wellness benefits small business owners in two ways: it improves their own wellbeing and that of their employees. When both owner and employees thrive, the business does, too.
Managing stress is crucial for salon owners like Shelley Houliston, as the demands of running a business can quickly become overwhelming. Here's Shelley's top tip on how she manages stress as a busy small business owner:
“I find comfort outdoors through walks, especially after long days in the salon. One tip I would suggest to salon owners is to prioritise self-care and embrace the outdoors to rejuvenate.”
Effective time management, the strategic taking of breaks, and the fostering of a wellness-oriented business culture are practices that you should implement every day. By prioritising each, you can transform your work environment into a space that promotes wellbeing and resilience. This ultimately helps to foster a more productive and engaging workplace.
Remember, incorporating these wellbeing tips into your business routine is an investment in your company's most valuable asset—your people. And when your people are happy and healthy, it is your business that benefits.
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