And I did something I haven’t done in many months: I put my sneakers on and I headed out for a 30-minute walk with my dog. It felt good to feel the winter sun on my cheeks, and to let the dog sniff around without concern that I had to get back right away to do whatever on my to-do list. He appreciated not being hurried and his contented post-walk snooze tells me I hit all the right marks. Inspired by that walk I bring you true business-owning knowledge: namely, how to stay sane working from home while owning a business by yourself.
I try to be abundantly clear to brand new business owners about the pitfalls of being 100% remote and owning your own business. It’s half being a one-woman orchestra and half being comfortable with spending time by yourself—while showing only the shiny Instagram-ready part of yourself to prospects and strangers. Yes, I know you think you hate that cubicle. But I can guarantee you don’t hate that mid-morning coffee run, or the lunchtime watercooler chat about last week’s episode of Project Runway.
I stay sane working from home by doing one or a combination of the following:
Get your heart pumping.
You don’t have to necessarily break a sweat. But getting out of a seated or stationary position and moving around – even if it’s straightening up the kitchen or putting away the laundry – can lead to bigger and better things like longer walks around the neighborhood or even a once-a-week class.
Get your mind and your heart to a great place.
Whether that’s church, volunteering or therapy, getting in touch with your feelings and getting out of the dollars/cents/strategy/roi hamster wheel will help your brain take a break and process information.
Catch your zzz.
Stress and sleep are not the best of friends. And business owning is a stressful activity because there’s just so much unknown every day and no week is ever the same. Whether it’s shutting down all devices 90 minutes before bedtime, buying a weighted blanket (they are awesome), picking up a book or a nice cup of herbal tea, getting those 8 hours of sleep a night are key to keeping up with whatever happens in the daytime.
Surround yourself with the best.
Build a village. Whether it’s your close friends, your family or other business owners; having someone to turn to when the going gets rough is a great way of sharing the burden of ownership.
Now I know I might have scared you now. Every day is not dark and terrible. But it’s good to have the tools on hand before you actually need them.
If you ever need to talk business ownership with someone, reach out on the contact page.
