Self-care- you know you need to do it, but do you actually take the time to practice self-care? Taking time for yourself during your regular day is tough enough; add in building a business and you may laugh at the impossibility of it all. With the holiday season beginning – officially – next week, your life is about to get even busier!

When it seems impossible to take a break for yourself is when you need to do it the most. The busier you get, the more your internal battery will drain. That’s why you may feel so frazzled when life gets hectic. 

Why self-care is important

If you don’t take care of you, who will? The majority of network marketers – like you – are the center of their family’s universe. They slay it at home, keeping everyone organized and the home running smoothly. Many have full-time jobs, aside from their network marketing business, and play an important role within the company they work for. Others volunteer in their communities, giving a piece of themselves to those who need it the most. They all work hard to build and grow their network marketing businesses, working from the heart to build relationships with their customers, prospects, and distributors. Taken individually, all of these tasks are challenging; when combined, it creates a complex juggling act where the network marketer is trying to manage it all without anything dropping.

And, for the most part, we succeed. However, when life throws another ball into the mix, it can be so hard to keep it all together. We may keep everything going as normal for a little bit, but over time, as our energy wanes, it becomes more and more difficult to keep the juggling act going. As a result, we get frazzled, our energy drops, we may become overwhelmed or frustrated or snappish. Soon we become no good to anyone (though we’d never admit it – ever). 

At this point what we really need is a break for self-care. Unfortunately, it’s precisely at this point that we don’t take it. Why? Oh, the excuses are numerous:

• “I’m too busy!”
• “But everyone relies on me. I can’t possibly take a minute for myself.”
• “There’s just too much to do!”

The list goes on and on…

Making time for self-care

As with anything, from your relationships to your business, if you don’t make time for it, it’s ain’t gonna get done. The thing is, how many of us feel super guilty taking even a moment for ourselves? The second we begin to consider it, that annoying little voice in our heads begins to rattle off all the things we should be doing instead. Then the guilt sets in and we begin to think that it’s selfish to take a moment for ourselves when we have all of these other things to do (sidenote: the reality is that all of those other things to do is actually about three things and all of them can wait). 

Shut. That. Voice. Down. You don’t need to feel guilty about self-care. Self-care is vital to giving others your best and having enough energy to take on the world (and your growing to-do list). It’s as necessary as anything else on your daily task list! You make time for your business and everything else in your life; make time for you as well.

A caveat…

The key to self-care and taking breaks is not to take too much time off. After all, you don’t want to be tempted to stray from your good daily habits. Instead, take just enough time for a breather and allow your mind time to regroup. It needs to rest, not only to process all of the information it encounters each day but just to recharge. Just as your phone begins to shut down apps as the battery drains to 2%, your body and mind become dull as well. 

How much time you take is up to you. For some network marketers, a five-minute breather throughout the day is enough. For others, an hour fitness class or walk around the block is what they need to recharge. Still, others need a nap or to zone out for a bit. It doesn’t matter what you do; find the activity that recharges your battery. Then, make time for it.  

Make time for self-care every day

Regardless of what activity you choose for self-care, keep these things in mind.

Unplug

This is critical! It’s tough to recharge when you’re hearing the dinging sound of notifications every two seconds. Similarly, although mindlessly scrolling through Facebook and Instagram seems like a restful activity, you’re not resting your mind. Put the phone aside for five or ten minutes (or whatever time you choose) or at least turn-off notifications so that you’re not snapping to attention every few seconds. 

While you’re unplugged from your devices, you can close your eyes and focus on your breath. Take deep soothing breaths to calm your mind and still your thoughts. If you’re in front of a window, take in the sights of your neighborhood. Observe the leaves of the trees changing colors and falling from the tree (but resist the urge to think, “I really gotta get out there and rake those up”). Observe the rhythm of the neighborhood, the people coming and going, the color of the sky, the weather. But, most importantly, relax!

Do something for YOU

How often do you do things for other people – your spouse, children, parents, neighbors, etc.? Take time to do something YOU enjoy. Read a chapter or two of the book you’ve been meaning to start, take a run around the block, work on a craft project that isn’t related to your child’s school play or dance recital, or just do nothing. It’s up to you. Think of it as your 10 minutes a day to do as you please. 

Reward yourself for your successes this year

You work hard every day and strive toward your goals. When you achieve them, what do you do? Do you just move on to the next goal or do you take the time to celebrate? If you’re like most network marketers, you do the latter. Instead of taking the time to celebrate your success and reward yourself, you go charging hard toward the next goal. 

It’s admirable to get started on your next goal; however, it’s essential to reward yourself for a job well done. Celebrating your successes keeps you motivated to strive for more. It’s like a carrot – stick situation where you’re more likely to stay committed to the goals you set when you know there’s a reward at the end. 

Spend time with your loved ones in your favorite place

Sometimes the best way to regenerate your spirit and energy is to reconnect with your loved ones. Heading outside to throw the ball with your son or take a run with your daughter or going to a favorite coffee shop for cocoa with your family may be just what you need to recharge. Although many people recharge by being alone, especially if they identify as introverts, others recharge by connecting with those they love. They tend to be extroverted and recharge their internal batteries by hanging out with and chatting with those around them. If that sounds like you, schedule time every day to just be with your loved ones. You can choose to do an organized activity, like a family game night, or hang out while you cook dinner together. It doesn’t matter what you do; all that matters is you recharge by connecting with those you love. 

Self-care throughout the year

Scheduling time daily to recharge is important; however, don’t forget to make time throughout the year for days off. After all, if you’re never fully off, you can never be fully “on” either. This is the time of the year when you may be looking ahead to 2020 and thinking about when you’d like to take a family vacation, or when important holidays fall, such as a notable anniversary or birthday. While you’re looking ahead, select a few dates throughout the year that you may be able to take a weekend getaway or just take the day off. Sure, you can take the day off from family commitments; however, you can plan ahead in your business so you can take a two-week vacation or escape for a long weekend with your spouse. This gives you something to look forward to so you can stay motivated to thrive in business and life. 

Let Teamzy help you stress less

Teamzy gives you the tools you need to stay on top of your business so you can stress less. Instead of wondering what to do next, you’ll always know as soon as you look at your Dashboard. Visit Teamzy to learn more.