R is for Recuperate

 The A to Z challenge and writing about woman entrepreneurs. You may read the previous posts here. 

A is for Ambition

B is for Business Plan

C is for Customer Connection

D is for Distractions

E is for Enterprise Evaluation

F is for Fatigue 

G is for Gratitude

H is for Harmony

I is for Introspection

J is for Join

K is for Karma

L is for Legality

M is for Marketing

N is for Nurture

O is for Opportunities

P is for Productivity

Q is for Quit

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R is for Recuperate

Do you have days when you want to curl into bed and not get out? Nothing to worry about. We all have them. You are the heart of your business. That is why you are involved in all aspects of the creation, marketing, selling and dispatching of your products. Your passion is what keeps you going, day after day, no matter what. Till it becomes too much and you just don't feel like doing it anymore. Even the sales figures and profits that the business is making are no longer a motivation factor.

When you realise that you are simply running through the motions, with no passion or interest, it is the time to take a step back and re-evaluate what you want to do next. Do you want to restore your passion for your business? Or sell out and relax? Before you make these decisions it is important that you first recuperate and get back to your normal self. Once you have restored your Body, Mind and Soul, to what you consider your usual self, then you can consider taking more decisions.

Self care is super important for any woman entrepreneur. It is a mandatory requirement to look after yourself, so that you can continue to look after your business. Taking a day off from the regular daily routine. It doesn't need to wait till the weekend. You can do it on a Monday if you prefer. the idea is to schedule down time for yourself to avoid burnout. At least in my case the best ideas for what to do next come to me when I am doing nothing. Os simply vegetating with my eyes closed.

It is very important to shut the world out and just sit with yourself for a while. Setting these boundaries can help you retreat into a space where you have to pressure to do anything physically or men tally. To simply be in the moment. It could be a ten minute meditation, a half hour evening walk, a scheduled weekly body massage, or even cooking up a favourite snack. Give yourself a complete break from everything. It makes a huge difference.

The Exercise 

What You Will Need: A fixed day and an activity to do in it. The only rule is that it should have nothing to do with chores, errands or the business itself.

If you are unsure about how to start off, you may like to have a look at these suggestions. Remember what works for someone else may not be what you need or want. It's perfectly okay to try out different activities till you find the one that fits your needs.

For a start take one day each week off work. This means not doing anything related to your business on that particular day. You can make it a weekly off and make sure that you inform your customers about it. This will allow them to contact you the next day without wondering about why you have disappeared and are not answering their calls/ emails.

Another tip is to ensure that you fix your work hours as much as possible. This may not be easy to do initially, but if you set down your boundaries well, you will actually be doing yourself a favour in the long run. So if you want to work only from 8 am in the morning to 4 pm in the evening, do that. If you only want to work from 2 in the afternoon till 9 at night do that. Find what time works best for you and then stick to it.

Go for a holiday or retreat. It's tough being the one in charge all the time. So pick a place where you get to be the participant or student. You can learn something new, and still be rejuvenated when you get back. Taking short breaks is recommended every six months.

Can't leave town? Work with what you have locally. A spa day with facials and massages is a good choice to unwind and relax. Don't want to step out of the home? Get a good book, close your room door. Tell everyone you can't be disturbed for the next three hours and relax.

Enjoy more physically active hobbies? Go out for a hike, attend a sporting competition, do yoga with a class, meditate or simply take a walk in the neighbourhood. As you can figure out, what activity you choose is not as important as the break from work. Give yourself something new to do and you will help yourself come back at the business feeling more energized.