How do entrepreneurs approach self-care? How we start our days, end our days and manage the time in between impacts how we show up in life and business.
By Staff Contributors
With seemingly never-ending to-do lists and a mission stretched out before us, it’s time we acknowledge the value of self-care. How we start our days, end our days and manage the time in between impacts how we show up in life and business.
An escape of rest and relaxation may be on the books. But thankfully, there are simple and powerful ways to care for yourself mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically 365 days of the year.
“Prioritizing self-care is an investment in yourself, and is an investment in the sustainable success of your business,” wellness entrepreneur Samantha Eaton told YFS Magazine. After all, an investment in self-care profits from the kind of compound interest that helps us grow exponentially, and it often shows up on our bottom line.
So, we asked twenty-five entrepreneurs to share how they do self-care. From start to end, managing the middle and the mindset, here’s a refreshing look at well-being from various entrepreneurial perspectives.
Start the day strong
Photo: Sylvie Tittel, Unsplash
Photo: Sylvie Tittel, YFS Magazine
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1. List your non-negotiables
“Create a list of non-negotiables you do every day and prioritize them above all else. For example, exercise is on my list that I do in some way, shape, or form every morning because I know it’s going to energize me and help me focus.”
–– Samantha Eaton, Certified Nutrition & Eating Psychology Coach at Healthy Eaton
2. Meditate when you wake
“It’s important to get grounded right away when I wake up. I meditate before I get out of bed. Those twenty minutes of serenity help me shut my brain off and prepare for a busy day ahead.”
–– Tori Marinelli, founder of Être Bien
3. Reflect on gratitude
“Every morning I open my eyes, I reflect on three things that I am grateful for before I look at my phone or think about the rest of the world. Then I give my Shiba a hug and a kiss good morning to let her know how much I love her. Love and compassion are huge motivators for me.”
–– McKenzie Foster, co-founder and President of FryGuys
4. Put away your phone and laptop
“I used to rush to my phone and jump on my laptop as soon as I woke up. But I quickly learned I needed to carve out a part of my day to take care of myself first. That means drinking water, meditating, going to the gym, showering and getting fully ready for my day. Since this change, I make more aligned decisions and am more productive throughout the day.”
–– Sarah Williams, founder of Rebel Office
5. Get to the gym early
“As a minority female entrepreneur in the tech space, I’ve got my work cut out for me. One critical key to my career success is getting to the gym five days a week at 5:00 am. The benefits of moving are great, sure. But the real value for me is knowing I conquered a feat that not many people are willing to do and that sets my day up to be powerful.”
–– Katherine Romero, co-founder of MAKA Digital
6. Read a self-improvement book
“I wake up at 5:00 am, make a cup of Joe, and take 30 minutes to read a good self-improvement book which puts my mind at ease. I make myself a priority, rather than the stresses of running a business.”
–– Travis Masters, founder and CEO of Masitects Architectural Design Studio
7. Drink water and grab your favorite coffee
“In the morning, I drink an entire bottle of water before I make my coffee. I’m hooked on Four Sigmatic mushroom coffee lately, and I don’t start working until I’ve had a chance to finish that, fit in a 10-minute meditation from the Headspace app, and journal out everything running through my brain. It gives me so much more clarity to start the day!”
–– Kiara Martilla, Marketing Strategist at Kiara Jennifer & Co
8. Do a simple yoga flow
“I take the first 15-20 minutes of my morning to do a simple yoga flow. Throughout the entire yoga practice, I only allow myself to focus on my breath. Then I take the next couple of moments to lay flat on the ground and meditate on gratefulness. I am a competitive person, so this is my phycological tool to get ahead of any negativity, stress, or anxiousness regarding work or whatever lies ahead that day. Mentally starting this way means I’ve already beaten it!”
–– Hannah England, founder, and CEO of Wash.It.Later.
9. Turn off email notifications
“I quickly learned that the email notifications on my phone were making me crazy. I turned those off and made a conscious effort not to check my email in the morning before I’ve worked out and eaten breakfast.”
–– Elise Gelwicks, Founder of InternView
10. Get spiritually grounded
“I start every single morning by saying two words, ‘I’m grateful.’ From there, I meditate on what I want to accomplish in the day. I set three small goals for the day, write them down, and then check it off as I complete it within the day. It keeps me focused, allows me to be spiritually grounded, and it sets my entire tone for the day.”
–– Shawn Zanotti, CEO and Founder of Exact Publicity
11. Get moving to build momentum
“I get moving first thing in the morning. I get up at 5:30 and head straight to the gym or pilates. Studies repeatedly show that moving your body increases happiness, decreases stress, and leads to overall health benefits. It’s tough, but I know when I knock that off my agenda, I’m building momentum to be productive and focused for the rest of the day.”
–– Joy Welborn, founder and President of Joy Declare
End the day well
Photo: JC Gellidon, Unsplash
Photo: JC Gellidon, Unsplash
Try ClassPass for free: Committing is hard — so don’t. Work out at any gym, try any workout and do it all with one app.
12. Light incense, stretch, and reflect
“I try to end every day with a 15-minute yoga stretch. I turn the lights off, light incense and think about all the things I’m grateful for, and if I had a bad day, how I could have handled things differently.”
–– Julianne Robicheau, founder of Robi Luxury Skin Care
13. Drink some stress relief tea and journal
“My 30-minute evening ritual involves lighting candles and incense, taking a hot shower, drinking a cup of steaming Stress Relief tea, and writing three things I’m grateful for in my gratitude journal.”
–– Melisa Celikel, CEO of Make SHT Happen LLC
14. Set work hours and stick to them
“Remind yourself daily that if you’re not your best self, you can’t give your business your best. Set your work hours, close your laptop at the end of the workday, turn off your phone, read daily, write nightly, get some fresh air and stay creative.”
–– Monica Sanita, co-founder and COO of Siempre Spirits Limited
15. Watch a movie to unwind
“When I feel overwhelmed with work, I make a conscious effort to unwind. Usually, I watch a movie with my favorite food. There are also days when I don’t feel like working, and I don’t push myself hard to do it. I remind myself that a bad day isn’t a bad week. That helps me get back to action in full force.”
–– Ritika Jayaswal, founder of Nourish Mantra
16. Enjoy a good meal and a glass of wine
“After a long day of pitching on behalf of my clients, I eat a good meal and enjoy a glass of wine. Making sure my body feels good is a direct result of ensuring my mind is running clear and ready to go for that next day ahead.”
–– Charisse Curtis, co-founder, and President of Milano Consulting
17. Prepare for the day ahead
“The beginning of each day is the most difficult, especially because in addition to running my own business I am a professional athlete, which takes quite a toll on the body. To ensure my days start well I prepare for each day the night before. Simple things like having food, clothing, and necessary items for the workday prepared ahead of time can make it easy to roll out of bed and get to work quickly and efficiently.”
–– Garry Tonon, Owner of Brunswick Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
18. Sleep well
“Adequate rest. Sleep is the foundation of our entire well-being. Without proper rest, it is nearly impossible to retain the information my mind collects throughout the day, make informed/focused business decisions, and get after it day after day. This is ironic because most of us entrepreneurs think we can run on caffeine and business highs alone. But this is not sustainable.”
–– Zach Clayton, Co-Founder of Mattress Advisor
Work on 360 wellness outside of the office
Photo: Joshua Rawson-Harris, Unsplash
Photo: Joshua Rawson-Harris, YFS Magazine
Try ClassPass for free: Committing is hard — so don’t. Work out at any gym, try any workout and do it all with one app.
19. Create ‘free days’
“I’ve adopted Dan Sullivan’s idea of ‘free days.’ This is a 24-hour period where you don’t think about work, read business books, check your voicemail or email. I am entirely in another world. It is a big reset, and I come back rejuvenated and ready to take on the world with fresh energy, new ideas, and more creativity.”
–– Tim Joiner, CEO of 3Fold
20. Play a round of golf
“I enjoy playing a brisk round of golf on Saturdays and Sundays. There’s something about hitting the links at the crack of dawn with my closest buddies, including my Dad, that clears away the noise in my head from the week before. On the one hand, golf requires focus, so it forces me to forget about everything else. On the other hand, it gives me a chance to run my latest business challenges by the people I trust most–especially since they all putt much better than me. Not! By the end of 18 holes, I feel accomplished, rejuvenated and ready to tackle my many work demands once again.”
–– Nicholas DeNuccio, CEO of Propaganda Premium E-Liquid
21. Find a hobby you enjoy
“Divide your work from your time to relax. If you’re still ‘on’ when you’re away from work, you’re not giving yourself the chance to decompress. By taking time to focus on fun and hobbies, you’ll come back to your work refreshed, present-minded, and productive.”
–– Katie Schmidt, founder and Designer of Passion Lilie
22. Unwind in a different zip code
“Once a quarter, I rent an Airbnb in Chicago, away from Elmhurst, Illinois where my cafes are located, for a change of pace and a place to reflect. I also recently returned from a three-week trip to the Philippines where I spent time reflecting on personal and business growth.”
–– Melissa Villanueva, founder, and Owner of Brewpoint Coffee
23. Create daily sacred moments
“Create one sacred moment a day, where you sit for an extra 10 seconds and breathe. Like the moment you sit down in the car. Just pause and take a couple deep breathes. Every time you sit in the car, do this. Smell deep, feel your fingertips, check in with your body.”
–– Emma Rose Cohen, co-founder, and CEO of FinalStraw
24. Stretch and make time for facials
“I do barre five days a week and toss in hot yoga in between to stretch it all out. I find this daily ritual is essential to my balance and being able to turn off my brain for one hour each day allows me to reset. Also, I do home facials twice a week which are non-negotiable. Ensuring my skin looks great is a big part of the work I do but also allows me to really care for myself in the comfort of my own home.”
–– Jazmin Alvarez, founder of Pretty Well Beauty
25. Spend time in solitude
“I know I need to spend time in solitude listening to my own needs, whether it be a meditation, getting a massage or reading a novel. It’s important to listen to your body because your body knows what it needs and will always tell you (even if you aren’t listening).”
–– Elnura Ashimova, co-founder and CEO of yoganect
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