The world is filled with extremely busy people, but some of the busiest amongst us are entrepreneurs. It can be easy to feel like you’re juggling fifteen things at once when you manage your own business.

Whether you find yourself stressing through a forty-hour workweek or cruising through a lighter schedule, every entrepreneur needs self-care. It’s a means of maintaining your health and it’s vital to increasing productivity, reducing stress, and feeling more content.

If you’re struggling to find time for self-care throughout a packed entrepreneurial lifestyle, don’t give up! Here are 10 ways you can squeeze a self-care routine into even the busiest entrepreneur’s schedule.

1. Schedule Moments

Some of us operate by scheduling our entire lives about three weeks in advance! Others have a more flexible workweek. Either way, you won’t be able to enjoy genuine moments of rest without planning ahead.

Schedule time for your self-care.Click To Tweet

This can be daily, weekly, or monthly, but make sure that it’s planned! Try to find the balance between small moments of self-care each day as well as larger chunks of time.

It doesn’t have to be longer than fifteen minutes a day if that’s all you can afford, but if you can manage to fit in an entire “self-care day” once a month, that’s even better.

It’s entirely determined by what works best for you and your schedule. The most important part is that you’re intentional with your time. 

2. Drink Water

This is a long-term form of everyday self-care. It’s easy to do, but also so easy to forget!

Drinking more water throughout your day has numerous benefits. You’re likely to find yourself with more energy, a better ability to stay focused, and brighter skin. Our bodies are designed to function at their best when fully hydrated, so why deprive them of something so important?

Whether you work in an office or at home, you can always find ways to remind yourself to drink more water. Find a favorite water bottle and carry it with you whenever possible. Or try a mason jar for a different aesthetic look.

• Set a reminder on your phone every hour if that helps you remember to drink more water.
• Track your water intact in your bullet journal or daily planner.

Do whatever it takes to remind yourself and your body that drinking more water is an amazing form of physical self-care.

3. Get Rest

Eight hours of sleep every night? What a revolutionary idea!

Arguably the most important form of physical self-care is getting enough sleep each night, yet few of us actually do it. We are meant to crave rest after each day, especially if your job is particularly demanding on your physical body or mental capabilities.

The best way to ensure you’re getting adequate rest is simply by planning for it.Click To Tweet

• Make a commitment to ending your work and being in bed at a specific time each night.
• Stay away from your electronic screens as your bedtime nears!
• Clear your brain and allow your body enough time to wind down through reading, meditation, or another relaxing activity.

If you’re a morning person, consider setting an earlier bedtime for yourself to compensate for when you’ll be waking up. But the same principle applies to you night owls! If you find yourself more productive at night, give yourself some more time to sleep in the morning.

Lastly, never underestimate the power of a good afternoon nap, as long as it doesn’t disrupt your REM cycle and you have the time for it!

4. Define Self-Care

Self-care looks different to different people and that’s the beauty of it.Click To Tweet

There are hundreds of suggestions for how to exercise self-care, but that doesn’t mean every single one will be effective for your schedule or your personality type.

As you plan for your moments of intentional rest, make sure you discover how to define self-care for yourself.

• Maybe self-care means watching an episode of your favorite show while sipping a cup of hot tea.
• Maybe self-care means meeting up with a friend for coffee.
• Maybe self-care means allowing yourself fifteen guilt-free minutes to scroll through your favorite social media site.

There’s no right or wrong answer in how to define self-care.

It’s simply an intentional block of time set aside for you to relax and rejuvenate.

5. Exercise

We don’t always want to admit it, but exercise can be one of the best forms of self-care.

You don’t have to join a gym to make time for physical exercise. I prefer working out at home, following instructors like Jessica Smith. Alternatively, there are dozens of workout plans available on Pinterest if you do a quick search.

Sometimes it’s difficult to squeeze a full workout into a busy day, so it helps to find options that are less time consuming but just as effective. Your body will say thank you in the long run!

There are other small ways to stay active throughout your day. Finding moments to integrate physical activity into your work is key to maintaining a healthy body.

• Take the stairs whenever possible.
• Avoid sitting at your desk for extended periods of time by taking a quick walking break every hour.
• If you’re at home, consider taking your dog for a walk around the block or playing a game of tag with your kids.

Are you motivated by working out around other people? Consider joining a local yoga or Zumba class on the weekends or finding an accountability partner for the gym.

There are endless opportunities to incorporate fitness into your daily or weekly routine.

6. Journal Regularly

Journaling is a more therapeutic form of self-care, a great way to relieve stress and organize your thoughts. It’s extremely customizable to your lifestyle and habit patterns, which means you can do it as irregularly or consistently as you please.

I enjoy using structured or guided journals like;

1. Five-Year Memory Journal: 366 Thought-Provoking Prompts to Create Your Own Life Chronicle
2. The 52 Lists Project: A Year of Weekly Journaling Inspiration

While this type of journaling doesn’t work for everyone, it’s a thought-provoking way to work through your day. You can also find daily, weekly, or monthly journaling prompts on Pinterest for a structured but not exactly rigid journaling experience.

You can also use a blank notebook as a place to spill your thoughts. Journaling doesn’t have to be several paragraphs of clearly written reflections. In fact, sometimes using bullet points is a more effective way to write. Try themed journaling, such as a gratitude or prayer journal.

Journaling is a personal experience and should be both private and relaxing.Click To Tweet

Be flexible in your journaling journey knowing that there’s no wrong way to do it. If you forget for a few weeks, you can always pick up where you left off.

7. Categorize Self-Care

Make your self-care more personal.

Setting goals for yourself are beneficial in all aspects of life, but especially self-care.

• What do you hope to accomplish through scheduled self-care?
• How do you want to feel?
• Are there any emotions you want to release?

While there doesn’t always need to be a purpose, it always helps to identify and understand the why behind your self-care choices.

One of the best ways to do this is by separating your self-care into categories. I like to use physical, mental, and emotional for my categories. I usually write down ten different forms of self-care for each category and then strive to mix up my self-care routines. I want to care for all aspects of myself!

When you find a balance between the different categories of self-care, you’re prioritizing the many different needs in your life.Click To Tweet

Try not to neglect specific parts of your self-care in favor of others and you’ll find yourself to be more well-rounded.

8. Better Skincare

If there’s one aspect of self-care that will help you feel like you can conquer the world, it’s taking better care of your skin. Sometimes this self-care option is mistakenly classified as too expensive or time-consuming, but there are always options!

If you’re looking for the most minimal skincare routine possible, you can purchase a cleanser, exfoliating scrub, and moisturizer. These three will be your biggest assets in keeping a clean and healthy face. Supplement these with a weekly face mask for additional benefits.

Protect yourself from harmful UV rays by wearing sunscreen every day, even when it’s cloudy overhead. This goes for both your face and your body!

If you have the time and bathroom for it, consider implementing a bubble bath into your self-care routine! This is an especially great way to clear your mind and rest your body. Light some candles, throw in an “f” bomb (relaxing lavender bath bomb), and you’re in for the ultimate calming spa experience.

9. Digital Detox

Sometimes self-care includes freeing yourself from digital distractions. Consider setting aside specific periods of time to leave your phone in another room or turn on “Do Not Disturb.”

Clearing away the constant notifications and vibrations from your busy work and social calendars is a great way to exercise mental self-care! It allows you more time and space to be both mentally and physically present in the moment, focusing both on yourself and those around you.

A digital detox can be as intense as you want it to be. What would happen if you took one day a week to avoid all of your social media? Maybe try a day where you avoid checking and responding to any emails. If these ideas scare you, you can always shorten the time to just a few hours, or even just an hour.

Our phones and computers have become an integral part of our work and social lives. But if you find your free time consumed by these devices, consider adopting moments of digital detoxing into your self-care routine.  

10. Change Surroundings

Looking to increase productivity, clear your mind, and provide a change of pace? Consider mixing up your surroundings!

If you work from home, this can be a great option. Otherwise, it’s an opportunity to consider in your free time.

Our physical environment often has a large impact on how we focus and relax. I personally love working from local coffee shops, usually a calm and productive atmosphere with delicious smells as a bonus! Other options include heading out into nature or checking out your local library.

Whether you’re reading, working, blogging, or just being physically present, you might find yourself benefitting from the experience of a different physical environment.

Take Care!

Self-care is a physical, mental, and emotional journey, one that’s entirely personal and customizable. Find the self-care routines and habits that work best for your schedule and lifestyle and stick to them!

Mercy Barrial is a senior at Wheaton College (IL) studying Communication Media Studies and Journalism and hoping to go into the digital marketing industry after graduation. She serves as Chair of the Media Team, Arts and Entertainment Editor for the Wheaton Record, and works as a Media Relations intern for the Marketing and Communications Department.