Five Tips for Gaining Business Headspace
I’ve talked before about how running a business can feel a bit like performing an incredibly complicated balancing act. With so many things to worry about it can be tempting to prioritise almost everything else above taking care of ourselves emotionally.
Unfortunately, this is usually a bad call in the long run. Your state of mind will have a huge impact on how effective you are as a leader and manager, and if you’re not in good emotional health it’s highly likely that your business will suffer.
It’s because of this that headspace is a very valuable commodity in business. Getting in the right mindset and staying in it is a very effective way for business owners to ensure that they’re able to be at the top of their game.
But how do you get that headspace? Here are five tried-and-tested tips from me.
Take a look at the big picture
The day to day minutiae of running a business can be exhausting. Admin tasks can feel relentless and solving problems with customers and employees can really get you down. Often it can be helpful to step away from those daily processes and get a good look at the bigger picture. If you can find the time to get away from your usual place of work and really look at your successes and the progress you’re making towards your big business goals, I bet you’ll feel a lot better for it.
Schedule time for activities you love
There are a lot of things that go into building a well-balanced life, but one of the key things is to make sure you have time to do what you enjoy. If your whole life is devoted to the things you feel you ‘have’ to do: running your business, taking care of your family, maintaining your home, etc etc, there may be no time left for purely enjoyable activities. I’m a big believer in the importance of play time for grown ups! Not only are hobbies and fun activities a great way to relax and reduce stress, they can also open up your mind for creative thinking and problem solving.
Experiment with mindfulness meditation
The word ‘meditation’ often has negative connotations. If you’ve never explored it before, you may think that it’s a bit of a hippy thing to do. For many of us, though, mindfulness meditation is a key business tool. I like to think of it as a helpful method for clearing my mind and recharging my emotional batteries ready for the next task. If you’ve never tried meditation before, I’d really recommend headspace.com’s free ten day introductory course.
Consider coaching
There’s a reason I run a coaching company and that’s because I believe 100% in the power of working with a good coach! Coaching can be beneficial in a huge number of ways, including finding headspace. My Taking Care of Business, Taking Care of You membership programme is particularly well suited to business owners who are lacking in this area. It’s designed around a monthly one-to-one coaching session that gives business owners like you the space to discuss and address any issues that are holding them back, whether the root is personal, professional or a confusing mix of both!
Take a walk in the fresh air
This one may sound too good to be true, but the simple act of going out for a walk can have a big impact. I find that there’s something about the combination of fresh air and exercise that helps to clear my mind and focus on my priorities. Doing this can be an excellent way to let go of the everyday minor stresses of running a business. In fact, I find this so successful that I often invite my coaching clients to take a walk with me! Some of the biggest client breakthroughs I’ve witnessed have been during these ‘walk and talk’ sessions.
Do you have any more tips for gaining business headspace? I’d love to hear them if you do. Why not leave a comment below?
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