If someone asks you to name the most important assets in your business, you may first think of your technology, intellectual property, or talent. These things are of course valuable. But without wellness, entrepreneurs cannot take full advantage of these tools.
Especially in the early days, your company is actually your vision. You and the few persons who believe in you are running with faith. Your job is to help people who believe in your mission, feel energetic and continue to work hard in the face of rejection. This is really difficult to do when you are hurt, depressed or caught in a whirlpool of doubt and anxiety. like many entrepreneurs are.
Our internal data shows that when start-up leaders report mental suffering, their participation in work will be reduced by 25%, their ability to deal with stress will be reduced by 31%, and their overall life satisfaction will also be reduced by 27%. These gaps are especially significant in a fast-growing organization, where you are the public image, the captain, and the chief cheerleader. Lack of health not only feels bad, it also hinders your company…
Here’s how to start cultivating your own well-being as an entrepreneur.
Table of contents
1. Control your schedule
When you’re starting a business whether it is online or offline, by definition, there is no structure yet. This has caused many founders to be completely passive. They did not plan their own lives, but raced to fight the fire and deal with opportunities.
To some extent, this is inevitable. Building a startup company always requires hard work and perseverance. However, if I can offer a piece of advice to my young self who has just started as a founder, it would be to be more proactive and conscious in scheduling my time.
The flip side of not having much structure is that you have more control than you often feel. Yes, you need to (almost) chase every opportunity, but you should still plan your days to reflect your energy level and maximize your health.
Do you write better in the morning? Do you prefer to have meetings at night? Do you need a Friday break to think deeply? Part of the advantage of being your own boss is that no one will tell you no. You can limit your time in ways that allow you to work more sustainably. That’s your job now, and it’s your job alone. Moreover, this is one of the most important tasks to prepare yourself and your company for success.
2. Take breaks like navy seal
In almost every professional team sport you can think of, it is routine to sort players in and out based on their energy level and mental state. The SEALs did the same. If the SEALs feel that they are not “mission effective” for any reason, they will withdraw from the mission. There is no sense of shame, in fact, it is brave to admit when you can’t perform at the right level.
Work—especially in areas such as startups and finance—is one of the few elite jobs, and if you need a beat, you will be considered a failure. This is crazy. When Tom Brady or the strongest fighter in the U.S military stops to rest and recover, it doesn’t mean they are weak. Taking a break does not mean that the entrepreneur is weak. The rest time gives you space to re-establish contact with the work and life you love-allowing you to re-energize, perform your duties and perform at your best. Paying attention to health does not affect perseverance or outstanding long-term performance,
3. Rotate your crops.
In my company, we have been immersed in the scientific literature on burnout. Although it may be difficult to find the root cause of burnout, the research on this topic is very clear: the state of flow helps prevent burnout. If the work you do often makes you so busy that you forget your time, then you can meaningfully reduce the risk of burnout.
Of course, it is impossible for entrepreneurs to remain mobile forever. There will always be logistical troubles to solve, sales forecasts and other less attractive tasks that require your attention. But be aware to how much time you spend on mentally consuming tasks and activities that recharge you, and then plan your schedule accordingly.
Just as farmers rotate crops in the field to prevent soil depletion, thoughtful rotation tasks will prevent the spiritual dust bowl we call burnout.
4. Put on your own mask first.
The idea of ”wearing your own mask first” in an emergency has become a cliché, but there are good reasons for this. Paying attention to your health will not only affect your personal performance, but also the quality of the decisions you make for the entire organization.
We made the wrong decision because we did not concentrate. We feel in a hurry. We are very anxious. When we stay calm and focused, our behavior can be more in line with our values. The more happiness we have, the easier it is to maintain this state.
Shaping healthy choices is also the first step in establishing a healthy culture, but health will trickle down and cycle. As legendary coach Phil Jackson taught NBA All-Stars and BetterUp consultant Paul Gasol, “The power of wolves is in the pack, and the power of the pack is in wolves.”
5. Build a wellness-boosting system
Another important step in establishing a health culture that allows you and your team to stay on top is to formalize practices and policies that help maintain health. Prioritize reflection and other forms of “internal work”, normalize rest and normalization, provide opportunities for learning and guidance, and ensure a certain degree of control over tasks and schedules, which are not only critical to your health as an entrepreneur. This is also vital to the health of your team.
When designing the system, ask yourself If you ever let a random person from the street enter this company, will their health improve or decline?
The implementation of these techniques has nothing to do with being kind. Although I can’t imagine wanting to create a company that has a net negative impact on the people who compose it, implementing a healthy system is not about sacrificing performance for some sensitive touchy-feely ideals.
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