self care for entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurial ambition and vacation time go together like hot sauce and ice cream; which is not very well. Getting a new business off the ground is an around-the-clock commitment, which leaves little time for taking breaks. Nonetheless, even the most driven entrepreneurs are human and risk severe health consequences without periodic rest. For instance, Steve Jobs achieved stratospheric success and yet few would trade places with him, knowing that his dogged determination contributed to his early death. While self-care for entrepreneurs may sound like a waste of time in the short term, it is indispensable for long-term success. Take note of the following four tips and know that the cost of today’s vacation will pay dividends by ensuring you are around tomorrow. 

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work 

It’s cliché, but true. Busy entrepreneurs can only take a real vacation when they have a trusted team behind them. Building a team that can reliably take the reins doesn’t happen overnight. The best way to get there is to start small. 

1. Ease Your Foot Off the Gas 

Given the blood, sweat and tears required of successful entrepreneurship, it’s no surprise that some leaders struggle to cede control to their team. Experiment by handing off small amounts of control, and you might be surprised by your colleagues’ capability. Start by entrusting top members of your team to handle important tasks with increasing autonomy. At the same time, assign task forces to handle whole wings of your business with minimal supervision. Take the reprieve gained from delegating as a sign that you don’t need a spoon in every pot and build upon this positive reinforcement to plan real time off. 

2. Train a Stand-in

At the same time that you empower your team to work with greater autonomy, it is crucial that you train someone else to cover your specific duties while you’re away. Not only will this help you disconnect, but it is also a powerful way to reward the hard work of top performers. 

Employees often strive to excel and relish in positive feedback. By entrusting your team to cover for you while you’re gone, you meet this need while also increasing your firm’s ability to retain top talent.

3. Take It Slow

Your first vacation probably shouldn’t be a week-long backcountry hike through the Canadian wilderness; instead, start small with something like a free Friday during your company’s off-season. Schedule a couple of check-ins if need be, and then unplug. As you discover how good it feels to practice a little self-care and how your team is able to manage without you, progress to planning increasingly ambitious vacations.

4. Trust Your Team

Your entire team will value your vote of confidence and appreciate the emphasis you place on work-life-balance. Self-care for entrepreneurs also means centering self-care in your entrepreneurial efforts. Learning the benefit of caring for yourself also makes clear the benefit of encouraging your employees to do the same. Make this a part of your business ethos, and you will boost job satisfaction, job retention and your enterprise’s long-term success too.

To learn more about the intersection of self-care for entrepreneurs and employee empowerment, don’t hesitate to reach out to Hiring & Empowering Solutions today. And if you’re ready to take the plunge and transform your firm into your dream job, hurry and book a qualifier call with founder Molly McGrath to see if you qualify for our 66-Day Law Firm Turnaround program.

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