The Mindful Entrepreneur
How do you stay mindful when you are an entrepreneur? Here are 5 rules to stay mindful.
The thing about being an entrepreneur is that we have so much not only to do, but to think about. We keep the ship running.
The other thing about being an entrepreneur is that we make the decisions - and sometimes we just want to be given a task, be told to do something, do it and then just go home. But wait, we are home. And no one is telling us what to do!
Under normal circumstances that is just how we would want it ... but the way we work just isn't that clear cut. We always seem to be working or thinking about work.
So on top of all that, remembering to be mindful, to take care of yourself, can easily slip to the back of your mind (or totally out of it). That is why we are writing this mindful entrepreneurs feature, so that once a month we can nudge you to remind you that you need to take care of yourself (and therefore your business). To make it easier for you we've picked some of our favourite ways of bringing balance to our lives to shared with you, so you don't have to waste another brain cell or minute thinking of how.
Top 5 don't need to move from your seat mindful grounding hacks:
1. Breathe. I promise it takes 30 seconds to feel a bit of difference; a little more oxygen going to your brain gives you more focus. It will also give your eyes a break (especially if you've been staring at a screen all day), and provides a moment for you to go inwards and leave the outside world for a bit. Even if work and such thoughts are zooming around in your head, it's ok, you just need to breathe for 30 seconds (to two minutes) and you're good.
We recommend going old school and sticking a very aptly titled post it note on your desk / wall reminding you to.
2. Take a sip of fruit infused water. I don't know if this will work for everyone or just the spa-lovers, but drinking cucumber or lemon or strawberry infused water instead of normal water can provide a subtle refreshment not only on your palate but also in your spirits. It is cleansing and stimulating. It's also so good for you why wouldn't you do this! Watch how the taste gives you a millisecond of delight and unexpected refreshment.
3. Neck rolls. As in roll your neck, not eat five brioche buns every five minutes. It's simply done - gently roll your neck one way then the next (or find one on YouTube) slowly, and repeat three times. It takes two minutes and yet the long term relief this gives you is unquestionable - you'll thank us later (when you go for a drink with all your other entrepreneur friends and realise you're a head taller than the rest
4. Keep a doodle pad nearby and have a rant. It sounds crazy, but it's actually a great stress reliever. If you find yourself losing focus over a task because of other thoughts in your head and you don't want to stop what you are doing, get it all out on a separate piece of paper. Keep the paper by your side and add to it whenever the need arises. In this way you don't have to worry about keeping important ideas in your head, and you don't need to pay attention to mindless brain chatter.
5. Remembering your why. Have your why written down somewhere and place it close so that when you look up, bam, you are reminded of why you are doing all this in the first place. We all need this reminder, and having it readily, visually available means that your enthusiasm not only continues, but your passion and purpose strengthens on a daily basis. It may also trigger new ideas. The main reason though, is to keep you energised and focused, so that you can work with clarity and efficiency.
So, that is all for now from the mindful entrepreneur. Be sure to leave a comment or send us a message letting us know what worked for you and how you got on!
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