By: Jerry J. Bobb
As an entrepreneur you work work work and press forward towards whatever your professional goals might be! Those goals may include (but are not limited to) reaching certain financial milestones, having job security or building an excellent long-term foundation of the company. The opportunity to reach these milestones comes with a reliable, dependable mind over matter, getting the job done, and outlook on how you perform your job. Despite your high aspirations and best intentions, life challenges (health challenges included) may occur, damaging your well-intended plans. There is no guarantee of a long life, stellar health, or a perfectly laid path to business success; however, the first step to establishing your goals is to take the best care of yourself.
The Best Ability Is Availability
You most likely started your business because you had a specific passion or skill, a skill that you hope to share with the world. So, in the midst of setting up your operation and taking care of customers and employees, it’s important to consider exactly where the “u” (a.k.a. self-care) fits in the whole entrepreneur narrative.
What is Self-care?
Photo Courtesy: J-BobbCatt Enterprises
Self-care is (according to Google) – the practice of taking care of yourself to promote your health and well-being. And to help you cope with illness and disability. It can include physical, mental, social, or spiritual activities. Some examples of self-care are:
Physical – Entrepreneurship involves hard work and often long hours spent keeping your business going. These long hours can sometimes lead to an improper eating schedule, not enough exercise and improper sleeping patterns. A disciplined sleep schedule and reliable meal planning help decrease dependency on junk foods and fast foods for nourishment.
Mental – Entrepreneurship can be stressful because of the enormous risk you’ve taken. Your family and your employees are depending on you to be the leader. As a leader, your brain (after your body) is your most essential tool. Proper sleep, confidence and being mindful of your limitations help your mind remain strong so you can be an effective, great leader.
Emotional – A great leader must be confident, but all great leaders are still only human. Humans are prone to low points and times when external and internal factors affect their confidence levels. Remembering you don’t always have to be everything, every time, for everyone helps here. There is nothing wrong with delegating or needing help; in fact, it’s strongly encouraged!
Spiritual – Every leader has a different belief system and core values that push them forward daily. Regardless of what or who you believe in, taking time out to pray or meditate can help clear your mind and heart as the pressures of the day can accumulate and take their toll.
Intellectual – You most likely pursued the path of entrepreneurship because you had a powerful set of specific skills and the passion to put those skills to work to make a living. This can place an incredible level of pressure to always be on top of things. You lead by example, by always honing your craft, being teachable and learning from others, even your subordinates. Your business also sometimes teaches you what it needs, but only if you are willing to allow it to.
Environmental – Entrepreneurs often spend a lot of time on site, working on their craft, but too much of anything can be a bad thing. Consider knowing an appropriate time to end the day (after a long day or a long shift). If you can’t always end the day, consider taking a break to clean or organize your area or getting up from your desk and taking a walk to recharge your body.
Social – You are the boss, which often means people depend on your expertise and communication ability. This often requires you to be accessible at all times, which may not always promote healthy boundaries. An effective leader needs to be ok with setting and maintaining proper boundaries. Proper boundaries are great for leaving enough space to recharge your mind, body and spirit.
Financial – Entrepreneurs are self-employed, meaning they are financially responsible for their own livelihood and that of their staff. This can come with its own level of stress and pressure. Develop a budget, stick to it and make adjustments when necessary. You may not be able to completely alleviate this pressure, but proper planning may make it less tense and stressful.
The Wrap Up
As an entrepreneur, your job is to work and make your company profitable, but the focus on profits (and losses) shouldn’t come with disregarding important aspects like your health and mental well-being. As a matter of fact you will find that material things and money (although they do have their purpose) is minimally important vs family, love, physical and mental health. It is said that the best ability is availability, and prioritizing self-care is a great way to ensure that you are available to continue to give the best version of yourself to your operation. The journey to prioritizing the “U” in Entrepreneur is a road filled with many demands and distractions but stay the course because the most valuable asset of your business is YOU!
Jerry J. Bobb is an Author and Founder/Owner/Operator of Super Taters and More in Scott, Louisiana. Super Taters is a 100% independently owned/operated original concept restaurant opened in 2014 specializing in original recipes made to order stuffed baked potatoes, burgers, wraps, salads, soups, quesadillas and hot sandwiches! The restaurant is a subsidiary of J- Bobbcatt Enterprises. Under the J-Bobbcatt umbrella is also The Biz Bobbcatt, a Business Consulting Firm started by Jerry in 2024 specializing in advising new, struggling and evolving businesses on how to find (or rediscover) their footing in this post Pandemic business landscape.
Contact info:
Phone: 337-889-5993
Email – supertaters14@gmail.com (preferred)
Tik Tok: @supertaters
Facebook: @supertaters
Instagram: @supertaters
Published by: Holy Minoza
