Self-Care Tips For Small Business Owners Who Do Too Much

Is self-care the next big trend to increase workplace productivity? According to a report from the World Health Organization (WHO), it certainly is.

For business owners large and small, this is good news. Self-care results in mentally and physically stronger employees across the income spectrum. Their personal benefits spill over to the company that employs them.

Self-care at a small business begins at the top, the business owner, and expands outward with wellness programs that inspire healthier employees.

It’s All Tied Together

One common thread running through the benefits for both company and employee is health care. Every benefit is tied into a byproduct that results from business owners and employees who are enjoying better mental and physical health.

Although there are many pieces to a company’s productivity puzzle, health is one piece of the puzzle that companies have more control over than they realize.

Many chronic health conditions that disrupt workflow with absenteeism, tardiness, low productivity, and turnover are caused or exacerbated by a work environment that is considered high-stress, involves frequent travel, demands hours of sitting in front of computers, or features daily inconsistencies that leave workers never knowing what to expect.

According to leadership consultants with Entrepreneur magazine, such an environment results in physical and psychological strain that will eventually be evident in reduced production levels and even burnout. And everyone, even management, is at risk. To transform a workplace, leadership needs to begin by implementing a workplace self-care program.

Creating Workplace Wellness

The Affordable Care Act (ACA), often referred to as Obamacare, has incentives in place to encourage companies to implement wellness programs in the workplace. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) provides a Fact Sheet that outlines policies companies can promote that include everything from routine blood pressure checks to group health coverage.

Key Person Self-Care

Although much of the focus of the ACA is employee wellness, what about the key person responsible for it all—you? Often business owners overlook the importance of their own health. They are so busy managing their business and moving forward, they forget to take the time to invest in themselves.

Here are some self-care tips for small business owners to help themselves develop the best habits for self-care and protect the greatest investment within their company: themselves.

• Sleep: Sounds too simple to really make a difference. However, the National Sleep Foundation reminds us all that the right sleep habits improve a person’s health and overall quality of life.
• Chill: Just take a chill pill. Stop and smell the roses. Meditate. Whatever it is that helps you take a break from the madness of work, relax for a moment and appreciate something wonderful and beautiful, and do it regularly. Health experts inform the public that this is not just a huge favor a person does for themselves to lower their risk of heart attack or stroke, it actually makes them more productive.
• Exercise: From walking to weight-lifting, regardless of intensity, engage in exercise that is something other than walking about the office, devising new strategies, or stocking shelves. Research out of the Mayo Clinic says if you want to be healthier, the best preventative medicine is exercise.
• Diet: We all know the phrase, “You are what you eat.” So don’t eat junk and don’t skip meals. Eat healthy to stay healthy. A good diet is an investment, not a luxury and not an interruption to work flow.
• Medical Care: Don’t procrastinate on or avoid checkups and preventative care measures. Take advantage of health insurance benefits. An ounce of prevention is much more valuable than a pound of treatment.

Insurer Solutions

An insurer is more than the group who manages the paperwork of your company’s group health insurance policy or a business owner’s individual health insurance policy. Insurers have the skills and resources to advise a business in solutions that will help a company grow its bottom line by strengthening the health of its workforce and key leader.

For more information on how to launch your own wellness program in the workplace, run your company smarter, or simply get a quote for group health insurance for your company, please contact us.