Self-care has been a buzzword over the last few years, especially when it comes to women. We have all seen the posts on Instagram, telling us to take a bubble bath, get a massage, or get our nails done.
But is that really what self-care looks like?
IE 214: Self Care Tips for Women Business Owners with Megan Porta
Today Megan Porta is on the podcast to talk about the foundation of self-care, which is boundaries. She’ll share how 2020 was her happiest year, even with the turmoil in our country, because of her decision to focus on making changes and setting boundaries.
If you are struggling with time management, feeling constantly stressed or overwhelmed, or are just tired, this episode will help you refocus on what’s most important.
Success Doesn’t Require Burnout
Megan has been a food blogger at Pip and Ebby for over 10 years. She has a passion for helping food bloggers find success, so she started a podcast, Eat Blog Talk which also puts a heavy emphasis on self-care.
Having an online business requires a lot of energy and time, so putting a focus on discovering success without totally depleting yourself is very important for Megan. You don’t have to burn out in order to find success.
Are You Just Scraping By?
Being a woman entrepreneur is taxing. We are extremely dedicated to our businesses and our work. Some of us are also wives, mothers, and friends to people we have to pay attention to.
All of these things, plus the pressure of a pandemic, quarantine, and kids not being in school, can cause us to function from a place of survival.
This gives us no extra energy for ourselves. A lot of us are just scraping by. As women, we want to take care of everyone else first. If you can get to the point where you can focus on yourself for just a little bit, you will see a huge difference. A little can really go a long way.
5-15 minutes of exercise or relaxing with a book, whatever you enjoy, will fill you up and give you the energy to keep going and not just be scraping by.
It is absolutely vital to prioritize self-care if you want to preserve yourself, your relationships, and your business.
Connect Self-Care With Productivity
Your reality is going to be different from that of a businessman. You have different things to think about and work towards.
You might read a book from a male entrepreneur which will tell you to “Follow these 5 steps so that you can work ten hours a day and then relax at the end of the day.”
That won’t work for most women. You have to connect self-care with productivity. You cannot separate the two.
In May, Megan had been at home for months and had been following her normal routine. She hadn’t been doing anything for herself and didn’t have any new exciting work projects on her plate. She was feeling frazzled and stressed.
Reevaluating Self-Care
Megan took a step back to reevaluate. She didn’t realize that she had been totally neglecting taking care of herself. She decided to make a few simple changes and take them really seriously.
Megan stopped checking her emails on her phone. She stopped using Facebook except for her business and started putting her computer and phone away every day at the same time. She began to schedule her business social media time as well.
The first few weeks and months were hard. Megan didn’t realize how much time she was spending on technology. But after only three months, she noticed some huge differences.
Make The Change And Set Boundaries
If you are wondering where to start, you just need to make one tiny change that you know is good for your soul. Make a commitment to sticking to it. It doesn’t have to be anything big. It doesn’t have to involve technology as Megan did.
Get really honest with yourself and then stick to it. Put it in your calendar. Have your family members or a friend hold you accountable.
If you are cutting things out, make sure you add something into its place. Take a walk. Take a nap. Go to bed early. Enjoy a book. Keep in mind that it doesn’t have to be huge. It just has to be one thing that is good for your soul.
Noticing When You Need Boundaries
Lots of times, we don’t even realize that we are addicted to work or technology. It can happen without us even noticing.
You might just start to notice you don’t feel like yourself anymore. You might feel overwhelmed and stressed. Maybe you are more forgetful or more tired than normal.
If you are feeling any of these things, take some time to make those changes and set your own boundaries.
A lot of times when we think of self-care we think of baths or an extra long shower. The most important part of self-care is being able to set boundaries. If you cannot set boundaries, you will not be able to succeed.
Having Habits to Fall Back On
You need to set routines for yourself. When things happen that you can’t control, if you don’t have those routines and habits to fall back on, it is nearly impossible to take the time to do good things for yourself.
Megan has a super solid morning routine. This has helped her tremendously, especially after an especially rough day. She might feel like giving up at night, but when the next morning comes, and she does her routine, it gives her the push she needs to keep going.
Your category of self-care might be totally different than mine. That is okay. Some of the best ways to take care of yourself are to exercise or spend time in nature. These are ways to refocus your attention away from yourself and your own personal struggles.
Seeing The Positive Effects of Change
These changes not only affected Megan’s business positively but also her personal life. Every single relationship in her life (marriage, kids, friendships) was substantially improved.
Megan also started getting better sleep after making these changes. Getting better sleep positively affects every other aspect of your life.
2020 was the happiest year of Megan’s life because she made these changes and set her boundaries. It changed her life.
She has also seen incredible benefits in her business. She is now making 6 figures for the first time in her 10 years of being an entrepreneur. She started finding more fulfilling opportunities.
Megan has also discovered new friendships and built relationships with people who have been able to mentor her during this time. This has provided her even more clarity on what she should be doing to move her business forward.
Work On Your Time Management
Time management is 100% tied to self-care. If you can manage your time well and efficiently, it is the best way to ensure you are taking care of yourself. This allows you to implement so many different avenues of self-care.
Megan has two big tips when it comes to time management:
- Create a time log. This tip is gold. It was the most revealing thing for Megan. If you don’t know how you are spending your time, you will never be able to make changes to that. Log your time for 3-7 days to get better glimpses of what happens in the span of a week. Write everything out that you do. Be super detailed. Megan used an app called Toggl Track to keep her time log.
- Be a super fierce protector of your time. Build a fortress around the things you have to do. Megan says no to any distractions when it comes to sitting down to work and spending time with her family. Also, have a plan. Know what you need to do before you even sit down.
Megan recommends “The 4-Hour Work Week” and “The Five-Hour Workday: Live Differently, Unlock Productivity, and Find Happiness” to help you as you work on your time management. “Clockwork: Design Your Business to Run Itself” is another great business read.
You can find Megan on her podcast page. You can also reach out to her via email with any self-care, time management, or food blogging questions. She also has two Instagram pages: pip.ebby and eatblogtalk.
Self-care has been a buzzword over the last few years, especially when it comes to women. Today we’re diving into self care tips for women business owners.
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