Casting a bigger net and creating a ripple effect that outlasts your life requires persistence, resilience and devotion.
Successful business owners don’t have any problem staying committed to growth and working through the challenges that come with running a business.
Every obstacle or barrier on the way to creating a bigger impact is filed under the pain point of just being “part of it.”
But when your determined work ethic isn’t balanced with meeting your human needs, you can’t sustain the effort it takes to build that greater impact.
To make it simple, if you don’t water the plant - it doesn’t grow.
Here are necessities as a founder or CEO that are (surprisingly) directly related to your success:
1. Getting enough sleep.
The average adult needs 7-9 hours of sleep to function properly.
In a study, titled "Recommended Amount of Sleep for a Healthy Adult: A Joint Consensus Statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society," involved a panel of experts who reviewed over 300 scientific publications to determine the recommended sleep duration for adults.
The panel concluded that adults aged 18 to 60 years should aim for 7 or more hours of sleep per night to promote optimal health and well-being. They also stated that consistently sleeping less than 7 hours per night is associated with adverse effects on attention, memory, cognitive performance, and overall mental and physical health.
Prioritizing your sleep makes you a better human and able to lead more effectively.
2. Moving your body consistently.
Daily movement is medicine for your mind and body.
Numerous studies have been done to show that exercise enhances your mood, reduces stress levels and anxiety, plus an increased ability to handle stressors. Beyond that there is proof of improved cognitive function such as attention, memory and self-control.
Regular exercise allows you to be less reactive and more proactive.
3. Having a day or days in your work week with no meetings/business appointments.
The more you are caught in the “Do-ing” the more you are pulled away from the space needed for your creativity and ideas as the visionary of your company. When you have a day that is focused all on things that are related to the future growth of your company you get to balance sustaining your success and continued expansion.
You need days without meetings to have the space to be creative and innovative.
4. Taking time off (and actually turning off) and vacations.
You build a business to create change in the world, but also to have a better life for yourself and your family. Not taking time off to enjoy what you’ve built will make you resentful and unable to show up as the leader you want to be. Making sure you hold yourself accountable to stepping away from your emails and plugging into presence with the people you love creates true fulfillment.
When you take a break from your business responsibilities you are reminded of why you are doing it all in the first place.
5. Developing your personal relationships and spending fully present time with people you love.
The fulfillment you get from having relationships that are built on love creates more happiness and removes regret. Spending your time and energy on people who care for you and developing relationships where you can be YOU instead of CEO makes life more enjoyable and balances out the pressure of your responsibilities.
You will never regret being present with the people you love.
6. Having a mentor that can guide, offer perspective and hold you accountable.
Anything that anyone does well is because they have people helping them. If you think of anything you’ve accomplished in any area, there was support coming from somewhere. We don’t do anything great alone and being self-made is a lie. One of the best ways to ensure that you are on track with your personal and professional goals is to have someone that can help you develop a plan to get there, teach you valuable lessons they’ve acquired and give you an outside perspective to see the world differently.
When you have someone who believes in you and a plan to execute - you are unstoppable.
7. Actively participating in hobbies, learning new skills and having fun.
Have you ever read a book or attended a class that had nothing to do with your business but it taught you something you could apply anyway? As a former fitness competitor and physical fitness being a foundational part of my life, it has taught me so much about resilience, patience and growth. Learning new skills keeps your mind fresh and open, fun sparks creativity and hobbies outside of your business help to balance the stress of your day to day.
Fun, learning and hobbies are a reminder that we are living for more than just our businesses.
You likely read a few of these and thought “ouch, she called me out!” and while I only want the best for you and your business - we all need that call to action sometimes.
At the end of the day, you want your business to last and if you’re the one leading it you have to be able to efficiently and effectively do that. As tough as it is to balance all the pressure and responsibilities of the path you’ve chosen, there is a better way than just putting yourself and your relationships on the back burner while you are chasing the next goal.
Start working on these 7 things one at a time and I guarantee you’ll see a more successful business, have a happier home and feel more at peace with your life.
If you need someone to give you the roadmap on how to get to that peace and presence as an ambitious business woman with big goals - book a call with me HERE.
