Starting your own business, especially when it's something that you love, is exciting but it is also challenging and can be over whelming at times. When you work for yourself you can set your own hours which is amazing and so refreshing but there can also be the danger of working all the hours under the sun in order to make your business a success. I know that I have invested hours into making sure my classes are fun, challenging and creatively sequenced. That my playlists change regularly. That I make myself open to my students for any questions or just to chat. My blog and website are running well and kept up to date. I love it, every minute but it's important to remember to take care of myself as well. I thought that I would share with you a few of the things which I do in order to take care of myself and maybe these tips will help you too.
5 Tips for Self Care
Create a morning routine. I don't know about you but I always find that if I have a little routine in the morning that I can stick to my day is so much more productive. I like to wake up, make some hot lemon water and then spend some time on my yoga mat for my own practice. Somedays I spent 15 minutes other days it's a hot and sweaty 90 minute practice. I then make time for a healthy breakfast before starting my work day. As I have an unconventional job (yoga instructor and YouTube/ blogger) I work unconventional hours so I need to make sure that I give myself some time out when regular people are usually at work.
Read more. I am a huge reader and I love to escape into a book. Reading is self care for your mind, sometimes I find that I am thinking about work, worrying about getting paid on time (mini rant - what is it with companies who don't pay their invoices on time, don't they understand that I have bills to pay!?) or I am sequencing yoga classes in my head so I like to take time to unwind by getting lost in a book and I always find I sleep better that way.
Hydrate. If you drink enough water your body and mind function so much better, you have more energy, your digestion is improved, skin is brighter. I am guilty of often not getting my water intake in so I find that if I have a huge class of water on my desk or a bottle in my bag if I am on the go I will remember to drink it.
Take a bath or have a spa evening. There is nothing like sinking into a hot bath after a day of teaching yoga classes. Teaching is fun but it can be both physically and mentally draining so I find that a nice hot bath with my favourite Lush bath bomb often does the trick. Not only does the warm water soothe my muscles but I can really wind down. Often I don't get home until after 9pm so I love nothing more then to hop in the bath then get changed into my PJs and fluffy socks. Especially as the weather is heading towards Autumn.
Spend time with family and friends. I work a lot of evenings and I find it hard being away from Matt so I am concious to make the most of the time we do spend together. I try to keep Saturdays free so that we can spend the day together, even if it's just going for coffee and catching up on our favourite TV shows - those are my favourite days. I'm such a home person!
Have you got any tips for self care? I would love to know so leave me a comment below.
This post was originally posted on JayneBeccaYoga. Jayne is hosting a Yoga Retreat with Raw Food Workshops on March 18-20th, 2016 and has limited spaces remaining.