If you run a business, either as an owner or manager, and occasionally feel overwhelmed, you’re not alone. The pressure are significant, whether you’re entering your busiest trading period of the year, launching a new product line or anything else. 

So looking after your own wellbeing is no self-indulgence, however hard it may sometimes seem to justify self-care to yourself. You need to be in the best possible position to rise to the myriad challenges of running your organisation and supporting your staff as you realise their, and the business’s, full potential. Taking care of yourself is the best way of doing that – it means you can then take care of your workforce. 

After all, as the cliché goes, fail to make time for your wellness and you could end up having to make time for your illness. 

Here are some ideas to bear in mind: 

• Have clear boundaries between your work and personal life. Carve out family or private time, and, when you can, turn off your phone and take a break from emails so you get the rest you need. Make enough time for the hobbies you love, exercise, sleep and just getting outside in natural light. 
• Understand what triggers stress for you and have coping techniques in place. Stress is a part of life. But if it’s stopping you from completing ordinary daily activities, and goes way beyond having ‘one of those days’, it’s time to seek professional help. 
• Go easy on yourself. Extend the kindness and respect you show your staff to yourself. 

What about workplace massage? 

It may not be something you’ve considered previously. But office massage is increasingly popular as a powerful way of dealing with the modern workplace’s long-hours culture and physical and mental strains. 

Research has consistently highlighted the benefits of this tool, both for yourself as a business manager or owner, and your staff. 

Workplace massage can: 

1. Enhance mental resilience
2. Relieve knots of physical tension 
3. Sustain productivity 
4. Allow you to return to work with renewed energy and focus and feeling more alert, with greater mental clarity 
5. Improve circulation 
6. Reduce any pain you may have been experiencing 
7. Lessen muscular stress and swelling 
8. Lower blood pressure
9. Help you to sleep better
10. Alleviate some mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression 

At the same time, it’s highly convenient – you won’t have to leave work to feel the benefits. 

Workplace massage also makes a great employee perk for your staff. So choose a reputable company with a decent track record to provide this service. Look for experience of working with businesses like yours. And, of course, check that the price quoted is one you’re happy to pay. 

Have you considered a wellbeing speaker? 

If you’ve not heard of them previously, a wellbeing speaker is another way of placing yourself in the best possible position to run your company and make the right decisions. A professional like this can assist with practical tips and stress-management strategies while also discussing work-life balance and self-improvement. Other topics they can talk about range from sleep and preventative healthcare to nutrition and exercise as well as understanding burnout and how to prevent it. 

Additionally, you’ll feel empowered to overcome challenges and obstacles with resilience, adaptability and energy, so that your business grows sustainably. If you manage stress properly and enjoy mental clarity, you’ll make the decisions that propel your business forwards and strengthen it for the future. 

At the same time, the coach’s objectivity should enable you to see things differently. And when you hear from someone else describing relatable experiences of the personal hurdles they’ve overcome, that can be extremely powerful. Their advice will be practical, tangible and draw on research as well as personal experience. 

One way to think of a wellbeing speaker is as a bridge which can lead you to a happier, healthier and ultimately more productive working life. It’s a proactive step towards building a stronger organisation for your teams, too. 

So making a strategic commitment to health and wellbeing is central to the success of your business. After all, in today’s intensely competitive world, building a great business is not a sprint but a marathon. And if you’re one of the many entrepreneurs who considers themselves a ‘business athlete’, wellbeing trainers can help give you what you need not just to stay in the race, but to win.