Being a young entrepreneur isn’t easy, and I’m happy to say that. I might sound silly being vocal about the harsh realities that come behind running a company (tack on my age…and the journey is harder) but with this career path comes opportunities and excitement I wouldn’t have imagined in my wildest dreams. I didn’t have an easy childhood growing up, and my journey to being an entrepreneur hasn’t come without any struggles. Everyday I still struggle, and I try to balance everything as much as I can, but many days I find myself struggling with feeling like I need 24 more hours after my 24 hours of working! Whether you’re a student, a parent, or a kid, we all need to remember to take care of our mental health. I’ve recently realized the benefits of taking a step back when I feel overwhelmed. I used to limit myself to one week per year where I’d do absolutely no work, but after the first Be Fearless Summit earlier this year (and hopefully a new one to be announced soon) I see the value in taking days and occasionally weeks off. I like to call that time the reset time. We’re all human beings on this journey together, but life isn’t always easy. You have to remember that if you’re doing something and you’re not happy do it, what’s the point? What could you do to be a happier and healthier version of yourself?
In order to make sure that I’m healthy and happy, I do a few simple activities everyday (or almost everyday) to ensure that I’m taking care of myself and the people around me. Here’s what I do:
1. Every morning I meditate for 10 minutes with Headspace, an app that helps me remain calmer throughout the day. On days when I don’t meditate, like most of the past week, I’ve felt extra anxious. Life does get in the way of my routine, but following a routine as much as I can makes the days that I feel off balance a little easier to deal with.
2. I always exercise unless I’m away from a gym or access to exercising. For the next week or so I won’t be able to exercise because I’m in Turkey and the gym I used to go to closed down, so I’m trying to walk as often as possible and spend the time I’d used to be stressing about working out by staying occupied with my nephew. Most of my life I always have a reason to workout, but this little nugget is keeping me occupied so I don’t feel guilty if I’m not exercising during the day.
3. Last of all, staying as strict as I can with my daily routine when I’m in LA has made a drastic difference in my life. On days where I feel like I’m too tired and can’t work anymore, I put down my laptop and go on a walk or go home. I’m no use to myself or to anyone if I’m overwhelmed and tired. That’s not inspiring anyone!
The key is learning to slow down. You have to be willing to see the benefits in taking time off or a few hours off in return for an even happier and healthier version of yourself. Let today be the first day you try taking a few hours or the day to yourself: I bet you’ll be incredibly satisfied at 5 PM.
