The Self-Care Strategy – 5 Routines to Support Your Energy and Thrive in Your Business
Shannon Yeager is a leader in wellness coaching and the founder of Expand Beyond. Her expertise includes nervous system regulation and intuitive guidance to help people align with their purpose and create lasting transformation.
When you look at your to-do list, what is the most important task? Perhaps you decide to write an email, prepare to meet with a client, put the final touches on a presentation, or create a social media post. I’d be willing to bet self-care isn’t high on your list (if it even made it on there at all). As a business owner, I understand why we are motivated to focus on urgent tasks that bring in the highest revenue. But the strategy that sparks abundance, creativity, and growth may not be what you think.
It’s time to start viewing self-care as a strategy rather than a luxury
Many entrepreneurs and high-level corporate leaders that I coach feel that self-care is unproductive, even though it is the exact thing they are yearning for. They are trying to balance running a business while running on empty, sacrificing sleep and skipping personal appointments to complete just one more task. They feel stuck, uninspired, and exhausted from this hustle mentality. It’s nearly impossible to “turn off” at the end of the day because they are living with a dysregulated nervous system.
I get it because I have been there. I have experienced the physical symptoms of stress in my body and burnout in my career. This is also what fueled my wellness journey and gave me the tools to get out of “fight or flight” mode and step into the best version of myself as an entrepreneur, wellness coach, and mom.
Self-care should not be considered a reward for hard work. It is the foundation that allows you to sustain hard work. Self-care leads to creative problem solving, increased focus, and more joy in your business and in your life.
Five self-care routines to shift from overwhelm to calm and clarity
1. Make a mindful morning ritual
How you start your morning sets the tone for the day ahead. Rather than grabbing your phone and immediately opening emails or diving into tasks, create a ritual that leaves you feeling calm and grounded. Regulating your nervous system first thing in the morning reduces cortisol and allows for more focus throughout the day. Some ideas include:
Start with a few rounds of deep breathing, play a guided meditation, or listen to a sound bath.
Write down three things you are grateful for.
Move your body: take a walk, practice yoga, or complete another form of exercise to relieve tension and get the blood flowing.
I recommend looking at your current morning habits (for example, brushing your teeth or making coffee) and adding your mindful morning ritual before or after a habit you already have established. This makes it easier to incorporate into your daily life.
2. Create sacred space on your calendar
Schedule dedicated time for vision planning and creative projects. This helps you envision the bigger picture and make decisions from a less reactive state. Honor these time blocks the way you would honor a meeting with a colleague or client. Turn off notifications to allow yourself to be fully present and stay in the flow.
3. Reconnect with your breath
Anytime you start to feel overwhelmed or anxious, practice a breathing technique to calm the nervous system and refocus. It only takes a few rounds to begin feeling the effects. Here are some methods to try:
Diaphragmatic breath. Place your hands on your belly and allow it to fully expand with each inhale. Release tension with each exhale.
Box breath. Inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4.
Humming breath. Inhale through the nose and hum out of the mouth while you exhale.
4. Ground and reset in nature
Getting outdoors is a great way to give your brain a break and let creativity flow in. Unplug, take a walk around the block, stand or sit with your feet on the earth, or listen to a moving meditation to clear mental fog and shift your mindset.
5. Create a digital sunset
End your workday by powering down your devices at a set time. This signals to your mind that it is time to switch into rest mode. Use that time to transition into a slower rhythm. Some ideas to sunset the workday include:
Journal or brain dump your next-day priorities.
Read a book for fun.
Take a bath or enjoy a calming tea.
These practices will help improve your sleep and give you more energy for the next day.
Self-care isn’t selfish. It’s an investment in your performance, longevity, and fulfillment as a business owner.
I use an alignment framework to help ambitious entrepreneurs audit their energy, release stress, create lasting habits, set boundaries, and envision new possibilities. If you are looking for support in your wellness journey and are ready to reclaim your joy while running your business, apply for my coaching cocoon here. We’ll explore how this framework can expand your fulfillment and purpose as a business owner.
Read more from Shannon Yeager
Shannon Yeager, Owner, Founder, and Wellness Coach
Shannon Yeager is the founder and owner of Expand Beyond, intuitive wellness coaching and practices. She is a certified wellness coach, yoga instructor (RYT-500), sound healer and Usui Reiki practitioner with 10 years of experience in the wellness industry. Her mission is to help people learn the tools to regulate their nervous system, tune into their intuition, and find what lights them up to live a vibrant and fulfilling life.
