Last updated: March 27, 2026
You must be looking after yourself, especially when running a business. The demands of running your own company can be relentless, and it’s often the case that you end up burning the candle at both ends if you’re not careful.
Maintaining your efforts in business by looking after yourself involves treating your physical, mental and emotional well-being as a business imperative, rather than it being a luxury.
A lot of entrepreneurs will experience high rates of stress and burnout. That’s a significant impact on mental health, which is why making time for self-care and well-earned breaks is important for sustained performance, decision-making and resilience.
With that being said, here are some helpful tips to maintain your efforts in business by looking after yourself.
Set some strict boundaries and routines
When it comes to working hard, you must have some strict boundaries in place, and you’re working within a routine that works for you, but in a healthy way.
First and foremost, make sure to define your specific working hours in order to prevent business from bleeding into what is your personal time. This helps you to switch off more easily, especially from a mental point of view. It’s very easy to let a business you run or own become everything you do and for it to take over your life, so set boundaries.
If you’re working from home a lot of the time or in a hybrid setting between your home and your company premises, then you’ll want to create a dedicated workspace in your home. Don’t try to take that workplace with you around the house. Confine it to one room or one particular bit of space so that you’re separating your professional and personal environments.
It’s good to unplug from technology when you’ve been around it all day. Set times to turn off any notifications and to avoid checking work emails or calls after hours. Again, setting that boundary is essential. You also want to learn to say no in life, especially when it comes to work.
Declining opportunities that do not align with your goals will help to avoid overextending your resources and energy.
Prioritise physical ‘SHED’
Your mental health relies on your physical body being in good health. ‘SHED’ is a good one to go by when it comes to prioritising your physical wellbeing. It’s all about getting good amounts of sleep, hydration, exercise and diet.
Getting a sufficient amount of sleep will look like 7-9 hours of sleep per night. This all helps in improving memory, patience and judgement, which are crucial for leadership.
A regular amount of exercise is important to get too, engaging in at least thirty minutes of activity most days to help reduce stress hormones and to boost your mood in general.
You want to avoid relying on excessive caffeine or sugar where you can. Proper nutrition is going to fuel consistent energy levels, so you want to be more selective about your food choices, as some may lead to energy crashes.
Actively prevent burnout and manage stress levels
A big problem with being your own boss is that there’s likely an expectation within yourself to work your hardest and to take on the mental load that comes with it.
You want to actively prevent yourself from getting burned out and to find ways to cope with managing your stress levels in a healthy way.
Think about scheduling some deliberate downtime. You want to actively block out time for rest or hobbies in your calendar, treating those breaks as non-negotiable appointments. Micro breaks are always something to think about. You’ll want to try and make use of short, 2-5 minute breaks throughout the day to help stretch, breathe or step away from the screen.
By taking breaks and practising mindfulness through meditation, journaling or deep breathing, you help reduce your stress levels and improve focus too.
It’s also good to recognise the early warning signs and to be aware of chronic fatigue, detachment and irritability as these are all signs that you need to try and slow down what you’re doing.
Build a support system and streamline work
A support system is very important to have when it comes to giving yourself that crutch you may need from time to time.
Try to avoid doing everything yourself. Sure, you may earn 100% of the profit, but you’re going to kill yourself trying to do it all. Delegate the routine tasks to freelancers or in-house staff, and where possible, automate your efforts in other ways, like your marketing or invoicing, so that you free up precious time.
It’s good to connect with other entrepreneurs or mentors who understand the unique pressures you’re facing. This helps to reduce the feelings of isolation, too. Don’t forget about celebrating the small wins. Acknowledge your accomplishments, even the small ones, to maintain that motivation and momentum.
Get plenty of early nights and ensure sleep quality is at its peak
A good night’s sleep, as mentioned above, is a great help to both your physical and mental wellbeing. The secret to a good night’s sleep is often the sleep hygiene you have. That’s everything from the pyjamas you wear to what type of hotel bedding you opt for to recreate that luxurious, relaxed feeling you have when staying overnight in a hotel.
Think about blackout blinds or an eye mask to block out all possible light and make use of spa playlists or white noise to keep outside disturbances out of the bedroom.
When you’re busy working or have particular periods of time that are proving stressful, try to prioritise an early night where you can. The more sleep you get, the more you will experience a greater sleep quality as a result. It means you’ll wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day ahead.
Cultivate a positive mindset
Finally, cultivate a positive mindset. Remember why you’re doing it, as that can help to regain your passion for it during the tough times. It’s also important to try and practice gratitude too, so that you appreciate what you’re grateful to have achieved and to shift to that positive mindset.
Implementing these tips will help to maintain your efforts in business and to make sure you’re looking after yourself so that you can perform better and feel good within yourself, too.
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