This article was originally published on The Business Woman Media.
Entrepreneur life – and any career or business path — is a rollercoaster. It’s filled with extreme highs and successes, followed by stress and disappointment, then all the way back up to being on top of the world. This of course isn’t a healthy way to live, which is why since co-founding Diverse City Careers (DCC)*, my co-founder and I have focused on practical ways to stay both mentally and physically fit.
Mindfulness and wellness are key components to success, as they regulate the stress we may feel on a day to day basis. Below are some of tips that I’ve picked over the years that help me stay focused, in control and performing at my optimum:
1. Don’t skip on the 8 hours
Getting enough sleep is probably one of the most important, yet most challenging things we can do to ensure we have a clear and focused mind the next day. I’ve struggled a lot with sleep- it’s hard to lie in bed, filled with adrenalin from an exciting day and unable to switch off. However, recently I was introduced to the mobile application Calm. This app is fantastic — it helps with meditation and winding down before bed.
2. Get your heart rate up
Every morning when I wake up at 4.30am, I do 45 minutes of cardio. This includes either going for a run or doing a cardio box class. I absolutely LOVE boxing. It’s an amazing stress relief and allows me to clear my mind for the day ahead.
3. Turn it off
How many of us are tempted to drop everything and respond straight away every time we hear the beep of our phones or email alert flashing up on our computers? I’d say it’s 99% of us and I am probably the guiltiest. I recently introduced the concept of “screen free Sunday” to my week. During a 3 hour period every Sunday, I turn off my phone and laptop and take time out to just reconnect with myself and relax.
4. Talk to someone
I’m so lucky with DCC* to have Valeria Ignatieva as my co-founder. Valeria is not only a business partner, but a best friend and support system. If ever I’m feeling pressure, one of the best things I can do is speak to Valeria about those pressures. It’s good just to have someone to speak to and help put things into perspective when needed.
5. Don’t be so hard on yourself
It’s important to realize that stress is perfectly normal, particularly if it’s because of something you’re very passionate about. When you get stressed, sometimes it can be exacerbated by feelings that you’re not supposed to be having those emotions and coping better. If you find that you’re beating yourself up every time you become stressed, just stop! Take a step back, go for a walk, talk to someone or turn off that phone for 20 minutes and relax.
About Gemma Lloyd
Gemma Lloyd is the co-founder of DCC Jobs*, Board Member of IT Queensland and Committee Member of Females in Technology and Telecommunications (FITT). Gemma is a regular speaker at events focused on women’s confidence, personal branding and gender diversity. Such events include DCC’s Better Ways of Working meetups, Women in Digital, XX in Tech, Griffith University’s “Leadership Engaging Diversity” and the keynote at SOPAC 2016.
Together with Valeria Ignatieva, Gemma founded DCC Jobs* with the goal of making a difference. DCC Jobs a niche job site helping women pursue rewarding careers, across any industry. DCC does not advertise anonymous recruiters’ jobs and pre-screens employers who wish to post jobs to ensure they are committed to supporting women’s careers.
*This article references Diversity City Careers or DCC. This is what WORK180 was known as when we first launched back in 2015. You can find out more about our story here.