There are many lies we tell ourselves each day. Call it "mindset drama," "negative brain," "fear." I see it in many women entrepreneurs I talk to and help each day. Gosh, I see it in myself.

Is there something wrong with us then?

Let me reassure you that NO, there isn't. Unfortunately, that's how we, as humans, are built and operate. This daily negative self-talk might have helped us in caveman ages survive and not be eaten by predators. Still, In modern days it is more self-sabotage than anything else.

There are thousands of such thoughts coming up in our brains every single day.

Here are five that I see frequently showing up for many women entrepreneurs. These five are directly preventing them from growing their business.

Why?

Because they keep you away from focusing on income generating activities.

This platform is not good for me.

"I can't find any clients even though I'm on this platform every day: networking, bringing value" - ergo, "it's not good for me." Whether it be Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, or anything else you have such thoughts about, before you abandon the platform and move on to the next one – double-check with yourself.

Are your ideal clients hanging out on this platform?

If the answer is yes, then think about what kind of activities you do to attract them and whether you're consistent with them.

Maybe "it isn't good for you" because you aren't consistent and only show up sporadically. Perhaps it's your networking skills that need improvements. Or maybe it's your messaging that's not clear and therefore not attracting your ideal clients.

If that's the case, switching to a new platform won't solve your issue, only aggravate it.

People have no money to invest in services I offer.

You are right - in your pursuit for clients, some might not have money to invest with you. But not all.

Think about it. If other people in your niche are making money and attracting clients – it means people need what you have to offer.

Because in reality, you'll find three types of potential clients:

• ones that indeed have no resources or the will (and they'll use money as an excuse) to invest in your services now,
• ones that already invested in someone else and don't need more, and
• the ones that are actively looking for your help ready to invest right now, a.k.a. your ideal clients.

So your job is to reframe "people have no money thought" into "I'm attracting people who are ready to invest" and then go out there and find them.

I can't seem to find the right people.

This thought is related to the one above. The "right people" are the ones who are already ready for your help. Your ideal clients are the ones who're looking for it actively or at least starting to consider that they need it.

If you're having a hard time attracting them, then maybe it's time to look at your messaging or marketing strategy. This will allow you to see what you're doing or not doing that's preventing you from attracting "the right people."

Focusing on what you can control coupled with action gives you your power back. When you blame "external circumstances" for your lack of results, you give that power away.

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I will fail anyway, so why even try.

Our thoughts create our results. This thought is a very example of this truth. You had failed without trying because you told yourself a lie before even a real "failure" happened. You created failure with your own thoughts because it prevented you from taking action.

And only action can bring you the clients, income, and success you dream of.

Yes, action can be messy, and often we stumble, and that stumbling hurts. But when you don't try at all, the pain of not helping your clients and doing what you love is worse. Which pain are you going to choose then?

Why would anyone buy from me?

"There are so many other entrepreneurs in my niche out there: more successful already, smarter, with better offers. So who & why would buy from me?"

And to that, I say why not?

You are as smart and talented as them. And in a unique way that no one can replicate. There is no other like you.

And you know what?

There are at least 5 people out there right now waiting for your offer, ready to buy, and happy to give you their money in exchange for your help.

So let that thought sit with you for a while instead of the negative one. How does it make you feel? What does it inspire you to do?

And as your inspiration, take this quote (whether you believe in God or not):

God didn't have time to make a nobody, only a somebody. I believe that each of us has God-given talents within us waiting to be brought to fruition.

Mary Kay Ash

Are you ready to shed your negative thoughts and replace them with ones that serve you?

With ones that empower you to grow your business, attract more clients, and make more money?

I'm sure you are. Don't wait, do it. Reframe your thinking and help your confidence. And if you want to learn more on how to do it regularly, on-demand, and grow your business skills at the same time, schedule a free discovery call with me here. If we're a good fit, I will be able to help you.

Growing a business while raising a young family and sometimes even working a 9-5 is challenging. And as moms, we also want to keep our family healthy and not feed them pizza all the time. Although it's fast and so convenient ;).

I personally love to cook but only when I have time. One of the high-performance tricks that work well for me is to cook some yummy food over the weekend so we can have leftovers by Wednesday. Thursdays are French omelet days for our family, made with love by a French "chef," my husband JF Perotin, a.k.a. The Rocking Krolik. Fridays are "support local restaurants" days :).

Being born in Poland during the communist regime, I was raised on home-cooked meals. My mom and grandmas were masters in making fabulous dishes with limited but healthy supplies. Family dinners create fabulous opportunities for great conversations, laughs, and memories, and bring joy to our lives.

And since I'm all about balance, I invited a fantastic mompreneur here to teach us 10 easy steps on how to keep your family whole and healthy while expanding your creativity (helps in business!) through the joy of cooking!

This blog is brought to you by Britney Shawley from Whole & Healthy Kitchen.

These are basic culinary principles that, when applied, will carry your cooking from boring to extraordinary! They will also help you to be “on your game” so you can save time and stress in the kitchen. I am so so so passionate about these principles. I have applied them to my own kitchen, and if you apply them to yours, I guarantee you will find success and JOY in your kitchen and cooking!

Step 1: Plan Ahead

When we plan ahead for what we want to make, we are then prepared ahead of time and more ready to cook when the time comes. Have you ever stood with your fridge open, trying to figure out what to make only a few moments before you start cooking dinner? Or you walk in the door and the kids are super hungry all crying and frustrated, yanking at your clothes? Well, this can be stressful and contribute to you not wanting to cook. Instead, if you plan ahead, it will take away the guesswork and the stress in the Kitchen. The cooking happens more naturally when you know the ingredients and recipes that you are cooking with ahead of time. And if you're someone to whom counting calories is important, this easy and fast-to-use calculator can help.

TIPS:

• Choose 1 or 2 days to be your Meal Planning Day(s)!! When that day comes, take 5 to 10 minutes to think about the kinds of meals you want to eat for the next 3 to 7 days.
• Get a whiteboard with a magnet from the dollar store and put this on your fridge. I write the recipe names on the whiteboard.
• From this list, I make my ingredients/shopping list to ensure that I have all the ingredients on hand when it comes time to cook
• I even make a little jot note of the breakfast, lunch and dinner I will have the next day on a sticky note right before I go to bed and leave that note to myself on my kitchen counter for the morning. This helps me to soak beans if I will need them, or dethaw chicken if I need that, or soak my grains ahead of time…and not have to think about “what to make” the next day. It saves time and thought power!

Step 2: Read the recipe all the way through.

I used to try and skip this step. I would skim through the recipe only to realize I either didn’t have the ingredients, the tools, or the know-how to do it. Instead, I learned to read recipes all the way through in order to see the WHOLE of the recipe. Once I see the whole of it, I can get jazzed up about wanting to eat this amazing meal.

TIPS:

• Once you have read the recipe all the way through the first time, when meal planning, you can decide if you want to make that for the upcoming week.
• When you read it again all the way through, before you cook, you are gaining your confidence to cook that meal!
• When you read the recipe this second time, I often take a piece of paper and write out the recipe in my own writing. This helps me remember it, feel even more comfortable with it, and can look at it at one glance instead of going to my phone or cookbook. I then keep this paper in a binder on my counter to reference next time I want to cook it
• I also make sure to keep the recipe open on my counter (the recipe is often what I wrote on a paper, or it’s in my phone, or cookbook) This helps me reference the recipe step-by-step as I go along and stay on track with the meal.
• Check out my recipe resource: www.wholeandhealthykitchen.com/recipes

Step 3: Set your 'Mise en place'

Mise en place translates to “put in place”. It means to get all your prep work done before you start cooking and set it in its place on the counter, where you can use it. This includes getting out your ingredients and your kitchen tools/gadgets.

TIPS:

• You know when you watch cooking shows and they have all their ingredients in little bowls and containers to use while they cook. DO THAT! It’s not necessary to dirty more cups/bowls /plates though. Instead just take out the spices in the jars they are in, take your veg out as they are, take out everything you will need for this meal and put it on the counter. It doesn’t have to be pretty like on TV, just have everything out so you are prepared to cook and don’t run around the kitchen looking for things!
• I always start with cleaning / prepping my vegetables. This means dicing my onions (if using) and adding them to the pan so they can caramelize while I prep other veg. Scrub, peel, dice up any of the veg you will be needing at the beginning so it’s ready for you to use. I often set them out on a cutting board ready for me to use
• Be sure to take out your knives, a bowl for scraps, kitchen towels, cutting boards, pans, pots, get your water boiling if needed, turn on the oven if needed. And take out any gadgets like immersion blenders, large blenders, large serving bowls etc.
• Sometimes I even take out my spices, ingredients and equipment for my evening dinner during breakfast so I am ready to go when dinner comes. This helps me to be committed to making that particular meal when the evening time comes, instead of letting the settled relaxed feeling of the couch hit me.

Step 4: Use salt

Salt has received a bad rap. I have learned to unwrap the gift of salt and use it in every dish to add boundless flavor and depth.

TIPS:

• The salt I use most often is sea salt (fine grind) but another great salt is Kosher Salt. There is no need to have any other salt then Sea salt, kosher or the beloved Himalayan pink salt.
• I put my sea salt in a small glass container and let it sit on my counter beside my oil and cracked pepper. I literally pinch my salt with one finger and thumb for adding dribbled salt to the top of dishes, and two finger pinch (or more) to go in soups, stews etc. I find salt is often what’s missing when food is bland.
• I keep my himilayan salt in a salt shaker to add to food right before serving. If you want strictly healthy salt, himlayan salt cannot be beat since it contains over 84 minerals and trace elements, including calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper and iron. So it does more than just make your food taste better.

Step 5: Spices are the bestest

I used to fear spices and therefore did not use them. I did not understand them and thought I would screw it up if I tried to put them together. I also did not know how much to use and what’s too much.

What I began learning is that spices are our friends. There is a particular ratio that you can go by when you use spices, and if you follow it you cannot fail.

TIPS:

• Use anywhere between 1/2 tsp to 2 tsp per spice used in any dish. I generally put my spices into simmered down onions, or oil. That helps to absorb and smooth out the flavor in order to transfer it evenly throughout the dish.
• I also find spices have “groups”. And if you use the particular spices in each group together in the ratio given, you will have flavorful dishes that hit the mark every time.
• I break down the different “spice groups and ratios” in this “How to Use Spice” article.

Step 6: Taste your food and adjust

Often times we can follow a recipe exactly and still have it fall short. This is because of many factors. Some including the brand of spices/ingredients, the size the vegetables are cut, how fresh the ingredients are if you use organic, and quite frankly who grew it or touched it along the way.

TIPS:

• A way to avoid average cooking is to taste it before you serve. I am not one to taste as I go, simply because I find taste intensifies as it sits, and so, I save my taste for when I feel the dish is [almost] complete. I often add the same spices I used in, or salt.
• I also love soya sauce such as tamari or braggs or even honey or maple syrup for sweetener.
• You can also use lemon at the end of your meal to enhance flavors and make them pop. Especially for any soups, stews, fish, rice bowls or salads.
• If you remember you want to perfect ratio of salt, sweet, sour and bitter…. you will be able to add a little bit of whatever you think is missing, at the end of each meal to make it to your perfect taste.

Step 7: Keep your pantry stocked

Having a stocked pantry makes for cooking options. When I can look in my cupboard, fridge and freezer and splice together a quick bombdiggity whole & healthy meal, I am grateful. It saves time in shopping, in overspending, in fast food or unhealthy choices.

TIPS:

• I found a way to shop and stock, as I call it, when we literally had close to zero on the scale of money. Check out my Favorites Ingredients Article, and no matter how tight we were in money, I never compromised on having these ingredients in my home (almost) at all times.
• Having your pantry stocked saves you time by knowing what your going to eat ahead of time, and helps you to be more focused in how you use your ingredients to ensure you use all of them before you need to shop again.
• A stocked pantry also contributes to creativity. Your many ingredients and spices become your paints and your cooking tools your brushes.

Step 8: It’s okay to make mistakes

It's okay to make mistakes because you always learn when you do! If you take the attitude whereby you know that making mistakes is part of learning, you can also have the attitude that no matter what happens you ARE enabling yourself to succeed as a home cook.

Being afraid of what spices to use, or how long to cook, or what it's supposed to look like [and I’ve been there!]……will only prevent you from being an amazing home cook that is inside you waiting to blossom.

Julia Childs, the beloved French Chef, says “The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking, you’ve got to have a what-the-heck attitude.” When you say “what-the-heck" and throw a dash of extra spice in a dish you are TRUSTING the process. Trust will breed epic results. Without trust, there is only fear and fear will produce bland and boring food.

TIPS:
Tap into your heart center, find that “what-the-heck” attitude and trust yourself through the process of cooking. The worst that can happen is you eat a mediocre meal, you learned something or you eat out for the night. You’ve got this!

Step 9: Soak your lentils & beans

The reason why lentils and beans make it to our top 10 WAHK list, is because we eat lentils and beans a few times a week. They are part of our life, and part of any whole and healthy kitchen. Learning to use them probably is a key to your success with them.

The upside of lentils and beans is they are jam-packed with nutrients. In a cup of black beans according to DrAxe, there are 15g protein and 15g fibre. There is also a good source of iron magnesium, manganese, copper, and zinc. As well as potassium, calcium, folate, vitamin B6 and selenium. They are also filled with disease-fighting antioxidants.

In 1 cup of lentils, you will find 18 g protein and 16 g fibre. You will also find, according to the world's healthiest food website, that they are an excellent source of molybdenum, folate, copper, phosphorous, and maganese. They are also a good source of iron, protein, vitamin B1, Panthothenic acid, zinc, potassium, and vitamin b6. They are also a superfood!

One downside of lentils and beans is often the gas. Yep, I said it. We all get gas when we have beans. However, there are a few tricks to help combat that. One being, add sage leaves to your lentils/beans when they cook.

TIPS:
Read this article on “How to Cook Lentils & Beans” to learn how to prepare your beans and lentils for utmost health, taste, and cost benefits.

Step 10: "Love thy Food"

Yes, it's true, Love is the key ingredient in every single meal. When anyone asks me what's in my food, I will often say it's Love. Because honestly, it is. I loved the ingredients I chose, the process I took to make it and I love the people I am making the food for. This ain't no airy-fairy love, this is an all-powerful Love of Service. It is the inspiration behind the joy that can be unleashed in the cooking process. We want to bring this love and joy out, and use it.

TIPS:
Love is the power that leads the cooking process. If ever I worry about how a dish will turn out I pause, I listen and reconnect with the love in my heart, and move on. Even if I make a spontaneous move and choose a random spice, it often will kick the meal up the perfect notch, proving yet again, that love is the way and the answer. Julia Child speaks about love being important in cooking as well: “Cooking is like love — it should be entered into with abandon or not at all” Love your food, love yourself, love the process, love those you are feeding and you will be filled with the Love you Give!

About the author

I am Britney Shawley. Founder of Whole & Healthy Kitchen, a Mom, Mindset Coach, Spiritual Advisor & a Holistic Nutrition based Foodie that is your biggest support system to awaken your Love for Self & wholesome home-cooking!

I have always loved to help others and have been in the coaching profession for 10 years. Early on, however, it was very difficult for me to help myself. I used to have a terrible relationship with food. I would binge eat every night, never cooked healthy meals, and became overweight and unhappy because of it. It wasn’t until I learned how to train my mind and nourished myself daily through well-balanced meals, that my weight fell off and my whole life changed.

If you want to BE healthy and BE happy, consistently, then now is the time to learn how. It starts inside of you, then extends outside. It's simple (not easy) once you see the whole picture.

I now dedicate my time to pouring my skills, education, and talents into my mission of increasing the quality of health and happiness on this planet. I believe this shift IS happening, and we all have a part in it. We can start with ourselves, in our own minds, with our own families, and in our own kitchen. I am committed to helping you to embrace the whole and healthy cooking and living, with simplicity and with joy.

When you hear the word "selling" what thoughts come to your mind?

Something unnatural, pushy, convincing, something no one likes or wants.

What is I told you that whether you are an entrepreneur or not you sell all the time?

Healthy food to your kids, your partner on a movie you want to watch, your employee or supplier on the new project you need their help with.

To me selling is serving. It's helping others achieve the goals they want and overcome challenges they struggle with.

So if you have an offer that you believe in, that helps people, that is of quality and value to those who need it, then you're helping.

But is sales conversations still feel awkward for you, then this training will help.

5 Leadership Thoughts that Will Transform Your Selling

Selling is helping. And it's possible to have fun conversations with your ideal clients that serve them whether they decide to work with you or not.

Conversations that help and not convince.

It all starts in your mind and the thoughts you have around those conversations. Watch the video, implement the tips, and start getting better results, less stress, and more fun now!

And if you are a women entrepreneur that would like to benefit from more training that will help you grow your service-based business online, join our thriving FB community Women Entrepreneurs with Passion 4 Life.

https://youtu.be/mG-PfmOe2-c

Growth and with it progress come from feeling uncomfortable.

The biggest leaps I made in my life came not even from uncomfortable decisions but rather scary and terrifying ones.

I remember my mind offering me the doom and gloom scenarios of what would happen if I took on what I wanted to take on.

And yet looking back, I’m so grateful to my past-self that despite that fear I made those decisions. That I stood firm and was willing to “fight” for me with my brain and also whomever else came in my way of trying to dissuade me from making them.

And trust me there were attempts.

“What if it doesn’t work out?”

“What will people whom I love will think about me?”

What if they’ll be disappointed or even won’t want to talk to me anymore?”

“What if I won’t be able to support myself financially?”

All the what-if’s!

And the truth is … that barely any of these what-f’s ever materialised.

The ones that did weren’t nearly as scary as I thought they’d be. Moreover, I figured the way out of them.

And you know what the best part is?

That those scary and difficult decisions CHANGED MY LIFE. They changed it so positively & profoundly that I wish everyone could make theirs for themselves.

And it’s not to say that making scary decisions will make your life perfect. That it will eliminate “life happens” events, or that your negative thoughts will go away.

But with the confidence of making the best decisions for yourself (no matter how scary they are) you’ll know 100% that no matter what happens, you’ll figure it out.

You’ll have the skill, resilience, ability and possibility to do it.

Just like I do now.

Even if you don’t know about it, it’s all there, dormant. You can wake it up and use it to your advantage.

Imagine just how amazing it would be not to self-sabotage yourself anymore because you can make great decisions for the future you who achieved her dream results.

Even if they feel very very uncomfortable.

Because feeling uncomfortable and uneasy about important steps in your business (and life) is normal.

Growth and results you want (but don’t have yet) come from new decisions.

And our brain feels scared precisely because they are new. It as no past experience for now to rely on to tell it everything is ok, you’re not going to die”.

When you learn how to manage that unease and fear, you can create the results you dream of.

And I can teach you HOW to do that. Just how I thought myself and am teaching all my clients.

This video training is the start.

And once you watch it and want to know more on WHAT decision you can make to get you closer to your dream business results and HOW to make them for yourself, schedule a free consult with me first here.

https://youtu.be/DqEwfvdHqz0

We know it all too well -- that nagging feeling that scratches at the back of our minds. That thing that makes us tired, at times overwhelmed, and even emotionally or physically sick.

Stress.

Because stress is such a universally experienced negative stimulant, it gets a really bad rap.

However, there are actually two types of stress called distress and eustress. And the latter can be used to your benefit to fuel your productivity.

In the article to come, we share short interviews from three successful entrepreneurs about their experiences with eustress.

Then, we detail exactly what steps you can take to harness your stress for better time management, prioritization and mindset practices.

Entrepreneur 1 - Katie W. is a Founder of a sustainable nutrition company based in Berlin

Entrepreneur 2 - Maggie Perotin is CEO and Founder of Stairway to Leadership, a coaching and empowerment business designed to elevate female entrepreneurs

Entrepreneur 3 - Erin Barber is Chief Correspondent and Founder of Calipso Communication, a creative consulting agency

Interviews

Stairway to Leadership: What was a stressful situation you recently faced at work?

Katie W.: For me, stress is usually not just one event or instance. It's more of a jenga tower that’s usually triggered by disrespect from male colleagues. I'll show up with my tower of blocks tidy and stacked, and instances of disrespect nudge a block here, take one out there. And in the end, the tower gets weakened. Sometimes, male counterparts choose to use discriminatory language which causes me a great deal of stress, so a block gets pushed out of my jenga tower, so to speak.

Maggie P.: COVID restrictions and school closures added stress to my life, which included work. Having kids home all day and needing to help them with the online school was something that probably not many parents were prepared to do.

Erin B.: I have to say I get stressed pretty easily. The stress I’m currently facing is the looming possibility of falling short of my financial KPI for June 2021. Sometimes I overcompensate that stress by throwing myself harder into my work which, of course, increases my stress levels.

Stairway to Leadership: How did you navigate that stress?

Katie W.: I simply left the environment that was causing me stress. I started to build my own jenga aka a side project. I channeled my passion for learning about the world and the people within it through various side projects. In the end, I think these projects aim to rehumanize both myself and the people around me. Also honestly, I went for lots of long walks and took time to daydream of a better world. I reminded myself of how much I have, and came back standing stronger in myself.

Maggie P.: We created new routines for us as a family. Established ground rules with the kids, incorporated time outside that fit everyone's schedule. I personally have added a 10 minute meditation to my morning routine to help me ground myself better each day.

Erin B.: I decided to organize and strategize for a 30 day sprint. I decided to reach out to 5 organizations every day for the next 30 days to try and reach my goals. Working in short but intense blocks of time somehow alleviates my stress. When I can see structure in the madness, then I feel less stressed.

Stairway to Leadership: How do you think your stress management tactics could benefit other female entrepreneurs?

Katie W.: I've found that when I navigate my stress best, it's when I take that frustration and try to reroute it as finding my joy in other ways. Channeling energy in some other ways outside of work can help you to find new ways of seeing the world. Side projects can be a really enlivening outlet that can help any female entrepreneur foster creativity and get the juices flowing.

Maggie P.: Meditation, being active and fresh air are beneficial for everyone. You help your mind get calm and grounded. We oxygenate it well and give it time to think. There is no better foundation you can give to your mind. This way you're empowering yourself to be able to remain calm in those uncertain times and create great solutions in our business.

Erin B.: Having a plan and investing the time to strategize before tackling a huge project can help to keep stress at bay. Think about it this way--if you’re trying to get to a new destination for the first time, you need a navigation tool or map to show you the way. That’s what having a plan can do for your business. Strategizing can greatly reduce your stress because it relieves some mental work and pressure.

So what do these three female entrepreneurs have in common when it comes to their stress ordeals? They’ve learned how to leverage their stress for the betterment, not detriment of their businesses. These are the steps they implement for better productivity. And you can do the same starting today!

1. Name and Reframe

First and foremost, give your stress a name.

Maybe today your stress is called “I’m so afraid I’m not going to meet this deadline,” or “I’m so mad I didn’t close that client.”

Once your stress has a name, you can find the actual and specific source of the negativity.

Then it’s time to reframe it from a rational mindset perspective.

So “I’m so afraid I’m not going to meet this deadline” can be reframed with all sorts of positive action words. For example, we can call it “I am going to meet this deadline because my co-workers and clients are excited to see the final product.”

And “I’m so mad I didn’t close that client” can be relabeled as “The sale didn’t go the way I expected but now I know what does and doesn’t work in some negotiations.”

With this simple exercise, the stress becomes a lot less scary and much more actionable.

2. Schedule a Meeting With Your Feelings

Yes, pencil your feelings into your daily calendar.

Schedule a quick check-in with yourself to take the temperature of your mental and emotional capacity each day.

One of the key ways to harness stress is to acknowledge it and have a conversation with it.

In fact, Harvard Business Review has conducted numerous studies that indicate the best way to shift, deflect, or harness stress is to first address it.

Great ways to incorporate a daily stress check into your morning routine or lunch break are ten minutes of meditation, journaling, daydreaming, or stretching.

3. Prioritize Based on Outcomes and Importance

Once you have named your stress and addressed it in your daily stress check in, it’s time to tackle it head on.

Make a to-do list of open tasks that, once completed, will get your stress levels down.

Break each task into three smaller sub-tasks.

Once you have all of these tasks jotted down, order them from most critical to least critical.

Commit to completing at least one sub-task every day.

By the time you know it, your to-do list will be complete.

Sure, it may be slow-going in the beginning, but over time, these small steps of diligence will yield huge returns while lowering your stress levels.

4. Use a 1:1 Yes/No Ratio

The Yes/No ratio is precisely where eustress, or ‘good stress’ comes into play.

This is an exercise designed to apply a bit of pressure in order to kick your brain into its most productive gear.

With the 1:1 or Yes/No ratio, you simply choose your stress.

Think about all of the things that are stressing you out. Now say ‘yes’ to stressing out about half of them and ‘no’ to the other half.

For example if you’re stressed because you need to write a business plan, start a new social media channel, find a new babysitter and hire a virtual assistant, you say ‘yes’ to two of these stressors and ‘no’ to the other two.

In short, you’re going to focus your attention this week only on writing your business plan and finding a babysitter. You’ll say ‘yes’ to two other stressors next week.

The Yes/No ratio puts you in the driver’s seat of your stress and it’s a proven way to harness ‘good stress’ because it gives you a higher sense of control.

5. Delegate and Automate

We live in a digital age where lots of work can be automated by programs.

Additionally, our modern age is marked by connection, cooperation and community.

Harnessing both of these are a great way to keep your stress positive instead of overwhelming or all-consuming.

Use calendar tools to see your whole month or quarter at a glance. We’re partial to Google Calendar, Taskworld and Hubspot.

Invest in a budget planning tool or spreadsheet. You’ll find plenty on Etsy. And, of course, when you sign up for Stairway to Leadership’s coaching course, you’ll have access to budgeting and financial planning tools.

And if you’re able to, hire a virtual assistant or ask someone in your community for help with administrative tasks.

6. Create Your Very Own “Dreamland”

Last but not least, the key to harnessing stress is understanding why the stress is worth it in the first place.

Where is your stress taking you? What is your end goal?

Dreaming and manifesting are crucial to leaning in to eustress and succeeding in business.

We recommend creating a dream board on the weekend or in your free time. Find images of what your future dream life looks like and paste them up on a board that you can look at every day.

Also, take the time to manifest. This means closing your eyes and thanking yourself for all of the work you’re investing into your future. It also means thanking the universe and all higher energy and powers for the blessings and rewards that are coming your way.

When you truly believe that your future will be bright, you trick your brain into positivity and cut the negative thoughts. You completely restructure your mindset to be aligned with your future vision while lowering stress levels at the same time.

by Cory Peterson

Hey there! Thanks to Maggie Perotin who provides many online spaces for women to connect, learn from each other, and cheer each other on in our respective business journeys. I am a web designer and tech consultant for rockstar women business owners. I'm passionate about raising the voice, economic level, & impact of the female solopreneur!

One thing that I really enjoy is doing website assessments, where I get to take a look at all aspects of a website, including its usability and design, branding, copy, customer journey, site speed, mobile responsiveness, and SEO. These are 10 things I tell my clients again and again. Often these minor improvements can make a huge difference in attracting your ideal client and establishing yourself as a professional in your field.

1. Include a photo above the fold

I’m talking to you! Yes, you! I see you trying to hide way down low on your home page, or maybe way over on your about page. My friends, we want to get to know you, and the quickest way to do that is to see your friendly face. Plus, putting yourself first shows you are confident in your brand, what you are selling, and is a model and reminder to other women (and all people) out there: we are confident, we are brave, we are putting ourselves out there, we are successful, and we are doing great things!!!

2. Have a short eye-catching headline that conveys what you do and who you help

You have maybe 10 seconds to capture a visitor’s attention and keep them scrolling on your site. And that window of attention span is sadly getting shorter and shorter. What do you think the first thing people want to know is when they come to your page? “Do I like you?” and “Can you help me?” Seriously - that’s it. Catch them with a great headline so they know immediately you’re the one to help them with the transformation they are seeking with whatever it is you do.

3. Include an email option above the fold

Next question - what is the first thing you want them to DO on your page?

If you’re selling a personal brand or service, most likely BUY NOW isn’t going to work right away. It can take some time to build relationships. People need to get to know you before there is enough “know, like, and trust” for them to make a purchase from you.

So what’s the best way to do this?

Get them on your email list! You want to have an opt in above the fold so right when they get there and after they see your photo and read your headline, they say to themselves “heck yeah, I want to know more!”

4. Come up with a great freebie and call to action

Ok, you might have to use a little bribery to get them on your email list. Bribery is not all bad - I sometimes have to bribe my daughter with candy to get her through a difficult hike (don’t judge).

She gets the candy, I get a hike free of complaints. Win-win. The point is people might need a little motivation to say yes and get on your email list. And people LOVE getting something they need or find valuable for free. Just make sure you are being responsible and respectful with their private information.

So how do you come up with a freebie?

Well, obviously you’re good at something if you’ve decided to make a business out of it. What are some of the best freebies you’ve received when you’ve signed up for an email list? There are tons of great ideas out there. Come up with something that gives away a little of your golden knowledge and skills. People will see how amazing you are and want to learn more.

Again tell them about this bribe, I mean freebie, ABOVE THE FOLD.

5. Don’t put too much text on home page

Remember that super short attention span? This one is difficult for me to convey to clients because they have obviously spent a lot of time and care writing the copy for their home page.

I’m sorry to tell you this, but most people will simply scan your home page copy to see if they like the “jist” of you, what you offer, and what you’re all about. Then, once you impress the socks off of them with your succinct and professional home page, they will decide to explore your other pages or get on your email list to learn more.

Especially on your home page, don’t overwhelm your visitors with too many details, your life story, or how you met your cat (a photo is ok though if it works with your vibe - I do want to meet your cat, but save the story for another page or another day). Think headlines, bullet points, short and sweet copy to make them super curious to get to know you better.

6. Your copy is written in the first person for and about your ideal client

Speaking of copy - you need to be talking to and about your ideal client and what THEY need. Again, no offense, but your website is less about you than you might think. People want to know if you are talking to them in particular and how they can benefit from your service. Get inside your ideal client’s head - what are they struggling with? What do they wish they could improve? What would life look like if their problem was solved?

7. Lookin’ good on mobile

Yep, it’s true. So many people will use their phones to check out your website for the first time. They are going to have 10 minutes while they wait for their kiddo at kung fu practice and be looking up divorce coaches. They might be decompressing from a stressful work meeting on their way home on a crowded post-Covid bus and be thinking “I really need to find a good massage therapist”. They might be stuck on the side of the road waiting for AAA after being forced into a snowbank by a semi and be looking up women-only small group travel options for next spring.

The point is, make sure your site looks awesome on mobile too.

8. Consistent branding throughout your site

Branding is really fun. It’s where you get to be creative, show the personality of your brand and what you’re all about. It consists of your logo, your brand colors, fonts, imagery.

It also gives your viewers a pretty good clue about your professionalism.

Often I see sites with inconsistent branding: different colors or fonts on each page, buttons with different shapes or colors, images that don’t really go together. Spend a little time choosing one “theme” for your brand and go through your site with a fine-tooth comb to make sure everything is consistent throughout your site.

9. SEO basic hygiene

I get it my friends, SEO is a huge rabbit hole you could get lost in for weeks. It’s like another 400 level class. Ugh, not another one on this entrepreneurial journey...! Don’t worry! Let’s just clean up the basics, ok? A plugin like Yoast SEO really can help.

At the minimum make sure every single page on your site has a Title and Description. Understand keywords and how to use them. Use appropriate header tags. And that’s it - now you know how to brush your website’s teeth - ok that’s maybe not such a great analogy.

10. Make sure your site is accessible!

An accessible website gives your readers the ability to consume your content, use your services, or purchase your products, no matter their device or ability of your end-user. Make sure your fonts look good together and are sized appropriately. I know it’s fun, but use fancy fonts sparingly - these can sometimes be difficult to read.

Make sure all images have an alt-text description - this is super important! The alt-text is the description screen readers use when “reading” your image - make it as descriptive as possible so you don’t end up frustrating your end-user (plus it’s helpful for SEO). Check out Hannah Wolfram’s website and services if you want to learn more about this!

Well, there you have it - the top 10 mistakes I frequently see on the solopreneur’s website.

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or would be interested in a website assessment for your site. You can find me at meadowlark.tech

Enjoy the journey!!

Meet the author - Cory Peterson

Cory is the founder of Medowlark Consulting works with women business owners to build their businesses and share their talents with the world.

Visit her website here at anytime, especially if:

• You need a new website in order to attract your ideal client.
• Your current website is feeling old or clunky, or you are looking for more functionality. (Do you want your clients to be able to make appointments online? Would you like to be able to accept online payments? We can make that happen!)
• You’re curious about what you can do to get more online presence and more clients.
• You want to establish a more professional look for your website or your business as a whole.
• You want to establish yourself as an expert in your field and showcase your strengths and/or your portfolio.

Your content is an amazing way to connect with your clients.

Through your copy and images, they get to know you, like you, and trust you.

Do you think about your clients when you create the content? How do you feel when you do it? Expanded, excited to share, or more like “UGH I have no idea what to post, I’d happily give all of this to someone else to do if I only had the money.”

If you’re in the second group, I want to offer you different thoughts through this exercise.

Sit down today and journal by answering these 5 questions:

1. If you had your BEST client in your thoughts when you create content and made it FOR them, how would you feel?
2. What thoughts and ideas would come up for you?
3. Would you enjoy it then and actually look forward to connecting with them on the posts you created? Why?
4. What energy do you think your posts would exude?
5. Do you think they would create better engagement with your audience? Why?

Creating core content that gives value, inspires, and motivates to action is a skill that allows you to build relationships with your best clients. It helps you add value to their lives and stay on top of their minds.

So when they're ready and reach out to hire you, they're already pre-sold on your offer.

Just imagine how easy your sales consults would be when the clients reached out to you, excited to buy because of the value you've offered them through your content?

Just imagine how amazing it would feel engaging on your posts with your best clients?

In this video training, I teach you all the foundations you need to never run our engaging content ideas for your ideal clients. You and especially they will love it!

And if you'd like to watch more training like this as well as benefit from weekly inspiration, free business coaching and networking with other fabulous like-minded women entrepreneurs, join our community Women Entrepreneurs with Passion 4 Life here.

https://youtu.be/4SPfA2-gPSE

by guest author Stephanie Jones

5 steps to stop the never-ending to-do list, overwhelm, and exhaustion. Take back your evenings, weekends, life! Have it all without doing it all.

The kids are starving, you are still working, the house needs to be cleaned and laundry needs to be done. It's all never-ending! You seem to be the one holding it all together, except - are you?

You are running on empty. Waking up in the middle of the night riddled with anxiety. Important tasks, appointments, clients are slipping through the cracks. You are too tired to be creative, or find a way out.

It doesn't have to be like this!

Time management is a phrase that gets thrown around a lot but what does it mean and how can it help you?

Time management is essentially telling your time where to go, so it doesn't control your day/life. It's attacking the day with a plan versus being reactionary to everything thrown your way.

So - let's dive in!

1. Set hard start and stop hours for work

I know this can be incredibly hard - especially when you have so much to do. Hear me out though. You will get it all done in less time with better systems (which I scratch the surface on in this article).

When you have hard start and stop times for your work, you are setting a boundary around your day and your business. You are making that time important for you so you can build your dreams.

This doesn't mean you work 12 hour days all day, every day. It means you can start freeing up your time, reducing your workload (see following tips) and get to that elusive point of work/life balance we all seek, but only a few attain.

3. Set BOUNDARIES

You are the go-to person for lost keys, misplaced wallets, socks, clean laundry, milk, sports equipment, literally everything, am I right?

Stop that!

Have a family meeting, talk with your partner and kids. Have the truthful conversation that the house would literally not burn down if you weren't there to answer e v e r y single question that they had at all moments of the day.

Explain what you are building, dole out chores (kids as young as 5 can even help out - even if that means you don't have to ask them to brush their teeth or put their clothes in the hamper). Teach those life skills, release the perfection of your way of doing it and let everyone help out - heck, they all live there, right?

Ask for respect for your time and privacy while you are working. Make it a "no interruptions" zone, unless of course there is a real true blazing fire. Having quiet, focused, uninterrupted time in your day to get your work done - frees you up to be off your phone and computer, and to be fully present with those that you love. That's not too much to ask, right?

In case you are being hit in the gut with some strong mom-guilt right about now, let me share some stats with you:

• Every interruption (phone, notification ding, knock on the door, etc) costs you 6 minutes of time - and that's not even including the time to address the interruption
• You are 42% less productive when you multi-task
• Brain fatigue is increased when we are constantly changing tasks and having to remember where we were at
• If you are on a client phone call, it is unprofessional causing you to potentially lose either a client or a referral

3. Time Blocking

If you are unfamiliar with the term, time-blocking is "blocking" out a chunk (minimum of 15 minutes) for an activity, or a group of activities.

For example, you need to prospect clients. You can do this over the course of the day but does it really get you to where you need to be? Would it be better to block out 2 hours every Monday to prospect, track, etc., and then another block of time later in the week for the prior week's follow-up?

The latter allows you to stay in the zone, without distraction, accomplishing more and keeping your energy where it needs to be for that particular task.

If you have never time-blocked, I recommend going through your last week or two and either color coding like items together (all personal blue as an example, clients green, etc) and seeing where you are spending your time. Are you able to start moving like items together and protecting your time? Leave one day a week open for a catch-up, doctors, impromptu beach days, ya' know - LIFE!

4. Batching

Similar to time-blocking, batching helps you create space for focused work; allowing you to be more productive in less time.

Batching means "like things together in large chunks of time". For example, content writing. You can write a social media post every day for sure, but how many could you write in an hour?

Batching allows you to be dressed and camera-ready on days when you need to be on video or present with clients, and messy bun and sweat pants on days when you're writing content like a mad-woman.

If you're new to batching, and especially if you're also new to time-blocking, here are some suggestions:

1. Pick at least an hour of uninterrupted time
2. Close all tabs (work offline if at all possible), leave your phone in the other room or put it on airplane mode
3. Put on background music if you work better that way, or silence if not
4. Grab your favorite beverage, pen, inspiration, etc and get comfy
5. Set a timer for the allotted time (I try to work in 2-hour blocks but I get up for a 5-minute rest break halfway through so I just set my timer for 55 minutes and then reset it when I am back at my desk).

Get to work and see how much you can get done!

5. Margin in your day, your week, your life - especially in your calendar!

Margin = space and space = calm. You are not a machine! You need downtime. You need to be able to confidently move your calendar around when you are sick when your kids are sick when your bestie needs you. Leaving space allows for this. It keeps you on track and caught up. Your to-do list will get done!

If you are always running late, you need to leave margin/space in your day so you can leave 5 minutes earlier (or 15!) so that you aren't stressed. When you are stressed, your kids are stressed, your partner is stressed, your health suffers.

Stop booking yourself so tightly in a day that you are stressed, overwhelmed, and can't get everything done.

If you are asking HOW????

I have a BONUS Answer for you and a free time strategy session call. 30 minutes and I can help you free up your calendar! You just have to implement the advice ;)

BONUS ANSWER: Deletion

Delete any and all unnecessary tasks, including busy work in your business.

Stop scrolling social media.

Stop comparing yourself to others.

Stop checking email more than 2/3x a day (and even that is a lot).

Stop doing work that doesn't have a direct ROI (return on investment - including your investment of time)

Stephanie is a Holistic Wellness Coach based in Seattle, WA. Her background is in both Corporate Executive positions and Restaurant Management. She changed career paths, graduating from IIN with a certification in nutrition and health coaching.

She is a mom of 3, all grown now, kids but understands the challenges moms face. At one point, she managed a household of 7, with her own 3 children, 2 stepchildren, resulting in 4 parenting plans, sports, holidays, various schedules, and a team as a Starbucks store manager. She feels your pain! She has taken everything she learned from corporate environments and warped it up for you! Teaching you systems to regain your time, freeing up nights and weekends so you can live the life you deserve!

Check Stephanie's website here to see what she's all about!

There is a lot of information out there telling you what to do to grow your business.

A lot of it is great but not necessarily applicable to you and where you are in your business growth journey.

Information overload and overwhelm is real.

So let's make it simple.

Simple allows you to focus.

Simple helps you be consistent.

Simple makes it possible to scale.

This video training will help you avoid 10 most common mistakes I see women entrepreneurs do. You can grow your business faster knowing what they are and choosing not to make them.

https://youtu.be/khPdjz4krTI

If this masterclass resonated with you, and you want to benefit from more such training

+ free business coaching

+ daily motivation

+ networking with other fantastic women entrepreneurs,

then join our thriving FB community Women Entrepreneurs with Passion 4 Life here.

By Leslie Campos

Everyone in the education field – students and instructors alike – had to transition to some degree of online learning since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. However, colleges have been developing and perfecting the delivery of online education for a number of years, working to ensure they have viable options for those who want to pursue a degree while still holding down a job. If you’ve never taken online classes, the prospect might seem a bit daunting at first. However, once you understand how the process works, and see the many associated benefits that come with online education, you’ll be ready to hit the ground running with these tips courtesy of Stairway to Leadership.

Necessity of Continuing Education

The way we work and learn is continually evolving, and according to Kiplinger, the jobs of the future are changing as well. That’s why it's important to regularly assess your skills as a business owner or career trajectory and take steps to ensure you have the appropriate training and education necessary to adapt to fluctuations in your industry. You may opt to pursue a degree related to your current profession, as a way to advance in the field, or you might look to the fast-growing and critical areas of information technology, computer science, and cybersecurity – all rapidly advancing careers of the future. Graduate education, in particular, can help prepare you for people leadership and management roles.

How Advanced Degrees Help Your Career

While undergraduate degrees introduce you to the main tenets of your particular area of study, advanced degrees take your insight and knowledge to a new level. This is especially important in continually changing fields like IT. You’ll often have the opportunity to learn from experts in the field, gaining relevant, timely knowledge that you can begin incorporating into your work right away. You’ll also interact with other students who may be working or running a business in the same industry, giving you the opportunity to learn from the experience of others while making valuable professional contacts.

Elements of Online Education

While in a traditional higher education setting, students typically participate in lectures, discussion groups, and some degree of project work, leading universities have found a way to replicate and even improve this system in an online setting. You'll still have an opportunity to interact with fellow students, professors, and guest lecturers – you’ll just be doing it in a virtual environment. This may include real-time and/or recorded lectures or presentations, group chats or discussion boards, and commentary posts. You'll likely have access to online resources and reading materials, rather than hard-copy books, which is a highly efficient way to research, study and prepare course assignments.

Flexibility of Online Learning

Depending on the type of online education you're pursuing, you're likely to have a great deal of flexibility about where, when, and how you study, interact, and complete assignments or take tests. This system provides an exceptional degree of freedom, which can be especially useful if you're caring for children or parents or working full-time. Additionally, studying from a remote environment can provide for greater focus and concentration, which can improve your overall productivity and learning outcomes. Keep in mind, professors, academic advisers, and university resources all remain accessible to you in an online learning environment.

For entrepreneurs and those climbing the ladder, a degree isn’t the only reason to go to school. IF there are skills you’ve always wanted to learn, particularly if they’ll be useful to the business. You’ve got a good eye for photography but have never taken a class. You think you’d be good at graphic design but have never tried. You could learn web design, digital marketing, or coding. The more you do to support the business, the more you’ll grow along with it.

Just this last December, Maggie has graduated from a fully online executive MBA program at Jack Welch Management Institute. This 3-year journey allowed her not only to become a better coach for her clients but also to run her own business more strategically.

Stairway to Leadership wants to help you build a successful, long-lasting business. Click here to learn more about our coaching programs and to schedule a free consultation.

If you're an entrepreneur who's scared of numbers and financial language, this article by Susan Vanderburgh is a good start. I always tell my clients: You are the CEO of your business. And finances are the language of business. You don't need to be a financial analyst to run your business but you need to understand enough to make informed decisions and hire great people who can help you manage money.

by Susan Vanderburgh

The calendar year is divided into standard fiscal quarters which businesses and financially savvy persons describe dated financial data.

Here is a summary:

January, February, and March (Q1)

April, May, and June (Q2)

July, August, and September (Q3)

October, November, and December (Q4)

Q1 Dates: January 1 - March 31

Q2 Dates: April 1 - June 30

Q3 Dates: July 1 - September 30

Q4 Dates: October 1 - December 31

Why is it important that you know this information?

Well, if you want to impress your friends and family members, you could start referring to a month in the context of a particular quarter. However, when you are speaking to business or financial professionals, it is appropriate, and sometimes expected, to refer to parts of the year in quarters.

For illustrative purposes, here is a scenario:

Prior to this knowledge, you might have wanted to say, “I will get this done by the end of August.”

Here are two examples of how you would say this differently when speaking with a business or financial professional:

Example 1: “I will get this done by the end of the third quarter of the year.”

Example 2: “I will get this done by the end of Q3.”

When you use either example (above), economic professionals will understand what you are saying. It also sounds cool, doesn’t it?

If a financial service provider does not understand what you are saying, hire a replacement. I mean this, seriously because this is a basic business and finance concept. Wouldn’t you want to work with the best?

Knowing about the quarters of the year is helpful when you are trying to gauge the business and financial knowledge of a potential business relationship or referral partner. Being able to refer to the calendar in quarters (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4) also shows your sophistication when you are applying for a business loan. The potential lender is likely to look at you as a professional, especially when you are presenting your business ideas in hopes of getting financing.

For people who are self-employed or those who are required to pay quarterly estimated taxes, it is important to pay on time to avoid penalties. Although April 15 is a due date for filing tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service, you still need to file quarterly payments throughout the year as a self-employed individual.

Here is a Cheat Sheet of when quarterly self-employment taxes are due (US regulations):

PaymentQuarterlyJanuary 1 - March 31April 15April 1 - May 31June 15June 1 - August 31September 15September 1 - December 31January 15th of the following year

Please note that there are exceptions, especially during COVID-19. If the due date of the estimated tax falls on a weekend or a national holiday, the payment would be due the following working day.

So, what does this mean on a personal level? Why do you need to plan for the end of the year and think about the year in quarters?

The last quarter of the year could be quite expensive and can catch many people off guard. November and December (i.e., in the last quarter of the year) are quite important. Not only do we have Thanksgiving (for those who celebrate), birthdays, anniversaries, and winter holidays, for property owners, real estate taxes are also due.

Your knowledge about fiscal quarters also provides insight when researching stock and bond markets, and financial reporting of public companies. You might have recalled hearing about financial projections for publicly traded companies that schedule the releases of their financial reports and payment of stock dividends in quarters of the standard calendar year.

As you could surmise, the final quarter of the year is also when most public companies are pushing for the ability to report positive earnings. As a consumer, you would be inundated by offers from retailers and businesses offering incentives to spend. Also, do not forget, for homeowners, this pressure to buy during the last quarter could be torture, especially if your real estate taxes are not impounded with the mortgage payments and you must pay real estate taxes to avoid delinquency.

For employees, most companies offer year-end performance reviews and holiday or merit bonuses. Yes, these are more reasons and added temptation to spend those hard-earned dollars!

For people who are undergoing credit repair or budgeting for a better financial future, consumerism is a real struggle and often creates conflict on the person's well-being and happiness when not able to spend.

As we head into the last quarter of this year, I urge you to make a list of your goals for the end of the year and for the upcoming new year.

Think specifically of these 6 questions:

1. How was this year for you financially?

2. Did have enough income to live comfortably or did you exhaust all your credit lines?

3. Do have an “emergency fund” that will cover you if something unexpected happened and would cost you some dollars?

4. How do you want to make your money work for you in the coming year?

5. What are your financial goals?

6. Do you have a plan to make the next year a better financial year than this one?

If you do not have answers to the above questions, you still have a few more months before the end of Q4 to figure out your plan for the next year.

For individuals who are hoping to buy a new home sometime next year, you should allow yourself 6 months (or 180 days) to make sure your credit profile is ready for a lender to review and have no objection. Please stay tuned for other articles regarding buying your home.

If you need assistance, it would be a good idea to seek professional guidance.

About the author

Susan Vanderburgh is a Business, Financial and Credit Strategist who helps clients get from frustrated to a more balanced financial lifestyle by implementing financial and credit strategies. www.getcreditcure.com

guest post by Teresa Greenhill

Entrepreneurs face many challenges that others do not. We are responsible for not only ourselves but also our employees and, in some ways, their families, too. We often work ourselves to the point where we feel like work is a life sentence, and no amount of good behavior allows us any personal freedom.

It does not have to be this way.

As an entrepreneur, you have control over your working hours, and you must use your time and resources wisely. This means taking care of yourself both at work and at home. Today’s tips from Stairway to Leadership can help you take better care of yourself.

Self-Care and Therapy

First, it’s important to know that part of your self-care regimen might mean seeking therapy in your relationship, to help you lose weight or help change behaviors that are holding you back. The good news is you may be able to do so from the comfort of your home. With the advent of telehealth, you can take advantage of medical providers offering a range of online services that can help you do these things. By utilizing virtual visits, you can save time and money and get treatment on your own terms.

Work/Life Balance

It may sound cliché, but finding a balance between your work and your career is one of the best things you can do for yourself. A few simple actions to get you started here include reducing clutter (and therefore cleaning time) at home, hiring a virtual assistant, providing your body energy through natural light, and adding houseplants to improve your mood. You should also set a schedule and avoid working when you should be spending time with your family.

Another great way to save time is to hire freelancers to work remotely. Communicating with these individuals, however, can be a challenge. You can streamline this process by utilizing PDFs to convey information back and forth. Try a free PDF editor to make changes easily on shared documents so you can skip explanatory emails and intrusive instant messages.

Health And Nutrition

Do you eat lunch every day? Probably not. You should. Give yourself permission to check out from work every day, which the Work It Daily blog explains will help you be more productive. (If you're a strict workaholic, you can use your lunchtime as an opportunity to network.) Further, keep a desk drawer full of handy snacks that can give you energy on those days when you can’t break away on time. UK-based snack food company Veloforte recommends bananas, nuts, watermelons, and berries for boosting energy.

Other Health Tips for Self-Employed People

• Get enough sleep. Your eight hours each night does more than refresh you; it can also reduce weight gain, strengthen your heart, and, like our other suggestions, boost productivity so that you can have a better work and life balance.

• Don’t take things personally. One of the best things you can do for yourself is to learn that business is business and things are not always personal. Losing a customer, for example, does not mean you are not good at what you do, and there are always opportunities to find new clients.

At the end of your work day, you want to know that you’ve done your best as an entrepreneur. But, for that to happen, your workday actually has to end. It’s important to find balance and prioritize self-care, whether that means eating right, getting enough sleep, or seeking therapy when the pressure is too much to bear. By giving yourself the same attention you give your customers and employees, you’ll be a better business person and may be better positioned for strategic growth.

About the Author- Teresa Greenhill

Teresa Greenhill is the co-creator of MentalHealthforSeniors.com, which is dedicated to providing seniors with information on physical and mental fitness. Being a senior herself, Teresa, with some help from her granddaughter, manages the website as a way to keep her busy and help other seniors be active and happy in their golden years.