Being an Entrepreneur and Putting Yourself First
by Jenny Lawton, COO at Techstars
Being an entrepreneur can feel lonely. We tend to work long hours, don’t get enough sleep, don’t eat well and can be deficit in the work/life balance department. I’m generalizing, of course, but when someone says, “entrepreneur” the image that comes to mind is of a driven, singly focused person who is moving mountains with ultimate scrappiness. Constantly tapping internal reserves to perform Herculean tasks may work well in the short term, but it’s rarely a formula for long term success.
Over the years, I’ve realized that the best formula for success is taking real care of myself. It’s when my mind is racing and my temper is flashing with fork tongued, impatient responses to the people who I care deeply about that I realize I’ve gone past the edge, again. I know that I’m heading for a fall if I don’t reel myself in and do some self care. Years of cringe worthy experiences inform this knowledge. In an effort to help others save themselves, I’ll share some of my learnings:
Recognize the Overload
When I find that I can’t make it through more than a paragraph in a [news article, contract, email, book] I know that I’m on overload. I have stopped sensibly processing. Basically, my circuits aren’t working. I know it’s time to take a break — To cancel a day of meetings;take a long walk; sit down at the table to eat a meal; put my phone away; talk to the dogs. ; just sit and look out the window; slow my breathing. Or, maybe meditate — two minutes is better than no minutes. Mental overload is not sustainable — so a change has to happen.
Know When to Shut Down
When the ringing in my ears gets loud and the buzz and hum of the office lights lulls me into a work coma — I know it’s time to shut the computer down and stop. It’s hard to go to sleep in this state of mind — a hyper awareness and receptivity of my brain. But for me, it’s a danger zone and the best thing that I can do is step away from the work. It is almost always better — and faster — when I come back to it with a fresh look.
Cut the Caffeine and Screens
When insomnia keeps me chugging coffee all day long and envisioning personal Armageddon, it’s time to make a change. The first thing to go is the coffee — replaced by endless glasses of water and an increase in exercise. Then comes a commitment to not watch TV in bed; put the computer away way before bedtime; read a book for an hour before bedtime; get in bed and read a book and sip hot water and lemon and ginger; turn the lights off and turn the phone off and, a commitment to not look at my phone when the insomnia strikes night after night. Basically, I need to take the time to STOP, LOOK, AND LISTEN and give my mind and body time to give in to a new routine.
Don’t be Afraid to Hit Reset
It’s okay to let something sit. A deadline can be moved. A meeting can be missed. Priorities can be reset. And, as a result, a schedule can be returned to sanity. It’s okay to be human.
When my world goes off kilter — I can feel it. In the past, that off kilter feeling fed my drive and fueled my success. Until it didn’t. It’s hard to remember when you are high on adrenaline that you will drop as low as the height that you fly. And crashing to the ground hurts. Having crashed to the ground a few times in some pretty fantastic ways — I’ve chosen to watch for the cues, listen to the warning signs and hit reset as soon as possible to minimize the impact when the inevitable crash occurs.
All of us have the potential to veer into the no man’s land of being in between, “all systems go” and, “all hell breaking loose.” Everyone has a different way to handle this place — keeping it simple, bringing the focus back to basics and on myself, are the best coping mechanisms that I have found so far. Everyone has their own version of recentering — I find that it’s helpful to have a sort of personal disaster plan so that when you “go there” you have a roadmap on how to return.
