As entrepreneur, do you have the tendency to work all the time – sometimes scheduling a day off only to find yourself answering emails, making phone calls, or planning your next launch? While it is important to love what you do and be there to support your customers, you can’t provide from an empty cup! In this article I will share some tips for planning a mindful day off.
Whether it’s a few hours, or a full day, taking time off is the best way to refresh your energy, boost your creativity, and bring more joy to your business.
Before the Day off…
Schedule it in intentionally.
The earlier you can commit to taking this day off, the better. This will allow you to schedule your day off around launches and important events, or have a delegate assigned for the day if you have a team that you manage. Knowing that your business will be okay when you step away for a day will help reduce the pressure and let you enjoy the day with ease.
Plan your day.
Without a plan you may be tempted to check emails, registrations, purchases, etc.
To help guide you as you plan this day, ask yourself:
- What do I need in this moment?
- What would help me recharge?
- How can I become more inspired?
Here are some ideas to inspire your mindful day off:
- read a book
- create a vision board
- learn a new skill
- enroll in a mini course
- register for a full day retreat
- book a massage
- pick a movie that you want to watch
- spend some time journaling
- cook yourself an amazing meal
- go on a hike
- visit a local, cultural space (museum, library, market, etc.)
- practice yoga/meditation
As the day approaches…
Let your community / employees know.
Celebrate your day off by sharing with your community prior to the big day; you can even post it on social channels if you use them. This will help keep you accountable to actually take the time off, but also shows your community that you take time to be inspired, and helps them relate to you on a more personal level.
Your Mindful Day Off
On the big day…
Do one thing at a time. It’s important to make this day as nourishing as possible for your mind and body and the best way to do this is doing one thing at a time; do less with more intention.
Disconnect from your devices. These days our devices give us access to everything – which can be convenient, but also stress inducing. If you can’t turn off your device for the entire day, set “Do Not Disturb” hours where you will not look at them.
Be Present. Mindfulness is all about being in the present moment, on purpose. What makes this day off mindful is that you are truly in the present moment, focussed on taking care of you, not worrying about your business or thinking about all the work you will have to catch up on when you get back. Be here, now.
The next day…
Appreciate. When you return to work from your mindful day off, enjoy the new sense of energy, clarity, and inspiration. Express gratitude for this time you took for yourself.
About Danielle
Danielle D’Souza is a yoga and meditation teacher focused on helping women bring more self-love into their life through movement, meditation, and mindfulness. She is the host of Release and Restore – Guided Meditations and also recently launched Awaken to Self-Love a Facebook community for women on the journey to self-love. You can find out more about Danielle and her company Yes and Yoga by visiting her website www.yesandyoga.com
Looking for guest contributor opportunities? Please email me at: catherine@catherinenikkel.com with a brief introduction to who you are and, how your topic of expertise relates to Mindful Media.
