What are some self-care strategies for busy franchise owners?

Establishing clear and feasible boundaries stands as an initial stride toward self-care. It involves delineating the allocation of time, energy, and resources between work and personal life. Effectively communicating these boundaries to staff, suppliers, customers, and family members is crucial, as is steadfastly adhering to them. Learning to decline requests exceeding your capacity or conflicting with priorities is essential. Boundary setting serves as a shield against burnout, resentment, and conflicts, nurturing a healthier balance and safeguarding well-being amidst life's demands.

You need to understand that your work is not everything. Although it is a priority for you, you should not be consumed fully by work. Compartmentalize your time well

As a franchisor representative, I would often ask my franchise partners how things are going. Too often, they are under pressures from internal forces that I wasn't aware of, or might even be feeling the heat from the company I represented. That kind of knowledge lead to setting realistic goals while showing care and concern from my valued business partner

Efficiently managing stress and carving out personal time involves a strategic approach: delegating and outsourcing non-essential tasks. As a franchise owner, leverage support from your franchisor like marketing or training resources, honing in on core business facets. Additionally, delegate tasks to your staff or engage external providers within your budget. This approach streamlines operations, enhancing efficiency, productivity, and work quality. Delegating frees mental space for strategic pursuits while outsourcing optimizes resource utilization, allowing for a more balanced and effective business management approach.

Ahhhh delegation, delegation, delegation....easy for someone to advice, tough to do when you have a tiny team and everything is on your shoulders. I loved being proactive to offer our extensive resources, to give them time to take a breath, to help them focus on other issues that I couldn't assist with

C-leaders are some of the worst when it comes time to disengaging, and I've been guilty myself of never shutting down and going home. What has been helpful for me is empowering someone to drag me away from the workload and let me take R&R...sometimes it's as much as turning off the lights and kicking you out of your own office!

Prioritizing breaks amidst work, regardless of passion, is pivotal for rejuvenation. Designate dedicated downtime in your calendar as a non-negotiable commitment. Engage in activities that promote relaxation, like reading, meditation, exercise, or quality time with loved ones. Embracing downtime serves as a stress-reducer, uplifting mood, and fostering creativity and problem-solving abilities. These moments of reprieve act as vital fuel, recharging your energy reserves and enhancing overall well-being, ultimately amplifying your effectiveness and satisfaction in both work and life.

From personal experience I know when times get busy, my diet goes out the window. Coffee takes on a level of priority just like taking a breath, and it's too east to eat fast and furious. Preplanned meals can be a great help, and then above all, go to sleep on time and stop looking at the phone until morning

From personal experience, the relationship between physical, mental, and emotional health underscores the importance of prioritizing your well-being. Nourish your body and mind by embracing a balanced diet, fostering energy, and curbing mood swings. Opt for nutritious meals and snacks to sustain vitality and stave off cravings (yes, easier said than done!). Equally crucial is quality sleep, enabling adequate rest and rejuvenation to counter daily exertions. This holistic approach fortifies immunity, sharpens concentration, and amplifies overall performance. By nurturing both your body and mind through wholesome nutrition and ample rest, you fortify the foundation for enhanced well-being and optimal functionality in every facet of life.

You might be the leader but leaders have a team...it's ok to ask for help, but if that's not available then go external. Sometimes it's just finding someone outside of your inner circle that you can share thoughts with, and ask advice without fear of judgement. Being in the restaurant business, I built up a long contact list of those in the industry who would share a meal and have a chat, speaking the same language and boosting each other when things were tough

Embracing assistance amid the challenges of running a franchise is a smart move. Don't hesitate to seek support from a variety of sources: your franchisor, peers, mentors, coaches, or professional advisors. Your family, friends, and community can also offer valuable support in various forms like advice, feedback, encouragement, or hands-on assistance. Leveraging support networks offers fresh perspectives, invaluable learning experiences, and diminishes feelings of isolation. By embracing help from diverse avenues, you not only navigate challenges more effectively but also foster a robust network that bolsters personal growth and business success.

When reviewing our activity, we tend to focus on the things we haven’t achieve rather than the things we have. For instance, imagine putting your heart and soul into training for a marathon, having never run a race of any kind before. The big day arrives and at mile 23, you exit the race. Do you celebrate running more miles in a race than you ever have before - feeling proud and accomplished for making it 80% of the way to the finish line? Or do you feel shame for failing to cross it? As humans, we are extremely hard on ourselves. As business owners it is difficult to see all of the things that you have accomplished to be where you are. Make that change today - learn to see that 80% of the time, you are winning, and let the other 20% go.