How to achieve better health & wellbeing as a small business owner.
- Jan 22
- 3 min read
Small business owners, particularly those that own micro businesses with 0-9 employees are struggling with health and wellbeing in the UK. Recent studies show that financial stress, work life balance, isolation & overwhelm rank highly as key stressors for many a small business owner.
Feedback from clients, Simply Club members and business owners and leaders I meet every day, all talk about the challenge of running a business in a disruptive world with ever increasing amounts of uncertainty. Long gone are the days when a small business made a plan with a set of strategic goals and were able to simply stick to it to gain success. In today's world, we have to be more agile, more resilient and more courageous than ever.
If you're the owner/leader of a small business, particularly a micro business (defined as small businesses with 0-9 employees), how can you ensure that you, and any worksforce, are able to thrive? I have used the words 'health' and 'wellbeing' to cover a whole range of challenges that might include anything from repeated headaches to mental health challenges, not because all the answers are here, but because recognising that your body and mind are speaking to you and letting you know that things are not optimum, is really important.
Values
It's often assumed that stress comes about because of hard work, tiredness or a non stop to do list. Certainly these things are challanging, epecially if they go unchecked for a long time. However, working outside your own values creates a much more significant challenge, disconnecting your inside world with your actions in the outside world. Spend time noticing whether the work you're doing is aligned to your values - it can be a game changer.
Space
I often talk to business leaders and owners that one of the most powerful elements of any strategy is time and space. Without creating regular space in your life and work to simply notice how things are going or how you're feeling, you're unlikely to be able to spot challenges early enough to work through them effectively. Build time into every day to check in with yourself, to notice pains, breathing, heart rate or mood.
Tracking
Now that space is available to you to simply notice whats' going on, then the next step is tracking and comparing. Remember, we're not aiming for perfection or some bonkers Insta image of an ever perky small business owner here. We are not judging. We are, however, noticing patterns, regularity of negative symptoms, decline or rise in mood and so on. A quick daily note on your phone might be useful to help you understand the trajectory of your health and wellbeing - data is your friend.
Edging
Despite the world being full of instant access ideas and solutions, our health and wellbeing is more of a life long project in discovering what works and what doesn't. Edging along gently, working on one area at a time is more effective over time than leaping into a whole new regime that someone has promised will lead to perfection. Working on one tiny step at a time, work out what you might keep doing, what you might do less of and perhaps one simple thing you might add to life to help you edge forward positively.
Structure
Any business can do better for its people, places and planet. It takes focus on strategy, underpinned with great values and consideration of structure. You might ask questions about the structure of your day & how you prioritise yourself and your wellbeing. You might explore the structure of your business model and if you're working with people you like or delivering real value that makes you feel purposeful. All good health and wellbeing requires some structure, some habits and some boundaries to thrive.
Assets
Remember the valuable assets in your business. Perhaps you have important hardware or an expensive online platform. Maybe you're working with years of valuable knowledge & experience behind you. All of this comes to nought if the person driving the business and delivering the value is regularly exhausted, foggy, anxious, achy, dehydrated and so on. You are the number one asset in your business. Treat yourself, your health and wellbeing like you would your car, fancy laptop or innovative platform.
If any of these tips have prompted you to think differently or ponder your own health and wellbeing then head to Simply Club to see how we show up for micro business owners all year round.
If you're struggling today, please take a look at some useful links below. You're not alone, nothing stays the same and this too shall pass.
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