I wonder, did you answer:
- Your partner?
- Your children?
- Your friends?
- Your customers?
Well, they’re natural responses, aren’t they?
But your first answer should always be: Me.
Earlier this week, Sandi said:
Here’s the thing so many entrepreneurs forget: if you’re not loving yourself first, there’s not much love to give to your customers.
Isn’t that the truth! So, how are you doing at loving yourself?
First Things First
I don’t know if you’ve come across The Happiness Project; it’s a website, and now a book, about Gretchen Rubin’s attempts to live a happier life.
I’ve been reading the blog for about 18 months, and bought the book when it was published last year. I really like Gretchen’s approach to the search for a happier life, and this Do First Things First post is relevant for us, halfway through Customer Love. When asked what that means, Gretchen’s friend said,
It means, don’t skip the obvious first steps in your haste to get to the next thing. Don’t overlook the basics because you’re trying to get fancy.
I tell myself, ‘First things first,’ to make sure that I eat before a job interview. Or I make my kids’ lunches before answering email. Or I make sure I get a certain number of hours of taxing, creative work done before I let myself relax with some busywork.
What are your first things?
Gretchen realised that for her, ‘first things first’ meant taking more physical care of herself. I can identify with that; like Gretchen if I don’t get enough sleep, I am irritable and achieve much less, and have no patience for anything.
I also find that when I have had enough rest, ideas and inspiration come easily; I can read the latest tech news and see how it could benefit my readers.
If I’m too tired, I read but without any questioning of the possibilities, and I often discard what I’ve read as of no use to anyone.
The same is true when writing posts, and I know we all experience this at one time or another. If I’m over tired or have put myself under pressure, the words don’t flow as easily.
Of course, there are people who thrive on pressure; the lesson here isn’t necessarily for everyone to “get more sleep” but to find what your own ‘first things’ are, and do them daily.
Have you been taking proper care of yourself through these first two weeks of Customer Love?
Now we can almost see the finish line, it would be easy to panic. “I haven’t written my eBook!” is currently screaming through my brain!
How about you?
What are your First Things First and how will they help you take care of yourself and still get the job done? Tell us in the comments below!
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What a wonderful reminder. Perspective helps so much when I’m up to here with to-do’s and trying to fit all the “good stuff” into my day.
First things for me is doing the important before the urgent. For me that is writing and making my follow up contacts (sometimes calls, sometimes emails). I enjoy those tasks but they take focus and energy. Sometimes I just want to do the easy stuff so I can cross it off my list!
I’m with you there – a nice, easy list so I can tick things off quickly! I have a tendency to keep moving other, more time-consuming items down the list because I think I can’t tackle them.
Of course often it’s the thought of doing them that’s worse than actually doing them. Once I’m stuck in they don’t seem half so bad!
First things for me this week include scheduling a quiet day (totally unplugged) and spending time with loved ones! When I take care of those, the writing and creating flow more effortlessly.
I expect a day unplugged would be welcome after all your Customer Love hours! Yes, they’re uplifiting but there’s always time needed to quieten the ideas running around in the brain.
So, when are you planning you’re unplugged day? I’ll just keep an eye out to make sure you do it! (In a totally kind and friendly way!)
First things first for me include quality rest – not just enough rest, but good rest. That includes things like turning off the computer an hour before bed, making sure to relax, not working on projects before bed because then I get so excited I can’t sleep! Another big thing is eating enough, I’m hypogylcemic & even though I know better, I’ll get lost in the project zone and then realize I haven’t eaten anything in several hours & my blood sugar is rock-bottom – which then makes me REALLY cranky, less productive, and prone to mood swings.
You make an important point there Michelle; it’s not just enough rest but good rest. That is so very true. For me it is getting enough sleep, but there are nights when the pain is bad enough that I could “sleep” for 10 hours and still feel tired. Pain has a way of disrupting proper sleep.
I do exactly the same about eating too! Or I’ll find myself snacking on chocolate biscuits instead of eating something “proper”. I might get a sugar rush from them, but long-term energy isn’t there and that definitely makes me irritable.