We’re continuing our focus on wellbeing this month with a look at a healthy business plan. How can you embed your wellbeing right at the heart of your business, rather than it be something that you try to squeeze in after all the other important things on your list? It’s about approaching your wellbeing in a strategic way rather than just as an afterthought. It’s about creating the foundations that will help you and your business thrive: healthy business, healthy you!
To do this, we’re taking my wellbeing strategy framework to work through the different elements that are important when it comes to a healthy business plan. We’ll be starting from the top of the pyramid and working our way down.
Healthy business plan: the 5 levels
Level One: SOUL
When you develop a brand strategy, the very top of the pyramid is your brand purpose. I’d also include it as a core part of your overall strategy and business model. This is your ‘why’, your reason for going to the office (even if that office is at home!), the reason why you started this business in the first place. It’s why you care about what you do and, importantly, why anyone else should care as well.
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As Simon Sinek says, people don’t buy ‘what’ you do, they buy ‘why’ you do it. Starting with a clear purpose will help you attract the people who share your values, who want to become part of your community and, ultimately, who will want to buy from you. Engaging them in this common purpose will help you win customer loyalty and build something that will last above and beyond any products and services that you are offering.
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Having a clear purpose will give you that spark that you need to jump out of bed on Monday morning! Starting, running and growing a business is hard work and having this bigger ‘why’ will keep you motivated when the going gets tough. It will make the work meaningful to you beyond the day-to-day tasks of sending emails, writing articles, and tweaking your website. It will also guide you in making difficult decisions in your business and in your personal life.
Level Two: MIND
After purpose, the next level is around creativity and personal growth.You need to take ownership for your own development and learning, and find ways to continuously up-level, up-skill and develop your thinking. How will you ensure that you continue to learn and grow? What podcasts do you listen to, what books do you read? What coaches, mentors and advisors do you have? It’s also about creativity and creating the space to think, and to dream.
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Continuous learning is imperative if you want to have a successful business or career. As well as refining your craft, your core business activity, the online marketing and business world is changing so quickly that you absolutely need to stay on top of the latest developments and trends to ensure that your business doesn’t become obsolete. Learning every week, every year, will keep your business relevant and thriving, whatever happens.
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I’m a big fan of lifelong learning irrespective of the benefits it brings to your business. Focusing on your learning and personal development will ensure that you continue to grow throughout your life. You get an incredible sense of fulfilment when you learn something new, and you enjoy your work much more when you’re good at it! Plus, the journey of learning is in itself rewarding and fun – so it’s really a win-win all around.
Level Three: HEART
The core of the wellbeing strategy, as it is the core of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, is made of love, relationships and belonging. Have you found and connected with your ‘tribe’? People who believe in you 100% and will support you rather than shoot you down when you voice your dreams and ideas? Are you making the time for the people who matter most in your life? Are you nurturing your professional relationships, with colleagues and clients?
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Surrounding yourself with supportive people, people who have the same kind of dreams and plans that you have, people who are a few steps ahead of you and who have shown that it’s possible to do what other people say is impossible – this is what will make you succeed in your own endeavours. It’s not just a question of mindset: nurturing your personal and professional relationships will create new business opportunities as well.
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Working for yourself can be isolating, and having those cheerleaders around you, or just someone to grab a coffee with, can be a huge enabler to keeping you motivated. When it comes to your personal relationships, part of the reason why you set up your own business was probably that you wanted more freedom and flexibility to spend time with the people who matter the most – prioritising friends and family will help you do just that.
Level Four: HEAD
In the typical business, your head is doing most of the legwork. You push and push as you sit hunched over your computer, responding to endless emails and checking your phone late into the night and on weekends. You take minimal breaks and you feel frustrated and overwhelmed as you struggle with a never-ending to-do list. You get caught up in over-analysing, worrying and limiting yourself with fears and things like imposter syndrome.
-Benefits for your business
It might seem counter-intuitive but taking regular breaks and working less, not more, will actually make you more productive. Taking time out to get super clear on your priorities and focusing on the one or two projects and actions that will really make a difference will be much more effective than mindlessly working through a long to-do list. Keeping your brain fresh and alert will ensure that your business can thrive in the long run without you burning out.
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Feeling fresh and alert will, of course, benefit you as an individual as well as the business. You’ll enjoy work more and, when you’ve completed your priority tasks, you’ll feel satisfied with the progress you’ve made and you’ll have the energy to dedicate to your friends, family and hobbies outside of work. Having someone to talk to, working on those beliefs and fears, will also reduce stress and reframe your perspective so that you see things in a more positive light.
Level Five: BODY
The base of the pyramid is the base of Maslow’s hierarchy as well: your body, your physiological needs. This is what you typically think of when you consider becoming ‘healthier’ – eating better, getting more exercise. It’s much more than that, though, and you want to make sure that you’re getting the right nutrition, stretching and keeping your body supple, winding down in the evening and getting the amount of sleep that you know you need.
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As with your head, taking care of your body will keep you happy and healthy so that you can continue to look after your business. Neglecting your basic physical health will lead to burnout or more serious health problems down the line and can potentially cause a huge disruption to your business as you’re forced to take time off. Looking after yourself first and foremost will ensure that you are thriving so that your business can thrive as well.
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The benefits of being in sound physical health are clear. Feeling good and minimising illness will allow you to enjoy your work and enjoy your life outside of work as well. There’s nothing worse than feeling grumpy and lacklustre after a bad night’s sleep, or having chronic pain that keeps you from being able to do what you want to do. Making this a priority will ensure that you can enjoy your life both now and in the future.
So there we have it: five levels of wellbeing, how you can prioritise each level in a healthy business plan, and the benefits that this will bring to the business and to you as an individual. I hope this has given you some new ideas, or important reminders, about what you need to do to stay healthy in the broadest and deepest sense – physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually – and to ensure that your business is healthy and sustainable in the long run.
If you’re an entrepreneur or small business owner who is feeling overwhelmed and frustrated, and you want to find a way to build a profitable business without sacrificing your health and wellbeing to do so, then get in touch to book a free consultation call with me. We’ll take a look at where you’re getting stuck and discuss how I can help you get to that healthy business plan that works for you:
