The one where we take a moment to breathe

Hi friend,

This week I’ve been running The Taproom, building Govalo, and (hopefully wrapping up) fundraising for Govalo. As someone who gets on her Peloton daily (yes, I’m that person), I can feel myself starting to no longer crave getting on my bike so I can finish working. I can feel a gravitational pull towards trying to wrap up my work instead of doing something that is both (1) good for me and (2) something I usually enjoy doing.

Busy seasons will always be present when you’re at work, especially when you run a company.

Try to follow a specific time schedule for self-care. I usually love getting my ride in before I start working (though now I need to compete with my husband who also likes to get his ride in before he starts working), but if I can’t get on the bike in the morning, I like to do it right before I eat dinner. That means I need to stop working at a reasonable time so we eat at a reasonable time. Keeping a specific schedule like you keep your work schedule will help to ensure you make time for yourself.

Block off some time on your calendar for focus time. I literally create events on my calendar called “Block off” so nobody can book a meeting with me during these times. I also don’t allow people to schedule calls with me on Fridays or more than two calls a day when using my Calendly link. If I have to spend the rest of the day talking to people, this is my time to pause for a moment (or work on things that need more, well, focus. Hence focus time.)

Take time off. I know, I know… this is easier said than done, especially in your busy season. But even if it’s just one day you take for a mental health day, it’s an opportunity to disconnect for some time away from your work (and hopefully away from social media as well). Ideally, if you know when you’re going to be busy, you can block off some time before your busy season begins so you can come back refreshed and excited to move forward.

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Self-care is so incredibly important, and frankly something I’ve started falling behind on since starting Govalo. So this is my public statement to say I see myself moving in the wrong direction so I can course-correct. Hopefully, this is a sign that you may need to do the same.

Take care of yourself,

Kelly