Photo Credit (Coffee Geek Drinks) You know the moment when you look at the clock and you can’t remember saying goodnight to the kids? You can’t remember the last time you ate, you didn’t return your mother’s call and you still have three proposals to finish before you can even THINK about sleep! THAT IS STRESS!

Been there, done that and bought the T Shirt several times!  Every entrepreneur in the early stages of business development is seduced by the power and magic of achievement! They go without sleep, manage the day on adrenaline and believe “someday” they will be able to ease off! WRONG!

When I am coaching stagers, I often hear how guilty they feel. Guilty because they aren’t present in the lives of their children, their spouse, their family- they have dropped the friends they had, and totally forget about having a manicure! NO TIME.  You do have time.  We all have time – 168 hours a week.

Planning some ME time is crucial for home stagers.

Time is our most precious resource- and it is NON-RENEWABLE! Yet we live as if we are invincible.

We all have the same amount of time every single day. We can’t store it, trade it, or keep it for a day when we need extra hours! So, to compensate for guilt we forfeit care for ourselves.   Working like we will never need our batteries recharged, like we will live forever and like we will be able “at some point” to fix it all.  I remember flying back from the West coast thinking “wuhoo 3 extra work hours today.” The truth is when you ignore yourself, your body will betray you and the universe says, “OK deal with THIS” and you come crashing down with a horrible flu, chronic injury or worse.

Home staging business owners rarely speak about how they manage it all; how they cope with bad diet, no exercise, no sleep and frankly- no life. Entrepreneurial self-care is simply being a good steward of the amazing blessing you were given…your body. All kidding aside it isn’t coffee in the morning, red bull through the day and wine before bed!

Self-care helps us intentionally navigate life at a pace that is sustainable and livable.

It positions you to live a powerful life as well as give impeccable customer service!  When you take good care of yourself, you’re empowered and energized to take good care of others. When you make time for enough deep, relaxing sleep, fitness, nutrition, boundaries, hobbies, and healthy relationships a priority, they become your foundation. If you’ve been neglecting your own self-care, take time right now to course correct. What do you need to add to or delete from your calendar? Do it now. Who do you need to say “no” to? The sooner you make self-care a priority, the sooner you and your customers will reap the benefits and rewards.  Which area(s) in your life needs more self-care than you’re currently giving it right now?

Here are simple things you can do to take back your ME TIME:

1. BREATHE:
   Everyone does it- but I am talking about consciously breathing in slowly to the count of seven, hold for five and release to the count of seven. Do this two or three times, every hour you are working; it will quiet the mind, improve your ability to focus, slows the heart and stabilize blood pressure. Try it now: stop reading breathe IN- 2-3-4
2. TREAT YOURSELF:
   Mini breaks for you! A man I worked for decades ago always went on vacation every three months- took a week, flew somewhere exotic. I said to him casually “wow Bill, must be nice”. His reply always stuck with me as in “when I am there so will I do”. He said Christine, I have worked hard for my success, I am in my late 40’s and I didn’t want to end up like my dad, who died one year after retiring. I have 4 weeks holidays a year. Two weeks are family weeks split up with one week I golf with my buddies, & one I spend with just my wife wherever she wants to go. We have a pow wow at the end of the year plan when and where and then book, each quarter I can work hard and long if I have to knowing I have a planned break coming & look forward to. I know many entrepreneurs see holidays as extra hours they can “get ahead on the back log of work” but without them, mornings blend into days, days turn into weeks, blend into months and before you know it you don’t even know what date it is. Your life becomes one long work session. I hear you on the travel costs, covid, no money etc …If you can’t take a day, take a morning- if you can’t do that take an hour- and yes you can take an hour! Have you ever been an armchair traveler?Seriously book yourself on a FREE, live guide, virtual tour NOW: 45mins from your desk anywhere you want to see…GO: www.Heygo.com
3. Change the art in your office to a view of somewhere you would love to go.
   I have two within easy view of my desk- one is an ocean view at dusk along Big Sur (Love California) and the other a tranquil river scene. If I am on the phone, searching for inspiration or simply lift my head from the screen- left or right I have a visual & mental break.
4. SMILE more, make someone’s day, give a compliment, create cushions in your busy schedule. What are cushions? You know how a big stress contributor is how we multitask and overload our day? A cushion is a gift to yourself. If you know it takes 20min to shower/dress & out the door- allow 30mins and sit with your kids, dog, coffee- look at trees. Or if the drive to work is half hour allow40-45mins, you will feel so much less stressed by this simple adjustment
5. One more simple thing I do & invite you to explore. Every morning I love receiving my message from the UNIVERSE (tut.com) This one arrived the other day, so appropriate to share:

NOTE FROM UNIVERSE

Be there. Go there now and never leave. Imagine that your dreams have already come true. Live your life from that mindset. Predicate your behavior on that reality, not the illusions that now surround you. Filter every thought, question, and answer from there. Let your focus shift and be born again – because dwelling from, not upon, the space you want to inherit is the fastest way to change absolutely everything.   See the difference?   The Universe

P.S. All together now “Because dwelling from, not upon the space you want to inherit is the fastest way to change absolutely everything.”

There is no better time than right now to take the plunge if you are interested in starting a home staging business or training a team member to be your in-house stager at your brokerage.  Contact me, Christine Rae today to learn more! Or request our information booklet to become a home stager and start your real estate staging business with staging certification from CSP International™!