12/19/2020

Self-Care for Women in Business: It’s Not Selfish—It’s Survival

~3 min read
Doreen Ashton Wagner in front of a flag

COVID-19 has introduced scary physical, financial, mental, and emotional realities. Many factors seem out of our control right now. As women in business, we’re used to challenges, but this pandemic is testing our limits. Right now, physical and mental self-care is crucial — to ourselves and our businesses. Thankfully, for women in business self-care is something we can control.

I know it’s not easy. I can be an emotional eater. Through these Covid months, I find myself bingeing late at night when my mind is too active to want to sleep. Plus, despite having space to roam in the country to remain active, I struggle with motivation.

Self-Care Is Not Selfish

Recently, in a Facebook Live event, I interviewed Marie-Andrée Ouimet, also known as Coach MAO. Originally from North Glengarry, but now living in Hawkesbury, Marie-Andrée is a health and fitness professional who started her career as a Phys. Ed. teacher. We talked about so many things, from her mission to help women live their best life, to the mindset that holds us back at times, and even touched on small-town jealousy and the stigma of multi level marketing sales.

One of the lines that stood out for me in our interview is “self-care is not selfish.” This was true before the pandemic and it’s true now. Marie-Andrée and I shared how our own weight loss journeys became essential after we had put self-care on hold for too long.

In my research on the resilience of women business owners during this pandemic, I am hearing your struggles about managing family needs and business needs. It seems there is even less balance than there was before! Often our self-care practices are put off, deprioritized, or maybe even ignored as we’re scrambling to keep afloat.

Tip: Lighten the Load and Ask for Help

What I have noticed from your stories and my research is that the more resilient among us are the ones who ask for help.

As independently-minded women, we sometimes find this difficult. But it’s time we learn to ask for help, re-evaluate roles, and examine our responsibilities. We can let our partners step up to handle more parental care and household chores. This may be the best opportunity we have to equalize the mental and emotional load of caring for our families.

And we can look beyond our partners. Our kids can step up and help out. There is plenty of positive evidence that children benefit from being held accountable for age-appropriate chores. Children will feel accomplished and connected when contributing to the family’s well-being. We can also examine our larger support networks and reach out to them.

Let’s Hear from You!

How has COVID-19 changed your self-care practices? Have you done anything with your partner or your children to create more self-care in your life?

Please share here so that our business sisters can learn from your experience.

As always, thanks for reading!

COVID-19 has introduced scary physical, financial, mental, and emotional realities. Many factors seem out of our control right now. As women in business, we’re used to challenges, but this pandemic is testing our limits. Right now, physical and mental self-care is crucial — to ourselves and our businesses. Thankfully, for women in business self-care is something we can control.

I know it’s not easy. I can be an emotional eater. Through these Covid months, I find myself bingeing late at night when my mind is too active to want to sleep. Plus, despite having space to roam in the country to remain active, I struggle with motivation.

Self-Care Is Not Selfish

Recently, in a Facebook Live event, I interviewed Marie-Andrée Ouimet, also known as Coach MAO. Originally from North Glengarry, but now living in Hawkesbury, Marie-Andrée is a health and fitness professional who started her career as a Phys. Ed. teacher. We talked about so many things, from her mission to help women live their best life, to the mindset that holds us back at times, and even touched on small-town jealousy and the stigma of multi level marketing sales.

One of the lines that stood out for me in our interview is “self-care is not selfish.” This was true before the pandemic and it’s true now. Marie-Andrée and I shared how our own weight loss journeys became essential after we had put self-care on hold for too long.

In my research on the resilience of women business owners during this pandemic, I am hearing your struggles about managing family needs and business needs. It seems there is even less balance than there was before! Often our self-care practices are put off, deprioritized, or maybe even ignored as we’re scrambling to keep afloat.

Tip: Lighten the Load and Ask for Help

What I have noticed from your stories and my research is that the more resilient among us are the ones who ask for help.

As independently-minded women, we sometimes find this difficult. But it’s time we learn to ask for help, re-evaluate roles, and examine our responsibilities. We can let our partners step up to handle more parental care and household chores. This may be the best opportunity we have to equalize the mental and emotional load of caring for our families.

And we can look beyond our partners. Our kids can step up and help out. There is plenty of positive evidence that children benefit from being held accountable for age-appropriate chores. Children will feel accomplished and connected when contributing to the family’s well-being. We can also examine our larger support networks and reach out to them.

Let’s Hear from You!

How has COVID-19 changed your self-care practices? Have you done anything with your partner or your children to create more self-care in your life?

Please share here so that our business sisters can learn from your experience.

As always, thanks for reading!

Doreen Ashton Wagner
Doreen Ashton Wagner
Founder | Fondatrice
Join the conversation
Thank you! Your comment has been received! We will review it before publishing it.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting your comment.
0
Comments
hr-challenges-how-not-to-feel-like-a-bitch
Denise Sukkau
1723132740137
We are entering a time when women need to take our place, fill up our space and be who we are without apology. I have difficulty with this and thus I try to keep expanding, keep learning, keep letting go of those past experiences that have kept me small(er). Our culture and past societal 'norms' in a patriarchal time have diminished our voice in addition to other past traumas to women. In supporting each other we can rise together without guilt or shame for being a b*tch or any other shadow expression of our soul, to embrace our power that is within. (Please note I have recently come off of a feminine empowerment retreat called Rise Sister Rise.)
navigating-networking-real-talk-for-business-sisters
Moumie
1712533017881
Bonjour Doreen, J'aime cet article, c'est bien dit... !!😄 Je rajoute, tu es aussi pour ma part, dans ton rôle, de pouvoir encadrer les choses autant que tu peux car, gérer les êtres humains est une tâche énorme pour n'importe quelle occasion. Je viens d'apprendre aussi une chose intéressante, la philosophie de Ted Lasso, je ne connaissais pas cette série, je vais la regarder. Merci de partager cela. Donc, en un mot, tout ca est intéressant moi, je te trouve en tout cas authentique :)!! Bravo pour ton leadership👍
meet-the-business-sisters-results-of-the-first-ever-census-of-our-community
Lexine
1710194161296
Huh - ma première réaction - 41% ont plus de 6 employés. Il serait intéressant de voir combien sont des sous-contractants VS part-time VS full-time, et les liens aux revenus bruts?
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Be the first to comment!

Continue Reading