It gives us an enthusiasm for life that is irreplaceable.

Without it, life just doesn’t taste good.

– Lucia Capocchione

While the waiting time was not “extra” time in my life, it did represent time not previously planned. What to do with it? There was no audio or video service on the plane, and I do not download movies or music to my computer. There was no WiFi available, so I had no opportunity to check e-mail or surf the Web.  I had three “brain dump” books with me, but was reluctant to begin looking at their contents because I did not want to begin concentrating on the projects and ideas recorded in them only to be interrupted with periodic announcements about the flight. So I elected to:

Do nothing!

Most women solopreneurs are so busy during the workday that they never take a moment to simply relax and breathe.  How many of us have the luxury of literally doing nothing during a given day . . . even if it is only for a few minutes?  What does it feel like?  Do we even remember?

Doing nothing can feel uncomfortable when we are accustomed to being “on” all the time – thinking about multiple, current projects at work, then going home and taking care of our responsibilities there.  

Yet taking “do nothing” time is the best thing that we can do to rejuvenate our minds and spirits so that we can perform better when we return to our business projects and activities.  I daresay that many of us have forgotten what it feels like to let our minds wander freely, and I consider this to be a great loss for us, both personally and professionally.

Doing nothing, even for five minutes, is the beginning of the end of overwhelm.  Take some time today and try it!  Leave your comments below to let me know how it feels!

This post was prepared by guest blogger,  Monique Y. Wells.  Monique Y. Wells is the Paris Muse of Time Management™.  She invites you to join her in her 6-step mentoring program for Getting over Overwhelm, which will teach you how to achieve more by doing less!  Access her free video training series and learn about her coaching program by clicking here: http://bit.ly/qStzqr

Getting adequate rest to refresh and renew each day is paramount to restoring energy to your mind, body, and soul.

But….did you know some activities can sabotage your ability to fall asleep &/or sustain rest the entire night even though you may be extremely tired?

According to a recent edition of Working Mother,  here are some top offenders:

Drinking wine:   The suggested limit is a single glass; anything more and you may wake up after a few hours of  sleeep.

Watching TV:   TV stimulates the mind which is counter productive to getting rest.

Browsing the internet:  Studies show that the light from the computer screen disrupts your “circadian rhythm.”   Try saying that 3x really fast!!   But the bottom line is when this is off,  you can’t sleep.

Reading a suspense novel:  Avoid mysteries or thrillers energize the brain more than you think.

Taking a hot bath:  The body needs to cool down to fall asleep.  Try to give yourself an hour beforehand so that this exclusive time remains beneficial to you.

I personally struggle with waking up in the middle of the night for no apparent reason and not being able to fall back to sleep.

How do you stop your brain from operating on overdrive?  For me, I keeping a pad and pencil by my nightstand to jot down anything that comes to mind so that I can get it out of my consciousness and go back to sleep — fast!

What are your best tactics for falling back to sleep in the middle of the night?   Please add your thoughts and comments below. Thanks so much.

Call to Action:  Getting adequate rest is key to functioning at peak capacity throughout the day and evening without fail.  Think about the importance of having clarity of thought and vision to devote toward your business too.

If lately you’ve been feeling like you’re burning the candle on both ends and looking for ways to return to center, obtain a copy of my free self care bundle.

connection has to be in balance.”

–Wynonna Judd

because if we’re scurrying to and from appointments and errands,

we don’t have a lot of time to take care of ourselves.

We need to do a better job of putting ourselves higher on our own ‘to-do’”

–Michelle Obama

Periodically, set aside some time for yourself and tell your inner being  that you are ready to see the patterns you are living and those you are not living.

The information — which may come in thoughts, dreams, or intuitions — is a great balancer.

From 365 Meditations & Reflections for Women Who Do Too Much, by Anne Wilson Schaef

Silence  is one of the best  processes  we can find to feed our inner beings.

The process of silence is rare and it is free, easy, and available. Seek the silence.  Savor it.

365 Meditations & Reflections for Women Who Do Too Much, by Anne Wilson Schaef

And during that time I got very little done.  It’s amazing how debilitating headaches can be.  It forces you to do nothing but slow down and rest!  And that’s exactly what I had to do –  in spite of all that needed to get done.

During this down time I was reminded that what gets in the way of making steady consistent progress in business development is not always a lack of belief about what’s possible or business knowledge — but your health.

Remember as solopreneur you are the soul of your business; without you there’s no business.

If you don’t thrive, neither will your business.  The only way your business sustains is if you practice “self care” tactics on a consistent basis to keep energy levels high and stress levels low.

There are so many heavy demands of your business along with all of life’s responsibilities.

And being the tenacious, ambitious women that you are, you are probably pushing above and beyond to squeeze in just a little bit more each day.

However if you are not listening to your body when it’s telling you to slow down, take a break – it will force you to do it….whether you want to or not! When this happens your family, household, and business suffers.

Follow these easy strategies to restore healthy energy, balance, and forward momentum in your business:

1. Retire the wonder woman cape. If you’re constantly running on empty, your mind, body, and soul will suffer the repercussions of your tenacity.  Asking for help is a good thing; so do it more often! Sometimes, you’ll be able lean on a spouse, coworker, or friend, but also be open to hired help.

Streamline your responsibilities by creating a “time effective plan.”

- Set time limits when you will shut down for the evening so that you get adequate rest.

- Allow family members to share household tasks and chores so you’re not single handedly carrying the load.

- Do more in less time by prioritizing tasks and get rid of those commitments that no longer serve you .

2. Recharge & rejuvenate.  What is your favorite way of spending alone time?   Knitting? Bubble baths? Reading? Prayer? Lounging around in your jammies while watching your favorite movie reruns?  Schedule and protect this self care time at least once a week without fail.

- As a busy professional, a spouse, a parent and homemaker, you must take the time to de-stress…and without the guilt.  When you gift yourself with time to be a better you, you can take care of home and your business.

3. Have some fun! Socializing with friends and family — and laughter too — are vital aspects of managing and depleting stress levels.

- Participating in girls night out is a great way to decompress.  I know it’s probably been a while…carve out the time and just do it.

- Remember your outer social network and outlets (e.g.  church, events at your kid’s school, neighborhood gatherings, MeetUp.com to find a group of like-minded folks, etc.) are also viable means to interact and engage with others in a fun way.

- If you love to host get togethers in your home, keep your plan simple. Let go of the need for everything to be  just so.  This way you too can enjoy your invited guests.   Consider ordering out  instead of cooking  for ease and convenience.

You would have thought two Excedrins would have knocked out a pounding headache without fail in a day or two, but it didn’t.  Perhaps this “bout” that I dealt with was a manifestation of operating in over drive too often — and for too long.

I feel so blessed to have restored health!

I am taking advantage of these strategies to return to center.   What a difference it’s making in how I feel and how I am able to get more done personally and for my business!  I encourage you to do the same.

If you are looking for more ways to take better care of self from the inside out and maintain better balance so that you can give back to your business consistently,  obtain a copy of my free “self care bundle.”

Your Assignment:  Summer vacations are a GREAT way to create real moments with your family. Commit yourself to taking quality time with loved ones and return to center.

Here’s a list of things you can do while taking advantage of solitude:

-Write in your journal.

-Promote healing with classical, meditative, or some other music to calm the senses and reduce stress.

- Sleep

- Meditate

- Do Yoga

- Cultivate a Hobby

- Gardening

- Read a Good Book

- Exercise

- Break from the daily grind and focus on something you LOVE to do & FUN

What else comes to mind?

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE: It is easy in the world, to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after one’s own; but the great man is he who in the midst of a crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.
Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self Reliance

YOUR ASSIGNMENT:

Think about the following:

- Have I spent some time completely by myself today without being glue to my phone, computer, or television? What did I choose to do?

- Have I considered transforming myself by getting rid of my bad habits and negative ways of thinking? What would I like to change?

- Have I looked within today and tried to nurture my spiritual self? How can I make time for prayer or meditation every day?

- Have I used my solitude to do something fulfilling such as: listening to classical music, gardening, or reading a good book?

- Have I written in my journal? Have I spent time engaging in my hobby? Why or why not?

What has been revealed today?