Running and growing a business may seem glamorous and exciting, but no one is immune to a hard day or a mental slump. In fact, burnout is rising among small business owners and entrepreneurs, with 72% facing mental health struggles from the strain the past few years have put on their work. Rising prices, staff shortages, and having to take on multiple tasks simultaneously are the leading causes of this stress.
As an online health coach, you make a living by helping others with their health and wellness. But when you’re juggling your own professional and personal life, you might be neglecting your mental health. Focusing on providing the best services to your clients might be your top strategy for business growth, but addressing your own needs is also vital so you can remain consistently at the top of your game. Here are some tips to boost your mental health while you grow your online health coaching
business:
Set boundaries
Across the board, online jobs often blur the lines between your career and your private life—especially when you’re working from home. As a matter of fact, a recent Ergotron study found that 40% of those who work remote jobs clock in longer hours. As such, setting boundaries while working from home can help you carve out time for yourself while ensuring you’re in your best state to coach clients. Sticking to a
schedule can help you organize your day; you can block out work and break times or dedicate a set amount of time for specific tasks like virtual meetings or responding to emails. Being firm about work-life balance can help you find enough time in your busy day to care for yourself or spend time with loved ones.
Delegating work
You don’t have to take on all the work of growing your coaching business alone; there are roles you can delegate to another person to help run your business and ease your mental load. Case in point, to help you stay on top of tasks, consider hiring an administrative assistant. They are skilled in creating and maintaining filing systems and can manage administrative tasks such as tracking and compiling information of interest. When hiring such a professional, assess your needs so that you can hire an
assistant who can fill them in effectively. For example, if you have a hard time with dates or times, they can schedule appointments and maintain your calendar, so you never miss a coaching session or end up with scheduling conflicts. They can also help coordinate travel if getting from place to place is a hassle. By delegating your workload, you’re not spreading yourself too thin and you’re onboarding a skilled worker who may even improve your overall operations.
Value the little things
Self-care doesn’t have to be a grand gesture; little moments of fun and joy in your workday can do wonders for your mental health. Some simple but effective things you can adopt to uplift your day include taking a few minutes to get dressed up more than usual or grabbing a treat to eat before a coaching session. You can have your clients join in; ask them about a good thing they did for their health at the start of a meeting, or do a quick, light-hearted icebreaker to start off with some positivity. These small actions can lead to big changes in your mental health, and clients will notice your sunny disposition, possibly leading to more growth.
Know what you can offer
Wanting to help a diverse array of clients with equally diverse problems is a noble pursuit, but that can be overwhelming. One step to help grow your online coaching business while keeping your mental health in check is to create a specific solution to your ideal client’s problem. Your offer is the most crucial part of your business, and it can help you zero in on a particular area you want to address. Whether it’s for weight loss, a better relationship with food, healthy cooking tips, or the like, knowing what you can offer best to help your audience can improve your services and increase profits. It also takes a burden off your mind when you know which problem you’re trying to solve and can prepare for it accordingly.