Getting so busy with day to day life, and the daily demands of business... who has time for taking care of themself? Right? Wrong. Taking care of yourself will help the rest of your life and home business run more effectively and efficiently.

You're Taking Care of Business...But Who is taking Care of YOU?
By Julie Frost

Running a home based business can be tough. For one thing, your work is always "there". As you walk by your home office or computer station, you start to think about all that you need to get done.

But many times, there are other, more important (or at least equally important) things that need to be done. Like helping the kids with their homework, taking them to piano lessons, soccer practice, etc., spending some "mommy time" with them, as well as the more mundane tasks like bill paying, shopping, laundry, dishes, vacuuming... I think you get the idea.

So, when do we take care of ourselves?

For some reason, we women tend to take care of ourselves last. (Men may do this too, but I've noticed it's far more common in women.) But what we may not realize while we're doing it, is that we must take care of ourselves -- it's not selfish. In fact, our taking care of everyone and everything else in ours lives depends upon it. If you're constantly draining yourself physically, emotionally, and spiritually, to the point where you've made yourself sick in one or more of those areas of your life, who will take care of all those things you're putting before YOU?

So, in order to "take care of business" (and everything else that you do), you must take care of YOU, too.

I can hear some of you saying now... "But with all the things I need to do, how will I ever find the time?!" Here is my answer: You Make It.

You see, if you don't make this a priority, everything else will suffer. Your business. Your children. Your relationships. You. What could be more important?

It may not be obvious at first... it will happen slowly. But it will happen. So make yourself a priority.

Many women may see taking care of themselves as selfish. We're such givers -- nurturers -- it can feel too indulgent to take care of YOU. But we need that nurturing, too. And who better to give it to us, then us? And if we don't do it, the people and things we hold most dear will suffer. Why? Because we will be suffering. And the scary part is, you may not notice it right away...

But our children will. Our spouses will. And our clients will. They'll express it in misbehavior. Bickering. Going elsewhere to do business. Not good. Not good at all.

So, what can you do to take care of YOU?

This concept may be so foreign to some of you, that you won't know where to begin. The key to any of these ideas is to do them consistently. If you only do them once, or once in a while, the results won't last.

Try Yoga, Meditation, or Exercise.
These things can help you clear your mind (and body). I know that after meditating, some of my very best ideas will come to me. Whether the idea is for a new article, what to have for dinner, or how to resolve an issue with my children or spouse. This quiet time helps you filter out all of the information and situations that you don't need, and helps you find peace within yourself... And a whole new way of seeing things.

Take a Day (Or Two!) of Rest.
Having a home based business doesn't mean that you have to work 7 days a week. If you don't take a day or two away from your work, you won't have a day to refresh -- to start anew. You're ideas and projects can start to stagnate. What I do is take two days off per week, but not in a row. I take Wednesdays off to volunteer at my daughter's school, teaching computers and art to 3rd a 4th graders, and the rest of the day is spent with family: I may take the girls out for ice
cream, my husband and I may spend some time alone together, or I may go out to eat with my mother and sister-in-law.

I also take Sunday's off as our family day. This is a day for all of us to relax and unwind from the week. The children need this, too! No work, chores, errands, or homework allowed. We sleep in, snuggle, talk, play, garden, read, and just have a nice, quiet time together as a family.

Pamper Yourself.
If you can, leave the kids with a trusted family member or friends and take some time out just for YOU. Do something YOU enjoy; like a candle-lit bubble bath. Or a trip to your favorite bookstore or library. Or get your hair and nails done. Or a facial. Or a massage! Take a walk on the beach, or in the mountains. Horseback ride. Whatever it is that YOU enjoy, that makes you feel great and invigorated!

These ideas are just a starting point. But please believe that you need to take care of YOU, too. You can't buy a new car and not give it fuel and regular maintenance and expect it to keep running forever. Your body, mind, and spirit are the same way -- and yet, they are priceless. If you don't take care of them, you can't just go out and buy a replacement, like you can a car. So start taking care of YOU - I think that your family, business, and most of all you, will thank you for it.

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Julie Frost is the Owner of http://www.YourHomeBiz.com -- where they help people just like you find, start, grow and succeed in their own home-based business - through articles, advice, a free weekly newsletter, and more. Visit today: http://www.YourHomeBiz.com