Self-Care for Boutique Owners

We understand the fear and uncertainty you’re feeling right now during this pandemic. On top of that, being a business owner can be pretty stressful at times on its own. If you feel like you’re putting a brave face on every day, but panicking on the inside, we feel you — and we don't want you to get to that point. Self-care is important to maintain a healthy relationship with yourself and not over do it … you need time to recharge! Especially with everything going on in the world, it’s important to find your balance and take the time for yourself that you need. Here are six self-care tips to help you relax, unwind and recharge. 

Schedule “Me” Time 

Your “Me” time is all about you, so it can look however you want it to, and last however long you need it to. What is your de-stress go-to? Take an hour to sit outside and read a book, take the night off to watch a good movie, take a lunch break to make a healthy meal and drink a cup of tea, take a midday cuddle sesh with your pet … whatever helps you! Make sure you’re scheduling some “Me” time at least once a day. There’s a lot of ways you can do this, and even if it’s only for about 15 minutes, it can do wonders. 

Prioritize What Matters 

Rethink social distancing as more of physical distancing. You can still be as social as you’d like! Especially during these difficult times, reaching out to your friends and family is extremely important because everyone is in this thing together. Whether it’s virtual wine time with the girls one night, a FaceTime coffee date with your mom in the morning, a digital beer tasting with your dad at dinner, or even a Zoom happy hour with your co-workers. The loved ones in your life matter, and this pandemic can’t change that. Spending some quality (virtual) time with your people is a great way to take a step back and get your mind off things. 

Take A Break From Tech 

You want to be consuming news in moderation. With everyone in quarantine these days, social media usage is at an all-time high. While social media and staying up to date on everything is important, it can also be a huge addition to our stress levels. Once you are informed, turn off the news and put down your phone. Read a book, write in a journal, take up painting or crafting, and take a break from scrolling. Social media scrolling can often turn into a trap, mindlessly scrolling and consuming too much news all at once. Your mental health will benefit from a few hours off of your phone. 

Decrease Stress With Exercise 

Whether you’re a gym-person or not, any form of exercise is a great way to take a break and get your body moving. Whether it’s an at-home workout, a walk around your neighborhood, a yoga tutorial, or even just getting up to stretch every few hours. In times like these, your body is not getting as much activity as it used to, whether you were actively working out or not. Taking a brisk walk outside in the fresh air once every day can help you relax, boost your mood, and help you in managing your stress levels. If you’re looking for a good at-home workout, you can find a ton of great workouts on Instagram or Pinterest. Especially right now, a lot of fitness pages and apps are offering their services for free during quarantine. We also recommend taking a look at the app Downdog for Yoga tutorials of all levels. 

Eat Well, Sleep Well 

Being at home all day every day makes it an easy time to binge those leftover Girl Scout cookies (or does anyone actually have any left over?) but eating a well-rounded diet right now will help you feel better both physically and mentally. If you find some extra time in your day, this is also a perfect time to start experimenting with those Pinterest recipes you’ve saved but never got around to making. And of course, do not forget to drink your water! Eating well also goes hand-in-hand with sleeping well. Sleep is one of the first things we sacrifice when we're under stress — but it's also one of the most important things to make sure we prioritize to keep our mind sharp and our emotions as level as possible.

Embrace Positivity 

Unfortunately we’re in a time where there is a lot of negativity surrounding us, but there is just as much positivity when we look for it. Take a moment to tell yourself, “This is temporary.” Even though it feels like we're in limbo, it will not go on forever. Remind yourself that you will adjust, you will heal, and we will recover. It might even help to go one-step further and make a list of everything you’re grateful for right now. That can really shine a light on all of the positivity that is truly all around you. Be sure to embrace positive distractions as well, which are mentioned in the five tips above: having some “me” time, learning something new, connecting with your loved ones, cooking, reading, binging a Netflix show… whatever it is that makes you feel better about the situation. 

No matter how it may feel, this is temporary, and we will get through this together. Brighter days are ahead. 

“You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them,” — Maya Angelou