KEEP YOU AND YOUR Business Healthy

by Sheri Heiney, President & CEO of the Prescott Chamber of Commerce

It’s believed that recruiting and keeping the best employees is the biggest challenge for a small business. However, the issue of owner burnout and leader retention is far riskier.

When you don’t take care of yourself, your business is at risk of becoming less profitable or worse. One in two small businesses fail within five years of opening, and research shows that burnout and exhaustion are contributing factors.

Personal wellness is becoming a priority for small-business owners. Our members say that balancing their own needs with those of their business was one of their biggest challenges.

One of our members said their health and the health of their business are not separate. Even if your business remains profitable in the midst of feeling like you’re running on empty, a constant level of stress and anxiety can have long-term health consequences. While threats to our health are inevitable, practicing self-care can help limit the risks to our business. Plus, practicing wellness actually promotes productivity. Self-care doesn’t have to mean adding more to your list. Simply swap out existing habits with new habits. To keep you and your business healthy, try introducing the five tips below into your regular routine.

1. CONNECT. Connect with other small-business owners and entrepreneurs to create a support team.

2. TAKE A CLASS. Invest in yourself with something that in the long run will help your day-to-day activity and will make you feel accomplished.

3. GET ACTIVE. Exercise improves your mental health and can prevent the symptoms of burnout.

4. REST. Proper rest can help with productivity and prevent burnout as well, along with the many other health benefits.

5. LAUGH! As a small-business owner, there will be moments when you’re unsure whether you should be laughing or crying. Laughter is a great form of stress relief.

It can feel strange at first to think about selfcare as a business goal, especially if it means allocating time away from tasks you normally associate with productivity. In the long-term you will find that your business thrives when you do.

For more information about the Prescott Chamber of Commerce, visit www.prescott.org or call 928.445.2000 or 1.800.266.7534, or stop by the Visitor Information Center, 117 W. Goodwin St.