Brand Matters: The Value of Self-Care

It’s hard to take care of others if you aren’t taking care of yourself. As a business owner, it’s important to practice self-care in your own life to encourage your employees and clients to follow suit. Implementing self-care and positive lifestyle changes can lead to improved productivity in the office and support improved mental health overall. It can be tempting to sweep healthy habits to the side when things get busy, but making time for yourself will pay off in the long run.

Self-care will enable you to be the best version of yourself for the people in your life and will empower your employees, prospects, and clients to do the same, In this blog post, we’ll cover….

1. Why is Self-Care Important?
2. Examples of Self-Care in the Workplace
3. What Does Self-Care Look Like?

Why is Self-Care

Think about the world we live in today. Over the last few years, we’ve experienced a global pandemic, political tensions, skyrocketing inflation, and an out-of-control housing market that have left many of us with an overwhelming sense of stress. If you don’t take some time to evaluate your own needs and take care of yourself, it’s easy to spiral and lose motivation in both your personal and professional life.

Your employees and clients already have so much going on in their own lives, the last thing they need is for work to be another stressor. 70% of adults who said stress interferes with their work also reported that workplace stress affects their personal relationships, mainly with their spouses. In fact, 25% of people in a recent National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health survey said they view their jobs as the number one stressor in their lives. 

With those stats in mind, it’s important to practice self-care as a form of relief from work. A Vagaro survey found that Americans cited experiencing benefits such as: enhanced self-confidence (64%), increased productivity (67%), and happiness (71%) when prioritizing self-care. It also results in physical health benefits like a reduction in the chances of developing heart disease, stroke, and cancer. On the flip side, not engaging in self-care can result in burnout, depression, anxiety, resentment and worse. 

Culture Shock

Toxic workplaces abound in corporate North America. Nearly everyone has a story about a terrible boss or a job where they felt undervalued and underappreciated. So when someone walks into a position where they are treated well and appreciated, it creates something of a culture shock.

As an employer, your goal should be to take all the stereotypes of negative workplaces with consequently disgruntled employees and replace them with productive and positive approaches that make for a pleasant work experience for all involved. One of the best ways to do this is to constantly show appreciation for your employees, prospects, and clients.

On a macro level, this can mean annual, quarterly, monthly, or weekly awards to call out exemplary performance. Trophies, medals, gifts, or gift cards can make employees and clients feel valued while also incentivizing other employees and clients to strive to do better so that they, too, can win awards and be recognized.

But on a micro level, creating this type of affirming culture takes even less work. It takes so little effort to reach out to someone and thank them for their hard work. They don’t have to hit some landmark achievement or have the next big idea that revolutionizes the industry to get a simple thank you. And beyond the human decency aspect of making them feel good, employees feeling appreciated is good for business. According to a recent survey, more than half of employees admit they would stay longer at their company if they felt more appreciation from their boss.

Don’t overlook the countless possibilities to extend beneficial self-care to your clients! They represent a valuable part of your process and can benefit from a self-care routine as well.  Initiatives like randomly sending self-care promotional items and notes to clients letting them know you are thinking of them can go a long way. Encourage self-care for your clients to show them you value their partnership and compassion, they are more inclined to put forth a full effort for the company and do the best job possible at work.

What Does Self-Care Look Like?

Self-care can look different from person to person. For one person, it may be a trip to the spa, for someone else it could be a day on the golf course, or taking an evening to catch up on their favorite tv show. In many instances, promotional products can even contribute to self-care. Lotions, massagers, and robes can all provide the at-home spa feel that may be just what they need to feel refreshed and ready to tackle the week. Products like yoga mats and push-up grips can encourage physical fitness, another important component of self-care routines. Travel items like bags and portable speakers can even encourage your employees and clients to take that much-needed weekend getaway.