Words: Naomi Mdudu
Original Article
What would you say your ideal weekday morning looks like? No seriously, stop and really think about it for a minute. For me, it would consist of waking up naturally, without an alarm (a major feat in my book), feeling rested and pumped for the day. I’d actually make it in time for the 6.30am spin class at Mortimer Street with enough time afterwards to soak up a steaming hot shower, walk to work smoothie in hand, and prepare for the day with time to spare before the phone starts ringing.
In all honesty, mornings like that are a dime a dozen in my world. We all experience a few of those Insta Stories-worthy mornings from time to time, and when we do, they’re magical. But they often show up in monthly spurts before old habits sneak back into our schedules or when life just gets in the way.
Just shy of three years ago, I quit my prestigious newspaper job and embarked on this exciting (read: daunting) ride of entrepreneurship. It inspires me, it challenges, it gets me pumped in a way no job or role has ever done before. But it also has the ability to leave me feel overwhelmed, depleted and petrified, and often, all in the same day. Today, I run three businesses, which span over multiple revenue streams with teams of freelancers and staff whose livelihoods I’m responsible for. No matter how jazzy movies and Netflix series make entrepreneurship sound, it’s hard. Rewarding? 100%. But hard nonetheless.
As creative entrepreneurs, many of us are lucky to have businesses that allow us to earn a living doing what we love, but that often makes it difficult to set clear boundaries and make time for anything else. Not to mention the fact that, for many of us, so much of our self-worth is wrapped up in our productivity and ability to get stuff done.
For better or worse, our culture is obsessed with achievement and striving for the next milestone along our baths to success and it’s addictive. But that’s where self-care comes in. What I’ve come to learn is that self-care is deeper than just taking a bath or a night off. For many of us, it’s the difference between burning out and creating sustainable businesses we love.
Spinning has been my saviour. As dramatic as it sounds, riding is the one place I escape from constantly having multiple tabs open in mind at once. In a class, it’s just me, the bike and the music. It’s one of the few things in my routine that truly feels for ‘me’. And even on those days where I have to drag myself to go, I leave bouncing off the walls, like the world is my oyster.
I know first-hand that when you’re busy, self-care feels like a luxury. It’s hard to justify taking an hour out of your day to exercise when you’re in the thick of it. In those moments, remember that when you’re overworked, unproductivity has already sunk in. Your body is tired. Your mind is tired. Yet, you’re forcing them to function. Productivity isn’t about being busy. It’s about getting things done and nothing creates lacklustre work like trying to force it. When we exercise, we re-energise ourselves so whether you’re in the middle of a big launch, have a deadline tomorrow or a big pitch you’re work on, slow down. Take better care of yourself, manage your time with intention and schedule classes that boost you.
If you struggle keeping your routine, hold yourself accountable by keeping these words from Tracee Ellis Ross in mind:
“Wisdom means to choose now what will make sense later. I am learning every day to allow the space between where I am and where I want to be, to inspire me and not terrify me.”
What good is meeting our goals if we’re dry, tired and empty when we get there?