“Your life is not only about work”: Mel Kettle on the role of self-care in your business
In this era of remote and hybrid work, the art of connection and communication has become more important than ever. Professional and personal burnout is an all-too-real issue for so many business owners. Joining Cec Busby, editor of Flying Solo, Mel Kettle shares her advice on how to communicate more effectively within your business.
Mel is the author of two books, The Social Association and Fully Connected, and boasts an impressive career as a mentor and internationally-recognised thought leader. Unsurprisingly, Mel’s tips demonstrate that clear and successful communication begins within yourself, influenced by the self-care we provide our bodies, minds and souls.
The secret to making great connections
Unfortunately, for anyone seeking a quick-fix solution to improving their communication ability, lasting improvement demands openness and self-awareness.
“It’s really difficult to make great connections with other people if you are not first connected to yourself,” Mel says. “If you don’t have a good level of self-awareness, it’s going to impact every relationship that you have”.
So how do we develop self-awareness? According to the communication guru, the first step is to do a thorough stocktake of your personal strengths, weaknesses and goals.
“Self-awareness is about understanding what’s important to you,” Mel says. “What do you value, what do you prioritise, and what are your strengths?”
Checking our anxieties at the door
One of the things that Mel acknowledges as a major consequence from the last few pandemic-ridden years, is that people are more exhausted, stressed and overwhelmed.
“It’s the uncertainty of not knowing what’s next that I think is causing so much stress, because as humans, we like certainty,” says Mel. “We like to have control over things in our lives, and when there’s uncertainty, you lose a lot of that sense of control and that leads to greater anxiety.”
Mel suggests that we each take the time to recognise what our individual triggers are that cause our anxieties, as this helps us to become conscious of situations that may negatively impact our state of mind. By understanding the way our bodies react to stress, we will be better able to notice when symptoms arise that aren’t associated with your regular state of being.
This recognition is especially imperative for small business owners, according to Mel. Entrepreneurs everywhere are contending with a never-ending demand on their time and attention. So, the communication expert says it is important to pay attention to signs that someone is on the verge of burnout.
“As small business owners, it’s really easy to just say, ‘I’ve got too much going on at work’ and to push self-care on the back burner,” Mel says.
By understanding our individual baseline of health, common indications of burnout and stress can become quite easy to recognise, meaning poor habits will not go unnoticed.
“When things are changing, or you can notice your behaviour changing in a way that isn’t normal for you, that’s often a sign that you are getting a little bit stressed and on the edge of overwhelm and burnout,” says Mel.
Listen to Mel Kettle on the Flying Solo podcast:
Enforcing healthy habits
If there’s one thing Mel is sure of, it’s that effective self-care looks strikingly different for everyone. Taking care of our bodies, minds and souls depends on a culmination of healthy habits, tailored to the individual.
“Your life is not only about work,” Mel insists. “You do have time to do things that you love that aren’t work-related.”
According to Mel, embracing non-work-related activities could be as simple as playing with the dog or having some time with your children or partner.
A common solution for burnout and stress is taking time to switch off, such as a day off or vacation. However, for most individuals carrying the sole financial and operational burden of their business, taking a spontaneous trip to Hawaii is just not feasible.
While it may not seem as relaxing as a five-star getaway on a tropical island, there are other ways to give yourself a break that are just as beneficial. Mel explains the importance of enforcing a sense of structure to your everyday routine. Something as simple as having a certain start and stop time for work, as well as scheduled breaks throughout the busy day, allow you to switch off and recharge.
“I know for a lot of business owners, their business brings them joy, but are there things that aren’t work-related that you can do every day that are just for you?” Mel asks. “Even if it’s five minutes with a cup of tea in the sun in the morning.”
Luckily, Mel says the most simple habit to begin enforcing in your day-to-day routine is one that requires little effort.
“We know from the Australian Sleep Association that the average Australian does not get enough sleep,” Mel says. “So, if you’re up for a challenge, have a look at how much time you’re in bed and if it’s under eight hours on average, see if you can go to bed an hour earlier in the evening.”
Mel shares more insights in her recently published book, Fully Connected, available now at most online retailers, or from her website, melkettle.com.
For more self-care tips and wisdom from Mel Kettle, listen to the full Flying Solo episode now.
Comments