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Finding time for self-care is hard enough with a regular nine-to-five job. If you’re spending your off-hours trying to launch a side business, achieving that elusive work-life balance is nearly impossible. But it’s also incredibly important! Fitting self-care into your busy routine is essential for maintaining your productivity, preventing burnout, and keeping yourself healthy — especially if you’re dealing with diabetes. Check out the following tips presented by Stem Cell Clinic for help making self-care a priority in your hectic life!

Streamline Your Side Hustle

Running a side hustle involves juggling several jobs at the same time. If you’re finding it too hard to do everything yourself, try putting some of your daily tasks on autopilot. Hire freelancers to take on tasks that are consuming too much of your available time. You can also leverage automation apps and online tools to streamline everything from accounting to email marketing. 

Online tools can help you through nearly any time-consuming or complicated business task. For example, if you want to register your business as an LLC, you can use an online formation service instead of paying steep lawyer fees or struggling through the process on your own. For the most cost-effective solution, look for an affordable LegalZoom competitor like ZenBusiness.

Stick to a Schedule

A daily schedule is a blueprint for an efficient life. Knowing exactly what you’ll be doing throughout the day will help you stay motivated, avoid procrastination traps, and make time for important health-related habits. Without a daily schedule, it’s easy to run out of time for things like healthy eating and exercise. 

Build an effective schedule by starting your day with the most demanding, important work. This is known as “eating the frog”. After this, The ONE Thing recommends mapping out your day around your energy levels. If you have the most energy in the early afternoon, dedicate this time to exercise! 

Eliminate Distractions and Time Wasters

Checking social media here and there might not seem that bad, but all those minutes can amount to hours of lost time by the end of the week. The same goes for email, phone calls, and household distractions. Any time spent on non-essential tasks is time you could have used to work out, cook a healthy meal, or get more sleep!

Go to Bed at the Same Time Every Night

When you’re dealing with a health issue like diabetes, getting enough sleep is paramount. Unfortunately, side hustles are notorious for stealing our shut-eye. Going to bed at the same time every night can help you sleep more efficiently so that you can get the rest you need without sacrificing your available work hours. The more consistent you are with your sleeping habits, the easier it will be to fall asleep!

Optimize Your Health Routine

You can optimize other health habits in a similar way. Whether it’s healthy eating or exercise, look for ways to get the best results in the shortest amount of time. If you have 20 minutes to exercise, a full bodyweight workout will offer better results than training a single muscle group. Use the weekends to meal prep healthy lunches and dinners. Keep your fridge stocked with healthy snacks that are ready to grab and eat, like veggie sticks, hard-boiled eggs, and hummus. Consider taking your laptop outside once in a while to enjoy the stress-busting benefits of nature. Fitting self-care into a busy schedule is all about optimizing your use of available time!

Sacrificing some of your relaxation time is necessary if you want to build a thriving business. But self-care is important too! If you find yourself struggling to fit self-care into your schedule, it may be time to ease off the work for a bit. Your side project requires a lot of your energy and attention, but your health comes first!