.and realistic tips to incorporate it in your daily life.
So you started your business with an amazing idea that you were passionate about, knowing that if you did something you loved, you would never work another day in your life.
Or perhaps you were done having someone else dictate your time, your earning potential and your overall worth, based on how well they thought you performed.
Maybe you’re a mom and needed to do something that was just for you, to find your own self purpose outside of motherhood. Something that encompasses who you are as a WHOLE woman.
A passion project away from your children, the never ending house work and tasks that keep you in a mundane cycle of constantly being the doer and giver for everyone else, except yourself…
So you take a leap, a big one, and believe in yourself enough to start this thing that ignites your soul with an abundance of passion. A feeling of fulfillment .
Whatever the reason, you started your business and gave it your all!
Fast forward several months and you realize you swapped your 9-5 for a 24/7, and doing that thing you love for ‘work’ makes up very little of your time… and you realize that a majority of your time is committed to RUNNING your business.
Now if you are lucky, running your business is ALSO your passion.. if that is you, I think you are AMAZING!
For me though, my passion is in the connection created and nurtured with my clients and creating beautiful artwork for them… everything else, I’d like to toss, ha!
Either way, as the very engine of your business, you must prioritize yourself and invest in your self care. This is non-negotiable if you want to continue to have a business that flourishes and avoid the dreaded burnout that we’ve all felt at some point in our lives.
After 3 years of running my own business, which I can proudly say I built from the ground up, I have a few tips to help with that.
Wherever you are in your entrepreneurial journey, I hope you find these tips helpful!
— Be honest with yourself about your social media use and stay off your screen as much as possible.
If, like me, social media is a big part of your marketing strategy, it can be hard to draw the line between being on your socials for work and mindlessly consuming to unwind. I had a really hard time with this myself so I took a few tips from social media manager (Jenna Warriner) and guru mindset coach (Mel Robbins), plus used timers to help me balance my work vs pleasure usage online.
When it comes to work, Jenna says to batch create all your content (she does hers in 2 hours per week, mine is more like 6 hours every Monday… so find what works for you) and schedule your posts on all your platforms.
Create 3-5 reels and 5 static posts (can use carousels) per week, then spend 15 minutes every morning and an additional 15 minutes a day interacting and responding to DM’s. Engagement is key here.
I like this format a lot, and I have much more time to move on to other tasks following this strategy!
But, I was surprised when I realized I still spent a ton of time on social media CONSUMING content, unconsciously and unknowingly this had an affect on my mental health.
So, per Mel Robbins, I CURATED my social media so the stuff I was consuming isn’t toxic or harmful to my mental health.
I’d suggest you break up with any accounts that make you feel like shit about yourself or trigger you in any way, and instead, follow people who add positive vibes in your feed, and your life!
A few of my fave accounts to follow are @melrobins @abrahamhicksproductions @jayshetty @cathyheller @goodnewsmovement plus my closest friends and family.
Lastly, set limits on your social media consumption – you can do this from your settings on your phone, or just set yourself a timer. I have mine set to 1 hour per day.
— Celebrate the wins in your business in a meaningful way. Big wins, or little ones… celebrating small victories are just as meaningful. These are self validating celebrations, to allow yourself the space to acknowledge your success… to exhale and think, “I once wanted so badly what I have right now… it’s all happening.”
Much too often we have a win in our business, spend 5 mins feeling amazing, then move on to the next goal or next 50 things on your to do list.
While it is crucial we keep our eye on each goal, it is just as crucial to spend more than 5 mins celebrating your achievements.
I have a friend who buys herself a Cartier LOVE bracelet for every year in business that she exceeds her goal(s)- and she now has an arm full of them!
I like to treat myself and my family to something extra special, as I’m someone who loves to collect and share experiences. I remember my first 5 figure month.. I took my entire family (parents, brother’s fam, my hubs and all the kids) to a fabulous brunch at the Hotel Georgia. It was the first time in my adult life ever treating everyone to a meal, and I felt really proud that I was able to do so.
I celebrated my first 6 figures surprising my hubby, kids and in-laws to a musical that I knew we would all love, and we still play all the songs in the car! (if you get a chance to watch “& Juliette” I highly recommend it).
So treat yourself to something amazing to celebrate those milestones – you deserve it!
— Connect with your tribe.
I belong to a global group of professional boudoir photographers and have become close with a few handful of them.
Not only have these connections leveled up my business, but they allow me to have access to other women who run successful boudoir photography studios and created a bond that we really cherish.
I also have a dear friend who is in a completely different industry than me that started her company around the same time as I did. We have Saturday early morning walks together around the seawall and while our industries are very different, being a woman in business has more similarities than differences. Many of the things she struggles with are also things I struggle with and having that weekly power walk to chat is so good for our mental health.
— Invest in yourself, just like you would your business.
There’s no doubt you need to spend money to take your business to the next level of profitability and the same goes for yourself.
But many times it isn’t the money we have a hard time spending on ourselves, it’s the TIME that we don’t take, that keeps us from leveling up.
We are the very engines of our business and we need to take care of ourselves if we ever hope to reach our full potential- in business and in life!
In my Vancouver boudoir studio I see many women in business and the majority will bring their laptops in with them to answer emails while having their hair and makeup done… and honestly, I GET IT! Our to-do list is long and our time is short. BUT, It is not enough to just take yourself to the spa, a weekend getaway, or the boudoir studio if you are only half there.
You must also Indulge in the very experience you are investing in – this means detaching from your to do list so that you can actually take in all aspects of the experience. And when you do, you can expect your return on that investment to breathe more life into you and your business.
— Lastly, honour who you are at your core, and abide by your own rules in your business.
There are many ways to run a successful business and what works for some may not feel genuine or authentic to you.
As women we tend to be people pleasers and this can leave us feeling like we can’t say no, or that we have to be liked and friends with the people we manage.
This can lead to us bending our own rules and getting angry with ourselves when we do. Remember that you can lead with kindness, and still say no. You can care about your staff and still have that hard talk with them about their performance. Put policies in place and abide by them to let people know where you stand, and remember NO is a whole sentence.
In a nutshell, these 5 tips to self care are
- Be honest with yourself about your social media use and stay off your screen as much as possible.
- Celebrate the wins in your business in a meaningful way.
- Connect with your tribe.
- Invest in yourself, just like you would your business.
- Honour who you are at your core, and abide by your own rules.
Is there anything you would like to add to this list? Send me a DM or an email, I love connecting with other female entrepreneurs!
You can find me @tinashootsboudoir across all social media platforms and via email at hello@Tinashootsboudoir.com.
Lastly, If you would like to indulge in some self care AND your divine feminine magic at the same time, while we create beautiful artwork together featuring the one and only, YOU, I would love to have you in my Vancouver Boudoir Studio! www.tinashootsboudoir.com
-Tina Aquila Posterano
Tina Aquila Posteraro
Tina is an award winning Boudoir photographer located in Vancouver, BC. Her luxury studio, Tina Shoots Boudoir, aka TSB, has empowered 100’s of women through the art of boudoir photography. Her goal is to show every woman how beautiful they are, exactly as they are, at every age, stage and size. You can find her on TikTok and Instagram @tinashootsboudoir , via email hello@tinashootsboudoir.com and on the web; www.tinashootsboudoir.com
