The Introverted Business Owner: How to Take Care of Yourself and Maintain Your Energy

Research shows that introversion is actually a positive trait for leaders. Although introverts and extroverts can both make excellent bosses, managers, and business owners, there have been studies on introversion and leadership that show a higher rate of productivity in employees who had an introvert as a manager.

That said, no matter how much success you have, and no matter how much you love your work, you have to take care of yourself. So, what steps can you take?

Taking Care Of Yourself As A Business Owner

Here are some ways to take care of yourself, prioritize your mental health, and maintain your energy as an introverted business owner:

Collaborate with others.

Collaboration always has the potential to be an incredibly powerful tool.

As an introvert, you might find it helpful to collaborate with people who have different strengths. Maybe, you prefer to work behind the scenes and see employees one by one, but someone else on your team likes to be around groups of people, host events, and so on. They find that they get energy from it.

Of course, introverts can enjoy these things, and they can be great at doing these things, but if you don’t, there’s a solution. Finding someone who has opposite strengths to yours means that you’ll be able to help each other, whatever that means for you.

Establish work-life balance.

A work-life balance is vital for everyone, and modeling this for your employees is a very powerful thing to do.

Set boundaries in the workplace (for example, “I will only answer business emails during business hours on weekdays”) and cultivate a workplace environment that is healthy both for you and your employees.

Schedule your “me” time.

If you struggle to find the alone time that you need, it can be helpful to schedule it into your day.

If you’re an introvert, you might set aside time for walks outdoors, a creative project, the gym, or anything else that gives you the “me time” that you need and makes you feel centered and refreshed.

Use self-care.

Self-care is crucial for everyone.

It’s important to prioritize things like getting enough sleep, stress management, and making sure that you have time for the things you enjoy in life. Make it a habit to check in with yourself and ask if your physical, emotional, and social needs are being met.

Basic self-care such as personal hygiene, eating adequately, and sleeping enough, are foundational needs. It’s vital not to let them fall to the wayside.

Look where you’re putting your energy.

If you’re overwhelmed or exhausted, it’s time to make some changes. See if you’re extending energy when it’s not needed or if there are ways that you can get creative and navigate things differently if they are exhausting you.

Your business doesn’t have to function like every other business just because it’s what’s common or standard. Times are changing, and people are often excited to see workplaces that break the mold.

Take care of yourself and make sure that the life you’re living in and outside of the workplace is sustainable. If it isn’t, it might be time to modify something.

Additionally, remember that you don’t have to do it all on your own. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, are struggling with mental health, or simply aren’t feeling your best on an emotional or energetic level, support is out there.

Find Support

Above all else, one of the most important things to do is to ask for help when you need it.

Whether you’re struggling with work-related concerns, life stressors, interpersonal relationships, or something else that’s on your mind, seeing a therapist or counselor can help.

There are many ways to find a therapist. You can ask your doctor for a referral, contact your insurance provider to see who they cover, utilize an employee assistance program or other workplace resources, search the web, or use a website like Mind Diagnostics to locate a provider near you.

All that you have to do is type in your zip code, and you’ll see a range of providers who are licensed to practice in your area. You can see a therapist for remote sessions, or you can work with a provider face to face.

Regardless how you reach out, taking care of yourself is crucial, and making this step is something to be proud of, so don’t hesitate to get started.