Episode 174: Self Care For Pet Sitters Over the Holidays

Do you think it's impossible to maintain self-care for pet sitters over the Holidays? Tis' the season for a booming business, kids asking when Santa will come multiple times a day, family festivities and holiday cheer. Yet, you're stuck worrying about your business, keeping your head above the water and possibly planning for 2020. Don't let being an entrepreneur ruin your holiday spirit, instead tune in as I hand out some advice on how to maintain self-care for pet sitters over the Holidays! Biggest Takeaway You Don't Want To Miss As pet sitters, self-care is something that needs to be taken more seriously. The Holiday's are full of hustle and bustle but it's imperial that you remember you are the most important person in your business. Treat yourself as such. The best thing you can do is allow yourself time to relax and properly schedule block in your calendar events/times that you want to focus on self-care. Whether that's Reading a book Decorating the house Spending time with friends/family Getting a massage Whatever it may be, make yourself a priority this holiday season. Show Highlights Time for Family [1:00] Time for Yourself [5:15] Plan Ahead on Gifts [9:20] Decorate Your House [15:10] Remember Why You're in Business [16:25] Links Client gift ideas  Staff gift ideas  Where to get beautifully handwritten cards  Hiring Tips for Finding Staff During the Holidays Interested in where I get my shipping bags? Click the image below! Let's Connect! Did you enjoy the show? We would love it if you subscribed today and left us a 5-star review! Click this link – Bella In Your Business Click on the ‘Subscribe’ button below the artwork Go to the ‘Ratings and Reviews’ section Click on ‘Write a Review’' Transcript: This is episode 174 of Bella in Your Business. Hi there, I'm Bella Vasta from Jump Consulting. You might know me from CBS, NBC, Fox, Huffington Post, Entrepreneur, or maybe you've seen me speak on stage or read my book, The Four Dogs That Every Business Owner Needs. In any case, get ready because you're about to get your hashtag Bella Butt Kickin' in this next episode of Bella in Your Business. So what do you say? Let's get ready and jump. It's December, and my goodness, the business is popping. Your kids are excited and asking every single day, “Where is Santa Claus?” And you, my friend, are just fretting over keeping your business alive, figuring out what you should be doing for 2020—if you're even thinking that far—and just trying to keep your head above water so that you don't drown. What's going on, everybody? This is Bella Vasta, and today I'm going to talk to you all about your self-care for the holidays. I really hope to plant a few seeds in your brain and give you permission that it is okay to care about yourself. After all, many of you listeners are caretakers at heart, which is why we are in the field we are, but oftentimes we forget about ourselves. So today we're going to talk about taking time for your family, taking time for yourself, thinking ahead about gifts for everyone, decorating your house, and remembering that the reason you're in business is so that you do have this freedom. Let’s first talk about carving out time for your family. Maybe you want to carve out an hour for holiday activities once a week or look ahead on the calendar. Something I recently downloaded that I really love is called Facebook Local. It's a separate app that's basically the whole events section of Facebook. If you're like me, you always find out about events the day of, an hour before, or right after they happen. You see your friends posting about them and think, “My gosh, I am not that Pinterest mom or that crafty mom that plans ahead.” Whether or not you have kids, it's rare we actually look ahead for events and things that are coming up. My best tip is to download Facebook Local and look around at events in your area, then put them on your calendar. It doesn’t mean you have to go, but at least it’s in the back of your mind. When you open your calendar at the beginning of the week, you’ll remember, “Yeah, there was that Santa trap I really wanted to go on.” Another thing is to carve out a few dinners a week. If you have a family, do it with them. If you don’t, call up friends or relatives you haven’t seen for a while and say, “Hey, I know it's busy, but I really value our relationship. Want to grab dinner, lunch, or coffee on this day?” Making the effort goes a long way for relationship-building. If you have a spouse or significant other, plan date nights too. It doesn’t have to be fancy. One of my coaches, Trevinia Barber, shared that she and her husband would just go to the Hallmark store and read cards to each other—it was their bonding activity, simple and fun. You could also go for a stroll to see Christmas lights or go sledding if it snows where you are. Even in Arizona, where I live, you can drive a couple of hours north to find snow and go sledding—it’s worth the memories. Another great idea is baking cookies. Whether you’re good or bad at it, the process is festive and fun. Turn on holiday music and go for it. If you’re not a baker, go to YouTube and find a two-minute video tutorial—it’s easy! And if you’re on a diet, you can always package the cookies in tins from the dollar store and give them to clients or neighbors. You can spread joy and make memories. Now, let’s talk about taking time for yourself. I want to give you permission to spend time and money on yourself this month. No one else is going to take care of you except you. The holidays are also one of the toughest times of year for many people. It’s when more people experience loneliness or depression. If you’re feeling that way, please don’t go through it alone. Email me at [email protected], message me, or call me. Please know that you are not alone. Remember, social media only shows the best posed moment of someone’s day—it’s not real life. Take care of yourself by getting a massage. If you’re uncomfortable with a full-body massage, try reflexology. It’s a relaxing hand and foot massage that’s affordable and doesn’t require you to disrobe. If you have a little downtime between clients or a canceled appointment, Google “reflexology near me” and treat yourself. If you do, take a selfie and tag me—I’d love to see it! Another idea is to read a book or feed your mind. I personally prefer audiobooks on Audible because I can listen while cooking, driving, or waiting for my daughter after school. Find a way to pour into yourself and learn something new. Or grab a Groupon for an activity you wouldn’t normally try—something new and fun. Next, think ahead about gifts. My mother used to keep a shelf in her closet for gifts she’d find throughout the year—something on clearance she’d buy and stash for Christmas. You can do the same. For your clients or friends, plan early so it doesn’t become stressful. Make a list of who you want to give gifts to—personal and business. It doesn’t have to be expensive; even small, thoughtful gestures can make someone’s day. There’s a website called Punk Post that creates beautiful handwritten cards for just a few dollars. You pick the message and the card style, and they handle the rest—it’s such a cool, personal touch. Or check Etsy for personalized ornaments or gifts you can have made and mailed directly to clients or loved ones. Batch your efforts—buy or make multiple items at once. When I had Bella’s House & Pet Sitting, I loved going to HomeGoods and grabbing pet toys and treats under $5.99. I’d stock up, then divide them among clients for the holidays. It made gift-giving easy and affordable. If you’re mailing gifts, grab resealable poly mailer bags from Amazon—they’re cheap and make shipping fast and simple. Now, let’s talk about decorating your house. It’s never too early! I’m recording this November 20th, and my Christmas tree is already up. Plan time off. Plan your traditions. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Treat holiday time like an appointment with your most important client—yourself. Put the “big rocks” in first. Imagine filling a jar—you put in golf balls first (the big priorities), then smaller marbles, then sand. The big rocks—your family, your health, your rest—must come first. Everything else will fill in around them. We all have business goals, family responsibilities, and personal challenges. But in the middle of the holidays, it can feel like too much. You may want to hide until it’s over. But I encourage you to take a deep breath, put on some music that makes you happy, and remember—you have this business because you wanted freedom. Don’t let your business run you. Take that freedom; it’s yours for the taking. This has been another episode of Bella in Your Business, hopefully in your head and heart today too. I’d love to hear your feedback—email me at [email protected] and tell me what resonated or what you’ll take action on. I love knowing how these episodes impact you. Right now, I’m sitting alone in my office, talking into a microphone, hoping I’m making a difference. Remember—when life gets you down, always keep jumping, and don’t forget to subscribe. Bye now. So what did you think? Did you love this episode? I sure hope you did because I put a lot of love into this for you. The best way you can show me that is by going to iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or wherever you listen to your podcast and leaving a review. I just might read it on the next episode. I also want to remind you that when life gets you down, remember to always keep jumping. Thanks for listening.