Self-Care for Sleep Consultants
It’s no secret - entrepreneurship is hard (but rewarding). Sleep consultants work in one of life’s most important areas for both babies and parents - sleep! When you're building your business you may forget about yourself. Many new entrepreneurs, or people that have changed industries, feel they have to dive in and work 50+ hours a week. The hustle culture is becoming very ingrained in our society, especially with the rise of new working styles.
The Reality of Sleep Consulting
Let’s talk about how much time you need each week to devote to running your sleep consultancy business. As you are getting your business started, you might need to put in more hours than normal, there is not a set number of hours that makes you a successful entrepreneur.
As our founder, Rachel Mitchell says, “You can be a successful entrepreneur working 40 hours/week OR working 25 hours per week. It all depends on how effective you are with your time and how well you do at prioritizing your time. If you can successfully prioritize your time and focus on being productive with the time you have, you will start to see the fruits of your labor! And remember that your weeks are going to ebb and flow. Some weeks you will need to put in more hours and some weeks you can put in less, depending on what you have going on. Personally, my goal is to work no more than 35-40 hours per week between the hours of 8:30-3:30pm Mon-Fri and I am just as productive as I was when I worked 50 hours/week, I just learned how to better manage my time!”
Building a Profitable Business.
One of the most common questions we are asked before someone enrolls in Sweet Sleep Academy is when they can expect to make money as a sleep consultant. MOST businesses are not profitable in the first few years. Meaning their expenses match or surpass what they actually make. This is true in most industries, HOWEVER, the awesome thing about working as a sleep consultant is that there is typically very low overhead as you launch your business. The opportunity to become profitable after your first year can be managed through a few easy steps. Setting yourself up for success now is a huge step in your entrepreneurship self-care routine.
Business Self-Care
Business self-care might look like
Operating from home instead of an office to cut down on extra rent, utilities, and furnishing for a second space
Creating your own website with options like Squarespace or Wordpress Templates
Hiring a professional once you’re running
Using scheduling tools to manage your social media
Determining your identity and branding before you start so you have a clear vision
Creating SMART goals and taking the time to write an achievable business plan
Starting with accessible tools like Excel and Google Sheets or Google Docs until you can afford fancier software.
Giving yourself goals and tracking your income vs. expenses (profit/loss)
Personal Self-Care
While you’re getting your business started, it’s also important to focus on your physical and mental health. Here are a few of our favorite tips for embracing self-care as a sleep consultant:
Set an alarm on your phone that reminds you to periodically stand up, stretch, drink water, or open the window for some fresh air. This may seem basic but it’s often the simplest tasks that make the biggest difference!
Use tools that help you organize yourself. We love Trello and Google Business tools for keeping our team connected. When you can find all of your documents and tasks in one place, you’ll spend less time searching and have more time for bubble baths, baby snuggles, and other activities that make you happy.
Schedule me time and protect that space. Wake up and spend twenty minutes reading. Schedule an afternoon walk around the block to reset your mind. Don’t neglect that massage or pedicure.
Finally, don’t forget to work on your own sleep schedule! Yes, you need sleep as well. Implement the tools you’ve learned to help your clients. Stay away from late night snacks that disrupt your sleep, shut down your work station and walk away at a specific time, use soothing body products, and maybe invest in some black out shades for your own bedroom!
Even though self-care gets tossed around on social media and has become a bit of a buzz phrase, it’s for good reason. In order to maintain your energy and your passion for your business, you need to put energy and passion back into yourself. We love our work and helping tired mommas find the way for their baby’s to get sweeter sleep.
Do you have questions about Sweet Sleep Academy or what it’s like to be a sleep consultant? Don’t be scared to reach out, and don’t forget to follow us on Instagram!
Related articles:
Why I love being a sleep consultant
A day in the life of a sleep consultant
Three tips for a sleep consultant’s social media