Pros Use These 10 Self-Care Tips to Stay Balanced and Strong
Recharge and refocus with techniques that can help you reduce stress, build resilience and find work-life balance
Practicing self-care activities and techniques can help us live and work better. With our busy schedules, it can be challenging to find the time. But taking care of ourselves is essential. We spoke with 10 home design and remodeling professionals who told us the things they do to reduce stress, build resilience and improve work-life balance. Read the tenets these pros live by, then share in the Comments the self-care or personal development practices that have helped you at work and at home.
2. Don’t Squeeze Too Much Into Your Day
Making the most of each workday can help keep your business and projects running smoothly. And if you get enough done at the office, chances are you’ll be more present at home. But in the noble quest to ramp up productivity, it’s possible to lose sight of your goal and go overboard with an unreasonable number of tasks, resulting in some being unfinished or untouched. Instead, find ways to pace yourself with a reasonable amount of work to do each day.
“I have found that if I try to cram too much into one day or one week, things start falling through the cracks, so I am very intentional about pacing my schedule of commitments in a way that allows enough time for everything to be attended to carefully,” says Sarah Henley, principal designer at Henley Design.
Making the most of each workday can help keep your business and projects running smoothly. And if you get enough done at the office, chances are you’ll be more present at home. But in the noble quest to ramp up productivity, it’s possible to lose sight of your goal and go overboard with an unreasonable number of tasks, resulting in some being unfinished or untouched. Instead, find ways to pace yourself with a reasonable amount of work to do each day.
“I have found that if I try to cram too much into one day or one week, things start falling through the cracks, so I am very intentional about pacing my schedule of commitments in a way that allows enough time for everything to be attended to carefully,” says Sarah Henley, principal designer at Henley Design.
3. Try Meditation or Deep Breathing Exercises
Consider practicing meditation when you feel overwhelmed or make time for it daily to reduce stress, improve focus, lessen anxiety and find better balance. There are different types of meditation, so do some research to find the one that works best for you. And if you want something more straightforward, try deep breathing exercises when you need to calm your nerves.
Architecture firm ArchiPlicity makes it a point to set aside 10 to 15 minutes each day for meditation or other self-care activities. “It gives us a moment to pause and take a break,” says principal architect Jennifer Birnstiel.
Consider practicing meditation when you feel overwhelmed or make time for it daily to reduce stress, improve focus, lessen anxiety and find better balance. There are different types of meditation, so do some research to find the one that works best for you. And if you want something more straightforward, try deep breathing exercises when you need to calm your nerves.
Architecture firm ArchiPlicity makes it a point to set aside 10 to 15 minutes each day for meditation or other self-care activities. “It gives us a moment to pause and take a break,” says principal architect Jennifer Birnstiel.
4. Listen to Inspiring Music and Podcasts
Architect and partner Eugene Sakai of Studio S Squared Architecture listens to podcasts about personal and professional development to stay informed and inspired. Listening to uplifting music or your favorite tunes can help reduce stress and improve your mood.
Architect and partner Eugene Sakai of Studio S Squared Architecture listens to podcasts about personal and professional development to stay informed and inspired. Listening to uplifting music or your favorite tunes can help reduce stress and improve your mood.
5. Get Moving
Regular exercise is good for your overall health and can give you more energy, improve your memory, reduce pain and enhance your sleep. If your doctor allows, try to find a balance between low-impact exercises like walking, cycling or swimming and high-impact activities such as running, tennis or high-intensity interval training.
Interior architect Nicolette Bouw of NIBIO prioritizes exercise to help her find balance at work and home. “I work out three times a week online with a live instructor, which I think is the best invention ever,” she says.
Regular exercise is good for your overall health and can give you more energy, improve your memory, reduce pain and enhance your sleep. If your doctor allows, try to find a balance between low-impact exercises like walking, cycling or swimming and high-impact activities such as running, tennis or high-intensity interval training.
Interior architect Nicolette Bouw of NIBIO prioritizes exercise to help her find balance at work and home. “I work out three times a week online with a live instructor, which I think is the best invention ever,” she says.
Exercising in the morning can positively frame your day. “We try to start each day with a walk, exercise or yoga,” says Birnstiel of ArchiPlicity. “Beginning the day this way makes us feel productive and centered before we sit down at the desk and sets the mood for the day.” If you can’t swing it in the morning, try to fit some activity in at lunchtime or after work.
6. Leave Work at the Office
Working after hours or on weekends might seem like second nature to you, but if you can, find ways to do it less often or leave work at the office altogether. This can help you create clear boundaries between work and home and give you a better quality of life. “In addition to not working evenings or weekends, I travel every few weeks,” says Carl Wesley Lowery, president of Wesley-Wayne Interiors. If you must work around the clock, try to offset your time in the office with vacations or personal days.
President Aviad Goverman of So Cal Builders & Design tries not to deal with work over the weekend. He does his best not to respond to any phone calls, texts or emails after business hours unless there’s an emergency.
Houzz Pro software has robust tools that help streamline communication with clients. You can add timelines, daily logs and important files to your client dashboard. And you can easily schedule meetings and send messages through the app so clients are always up to date.
Working after hours or on weekends might seem like second nature to you, but if you can, find ways to do it less often or leave work at the office altogether. This can help you create clear boundaries between work and home and give you a better quality of life. “In addition to not working evenings or weekends, I travel every few weeks,” says Carl Wesley Lowery, president of Wesley-Wayne Interiors. If you must work around the clock, try to offset your time in the office with vacations or personal days.
President Aviad Goverman of So Cal Builders & Design tries not to deal with work over the weekend. He does his best not to respond to any phone calls, texts or emails after business hours unless there’s an emergency.
Houzz Pro software has robust tools that help streamline communication with clients. You can add timelines, daily logs and important files to your client dashboard. And you can easily schedule meetings and send messages through the app so clients are always up to date.
7. Take a Break From Your Devices
We’re all guilty of being too attached to our phones and devices and missing what’s right in front of us. Too much screen time can lead to chronic neck and back problems, sleep disturbances and mood issues. For these reasons, it’s important to take deliberate breaks from screens whenever possible. And while at work, be strategic with how you use your devices.
“I find that taking 15 minutes in the morning without being on my phone allows me to focus on my priorities for the day,” says Elizabeth Groat of Meadowlark Design + Build. “There is less mindless scrolling while having a cup of coffee, and not trying to tackle every little thing at once ensures my day is focused, intentional and with purpose.”
Pros Share How They Increase Productivity and Save Time Each Week
We’re all guilty of being too attached to our phones and devices and missing what’s right in front of us. Too much screen time can lead to chronic neck and back problems, sleep disturbances and mood issues. For these reasons, it’s important to take deliberate breaks from screens whenever possible. And while at work, be strategic with how you use your devices.
“I find that taking 15 minutes in the morning without being on my phone allows me to focus on my priorities for the day,” says Elizabeth Groat of Meadowlark Design + Build. “There is less mindless scrolling while having a cup of coffee, and not trying to tackle every little thing at once ensures my day is focused, intentional and with purpose.”
Pros Share How They Increase Productivity and Save Time Each Week
8. Connect With Others
Taking a moment each day to spend time with family, friends or pets can lift your spirits and help you through stressful periods. Introverts and extroverts alike can benefit from time spent with an old friend, dinner with the family or playtime with a pet.
Interior designer Dawn Cook plans group activities such as spa days, gift exchanges, speaker series and family picnics for her staff to boost morale and foster good relationships.
12 Ways Pros Can Promote Wellness Through Home Design
Taking a moment each day to spend time with family, friends or pets can lift your spirits and help you through stressful periods. Introverts and extroverts alike can benefit from time spent with an old friend, dinner with the family or playtime with a pet.
Interior designer Dawn Cook plans group activities such as spa days, gift exchanges, speaker series and family picnics for her staff to boost morale and foster good relationships.
12 Ways Pros Can Promote Wellness Through Home Design
9. Do Something You Enjoy Each Day
Between working at the office, visiting project sites and meeting with clients, it can be difficult to add leisure activities, hobbies or personal appointments into the mix. But if you don’t devote time to doing things that make you happy, you can easily find yourself unable to manage life’s stressors and burning out.
Whether it’s watching your favorite sports team, playing a quiet game of sudoku or eating something decadent, try to do something every day that will put a smile on your face. And if you’re overstimulated, take a pause to simply do nothing.
Dawn Cook Design encourages its staff members to take care of themselves so they can produce great work. “We always say this job is ‘when it needs to get done,’” Cook says. “We allow our team to take personal appointments as needed because we know they will be ready for client presentations and construction items when requested.”
Between working at the office, visiting project sites and meeting with clients, it can be difficult to add leisure activities, hobbies or personal appointments into the mix. But if you don’t devote time to doing things that make you happy, you can easily find yourself unable to manage life’s stressors and burning out.
Whether it’s watching your favorite sports team, playing a quiet game of sudoku or eating something decadent, try to do something every day that will put a smile on your face. And if you’re overstimulated, take a pause to simply do nothing.
Dawn Cook Design encourages its staff members to take care of themselves so they can produce great work. “We always say this job is ‘when it needs to get done,’” Cook says. “We allow our team to take personal appointments as needed because we know they will be ready for client presentations and construction items when requested.”
10. Set Clear Boundaries and Stick to Them
Creating and preserving boundaries at work and at home is important for your well-being. “Just as much as we set the boundaries with others, you also have to uphold the boundaries [for] yourself and know when it’s time for a reset,” says Gina Young, director of operations of Arete Renovators.
If you need help getting started, first take time to reflect on what your personal and professional needs are, then set one or two small boundaries and add more as necessary. Try your best to honor your nonnegotiables daily.
More for Pros on Houzz
Read more stories for pros
Learn about Houzz Pro software
Talk with your peers in the Pro-to-Pro discussions
Join the Houzz Trade Program
Creating and preserving boundaries at work and at home is important for your well-being. “Just as much as we set the boundaries with others, you also have to uphold the boundaries [for] yourself and know when it’s time for a reset,” says Gina Young, director of operations of Arete Renovators.
If you need help getting started, first take time to reflect on what your personal and professional needs are, then set one or two small boundaries and add more as necessary. Try your best to honor your nonnegotiables daily.
More for Pros on Houzz
Read more stories for pros
Learn about Houzz Pro software
Talk with your peers in the Pro-to-Pro discussions
Join the Houzz Trade Program
Rest and relaxation are important for well-being. They help us stay healthy and keep our minds alert and ready for the next project. Activities can be as simple as taking a nap, enjoying a cup of herbal tea, watching a favorite movie or starting an art project. Weekend getaways also can make a difference.
Andrew Patterson, president and founder of Patterson Custom Homes, built a second home for his family about four hours away from their primary residence so they could unwind and recharge on weekends.
“Finding a work-life balance when you are running a company can be incredibly challenging, but this second home has provided us a place to get away and spend quality time together on the weekends,” Patterson says. “It is far enough away that I can unplug but still close enough that I can finish out the workday on Friday, head up for the weekend and be back on Monday for the next week.”
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