Health

Good morning, entrepreneur! Time to put on your slippers, robe and kick up your feet while you watch daytime television, right? Hardly. Most of us find the opposite to be true. Waking up and working all day and through the night with little time for ourselves or a break. With limitless options in front of you, it’s even more important to take control of your time and structure your day. Being a stress-mess at the end of the week with no time with loved ones or friends is not the life you’ve set out to create for yourself. Personal experience has taught me a few things about self-care and how to start the day as an entrepreneur.

Your health is your most important possession

As Jenn stated in an earlier post, “…good health is something we value to keep it top of mind everyday”. Poor sleep, eating a less-than-stellar diet or skipping out on your workouts can drain your energy reserves. When you feel energized, you’re more productive, thinking clearly and motivated to do all you have to do in day. Create reminders to get up, stretch or take a mid-day break on your calendar or find an app that keeps you on track with your health and wellness. Take care of your body and mind by creating time in your day for essential self-care practices.

Begin the day with an activity you love

Part of being an entrepreneur is the joy of creating life on your own terms. Starting the day by checking your email within 30 seconds of waking (okay, 5 minutes might be a little more realistic) creates a tone for the day of “work, work, work”. Yes, work is important, but you could also spend the first hour of the day engaging in writing, painting, going for a walk, cooking a breakfast, sipping on tea, meditating or any other activities that don’t put you online and in work mode within moments of waking. Ease your way into your day and create and agenda that reflects a healthy balance.

Prioritize your tasks

This may seem like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised how often we open our email and become sidetracked. Hours later, we wonder where the day went. Guilty as charged here! I’ve had to learn to ignore my inbox, opening it at intervals throughout the day instead being vigilant and immediately responding to incoming emails. We need at least 15 minutes find a  focused zone when working on a project. Responding to emails, checking Facebook or Twitter take you out of your zone. End or start your day by creating a list of the high-priority items and tackle those first. If you need tools to help you stay focused, this is a great round up of tools to keep you attuned to and focused on your priorities.

Stop multitasking – immediately

When you worked in the corporate or office environment, multitasking was a valued trait. You know – the employee that can take calls, send emails, finish tomorrow’s report and sip away from their coffee cup simultaneously. Unlearning all those behaviors when you have your own business will benefit you. Renowned strategic advisor Peter Bregman says multitasking creates the illusion of productivity. “It’s very easy to multitask and jump from one thing to another without completing anything – that leaves us busy all day but unaccomplished.” He recommends finishing one thing at a time, giving the appropriate attention to detail and taking breaks as needed until a project is completed.

These are just a sampling of ways to find balance and a sense of achievement in your day as an entrepreneur. I’d love to hear from each of you. What are your tips and strategies for managing time, priorities and balancing work and life?

Erin Haslag, board-certified wellness coach and lifestyle consultant, can be found at WELL in L.A. where she shares simple, integrated ways to add more WELLness to your day. Follow along on Twitter @WELLinLA. 

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While I know there are more pressing items to be sharing (Gen Y Capital Partners and the White House Student Relief headlines, our online meeting information, etc.), I had to do a quick writeup on this article, published today on ForbesWoman by Meg Casserly (fantastic writer),titled “Why I Won’t Date An Entrepreneur: A New Series.”

In the article Meg reviews her experience in dating men who have startups, which I’m not sure to laugh about or be concerned by, but at a certain level I can definitely relate to it. While I’m not dating, I do have a baby, my darling husband, and a business that I am personally juggling. I know that many of you have mentioned in the past that you have dismissed dating to focus on growing your companies (see “Calling on My Single Ladies”, “Single Lady Laura”, and “Who are You”). So what is Casserly going to do about our juggling act?

Rather than complain, or simply swear off, the Chris, Dave and Bryans that New York is crawling with, I’d like to make a difference. From my perch as an observer (and a more-than-curious reporter with experts on speed-dial), and with a few guest-posts, I’ll tackle the reality of the struggle to reconcile a personal life–whether it’s dating, relationships, family or babies—with the staggering commitment of building a business [...]

I don’t think juggling is exclusive to those who are starting and growing companies, but as a community of YFEs, it is something we have in common. Will anyone else be reading the Forbes Woman series?

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Editor’s Note: Jennifer Jordan is a ‘certified health nut, professional body sculptor & ambassador of the Superfood Flexi-Raw lifestyle’ as her Twitter bio reads. She is a wealth of information when it comes to being our healthiest and happiest self, your personal cheerleader, and a woman that has already accomplished so much. I am so thankful that she has contributed to our community. I hope you enjoy her message.

I look forward to Friday, but not for the typical reasons. For me, the day serves as a blissful reminder that I am living my truth as an entrepreneur and on the right path. Why Friday, you ask? It hit me about 6 months ago: I realized that I no longer had the need to shout out America’s favorite acronym, TGIF. I love what I do, and long gone are the days of counting down to weekend freedom. With seven years of entrepreneur experience under my belt, I can honestly say that it’s only in recent months that I’ve been engaged in my work without struggle. I know that this shift is the result of one crucial element: Positive Energy.

Now before I lose you to your Twitter newsfeed, know this: I’m not going to break out healing crystals or start chanting passages from The Secret. Truth be told, I can’t say or do anything that will shift your energy into the positive, not even Oprah can do that. It all comes down to personal choice, and today I’d like to share with you the three choices I’ve made in order to keep my positive energy intact, and my business on the move.

Manifestation Needs Your Help
Manifestation is incredibly powerful, but there is a lot of fluff surrounding the practice of envisioning your way to success. You can’t just shout out your list of demands to the Universe and expect to see them come to fruition. I’d be Mrs. Johnny Depp by now if that were true. Envision your goal, plant the seed, and then be positive and learn everything you can from your current circumstance. You wouldn’t believe how many mirror-flexing, protein-pumping meatheads I had to work under before I started my company. Be positive, learn patience, and laugh often.

Let Go
Entrepreneurship should come with a handbook and a helmet. It’s impossible to anticipate all of the bumps in the road, but in hindsight… aren’t we always grateful for them? Sometimes letting go of what you really want is an important step for your positive energy. I’ve experienced this many times: When absolutely necessary, the Universe will deny you of what you want, so that it can direct you to what you need. Let go, and remain positive that you’re right where you’re supposed to be.

Form a Positive Posse
Your inner circle provides direct input and subliminal messages that have a significant impact on the course your life will take. Never underestimate the influence your posse has over your energy and long-term goals. This is definitely one of those ‘shoulda, coulda, woulda’ aspects from my own career. In the past year I have gone out of my way to eliminate energy vampires and to form powerful professional relationships with women who share my ambitions. Having a positive posse in my corner has not only improved my business, but it has also improved my relationship with those close to me who are less than supportive. Grandpa will never care to understand why you twitpic, but that won’t get under your skin if you’re receiving support elsewhere. Stay positive and surround yourself with like-minded positive peeps.

If all else fails and you find yourself slipping into Eeyore mode, reflect for a few moments on why you started this journey in the first place. Why did you choose to follow your passions over punching a clock? Ground yourself in your purpose, take a deep breath, and hit ctrl + alt + del on your energy. Every minute, every task, and every flip of our laptop provides a new opportunity to reboot and choose the direction of our day. (Hint: Choose positive energy!) ☺

IMG COURTESY lululemon athletica

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Inc Magazine recently ran a series on track suggestions for business owners depending on the scenario you are faced with. The piece was written by an ex-staff writer at the Rolling Stones and includes everything from “Music to Play on a Long Flight to China” to “What You Want to Hear After Bringing in a Million Dollar Account.” In between suggestions like “Let’s Go Crazy” by Prince he mixes in a few suggestions from CEOs.

As the writer, Matt Hendrickson, points out–

“But while technology has radically changed, one thing has remained constant: Music in the workplace equals happy time.”

So, what is the soundtrack to your happy time while working in and on your business?

Time to share!
What is on your iPod? What are you streaming on Spotify or Rdio? What channel do you listen to the most on Pandora? Or… is music not a part of your day? Comment below.

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Editor’s Note: Please pop over to Dana Rindal’s Twitter/Facebook to thank her for this informative blog post.

Healthcare; expensive, confusing, cutting edge, essential, political and did I mention THE hot topic right now? The USA has said “I do” to Obamacare, so what might this union look like? How will it affect you from a small business perspective?

RULES OF THE ROAD- The Laws You Should Pay Attention to as a Small Business Owner

As a small business, you will be affected and it’s time to understand just exactly what you can do to prepare for healthcare reform and strategize growth. First, let’s look at the 4 ways reform will directly impact your business.

1. SMALL BUSINESS TAX CREDIT QUALIFICATION- This tax credit means more money in your pocket, especially if you were already paying for health insurance for your employees. It’s the government’s way of “strongly encouraging” small businesses to purchase health insurance for their employees while reducing the burden of the cost. This is perhaps the best news about healthcare reform for small businesses, but in order to qualify, you have to meet some requirements. If you pay more than 50% of your employees health benefits, have less than 26 employees, and pay annual wages of less than $50k, your business can claim a tax credit up to 35% of the cost of premiums from 2010 to 2013 tax year. By 2014, the credit will go up to 50% if you buy insurance from the SHOP Exchange (definition below), and can be used for 2 consecutive years after that.
2. EXEMPT FROM PAYING INSURANCE FOR ALL EMPLOYEES- If you have fewer than 50 employees, you are exempt from being required to pay for health insurance for your employees or be forced to pay a $2000 fine per employee. (If you have over 50 employees, be prepared to pay for their insurance or pay the fine). (Note: You will be required to purchase your own insurance).
3. SHOP EXCHANGE- In 2014, your business will be able to purchase insurance from the SHOP Exchange (Small Business Health Options Program). SHOP will essentially pool resources to decrease insurance premiums for small businesses. The good news for you? You should be able to find more competitive rates for health insurance plans that typically have only been offered to large corporations in the past. (Note: The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office predicts that small-group premiums will fall 1 to 4% thanks to the exchanges, but premiums are expected to rise considerably before they fall)
4. PREEXISITNG CONDITIONS- If you or your employees had any preexisting conditions that previously left you without insurance as a small business owner, insurance companies will no longer be able to not give you coverage because of your past conditions.

YOUR ACTION STEPS?
If you are a self employed entrepreneur or have under 25 employees, there are a few things for you to consider.

1. Incorporate. You are not eligible for most of the benefits of reform if you are not incorporated.
2. Budget. You, personally, will be required to get healthcare insurance if we do not see a change in legislation. Be prepared to at least get insurance for yourself, and potentially your employees.
3. Don’t Miss Out on Tax Benefits. If you do decide to get insurance for your employees, take advantage of the tax advantage being offered by the government. Take it and run. These freebees don’t happen often.
4. Work with Your Investors. If you have investors or are seeking venture capital for your business, understand that the tax rate will increase 3.8% in 2013 on all unearned income. Potential investors are likely to want a higher return on their investment as the government has just announced that they are taking more of their profit.
5. Strategize Growth. Unfortunately, healthcare reform and a few other laws are making small businesses think twice about their growth and the number of employees they hire. For example, at 20 employees Cobra regulations kick in, and at 50 employees the Federal Leave Family Act applies. Furthermore, when a company employs 26 individuals, they lose the healthcare tax credit that was mentioned above, and at 50 employees, employers are required to buy health insurance or pay a fine. At the end of the day, the larger your company becomes the more expensive it is to comply with Federal Regulations. What will this mean for your businesses and dreams for your business growth?

Healthcare reform is complicated and some would say that we are still in the “honeymoon stage”. It is our hope that reform will bring happiness and prosperity to the United States both in sickness and in health. However, as a small business, it’s important to plan ahead and be prepared to not only take advantage of some of the credits being offered, but also prepare for increased costs.

Dana Rindal, CPA, MBA and her husband own InHealth, an integrated clinic that offers complementary care that includes Seattle chiropractic, acupuncture, and massage therapy. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact her at Dana@InhealthSeattle.com or read more at www.InHealthSeattle.com. (Twitter- InHealthPLLC/ Facebook- InHealthSeattle)

Image Courtesy House GOP Leader

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