Let’s be honest, as an SME owner, you’re probably brilliant at looking after your business but not quite so good at looking after yourself. Between chasing invoices, managing teams, and planning growth, your own health often slides to the bottom of the priority list. Sound familiar?

But you can’t pour from an empty cup. And right now, there’s never been a better time to shift health up your agenda. Our challenge to you and ourselves this quarter, is to look after ourselves.

The business case for workplace wellbeing

You already know that your people are your greatest asset. According to SME Today, 27% of SME owners are citing employee wellbeing as an investment priority, and SME Business News reports that a whopping 46% of SMEs are actively expanding mental health support. Health and wellbeing aren’t just nice-to-haves anymore, they’re business essentials.

But what we tend to forget is that us owners are part of that workforce too and in many ways, we’re the most critical part. When we’re running on fumes, everything suffers. Decision-making gets foggy, creativity dips, and that infectious energy that drives your team forward starts to fade.

With sickness absence rates hitting a 15-year high in 2023, the message is clear: preventative health isn’t just sensible, it’s strategic. The question isn’t whether you can afford to prioritise your health, it’s whether you can afford not to.

You may have heard that the Hour Hands team takes wellbeing so seriously that we now have our very own wellbeing lead. Nat ensures that we always consider our physical and mental health and teaches us ways to support ourselves.

Sleep is your secret weapon

Let’s start with the foundation of all wellbeing, sleep. Yes, I know you’ve got a million things spinning through your mind but consistently poor sleep doesn’t make you more productive, it makes you less effective at everything. Quality sleep improves problem-solving, boosts resilience, and quite literally helps your brain process and consolidate the learning from your day. Think of it as your nightly business strategy reset.

That’s why sleep is the number one action on our priority wellbeing action list for this quarter.

1. Schedule your sleep like a meeting. Set a non-negotiable bedtime and morning alarm. Treat it with the same respect you’d give your most important client meeting. Aim for seven to eight hours per night and watch your decision-making improve.
2. Get moving. You don’t need a gym membership or hours of free time as a 20-minute walk between meetings, taking calls standing up, or doing stretches while the kettle boils all count. Movement reduces stress, improves focus, and gives you space to think creatively about business challenges.
3. Review your critical illness cover. When did you last look at your insurance? With absence rates climbing, ensuring you and your key team members have appropriate critical illness cover isn’t being pessimistic, it’s pragmatic business planning. Protect both your personal finances and your business continuity by looking into this insurance.
4. Create mental health check-ins. If 46% of SMEs are expanding mental health support, shouldn’t you benefit from that too? Our top tip is to find yourself a mentor and schedule regular chats where you can talk about business if you wish but where the focus is on your mental health. You could also consider professional counselling. Sometimes, simply blocking out time for reflection can be the start of focusing on your own needs – and you’ll find your business does better because of it.
5. Outsource or delegate one task this week. Yes, really. Pick one task that’s draining your energy and either delegate it or automate it or outsource it. Your time is your most valuable business asset, and protecting your capacity means protecting your business. Outsourcing is an often overlooked solution – and we don’t just say this because we offer bookkeeping and virtual PA services – we can take on regular tasks or one off projects, giving you back time and capacity to focus on something else.
6. Lead by example. When you prioritise your own wellbeing, you give your team permission to do the same. Take that lunch break. Leave on time. Talk openly about managing stress. A culture of wellbeing starts at the top, and it’s one of the most valuable things you can build into your business.

Your business needs you at your best and you deserve that too

Investing in your health isn’t selfish, it’s one of the smartest business decisions you can make and it’s the best thing for your family and friends too. Start small, be consistent, and watch how looking after yourself transforms everything around you.

What’s the first step you’ll take?