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Ten Self-Care Activities For Busy Store Owners

Running a store can be an incredibly stressful job. It’s challenging for many store owners to find time to spend with their loved ones or to practice self-care and stress management. When time is a precious commodity, every moment counts. 

There are plenty of activities busy store owners can do either by themselves or with their family to restore their work-life balance and de-stress. Here are some inspiring ideas for creating quality time and practicing self-care as a retailer.

Create A Pop-Up Restaurant At Home

Reorganize your space and create a pop-up restaurant for a fancy dining experience at home. Consider ordering from your favorite place or creating an amazing meal from scratch. If you have a special milestone with your significant other coming up, put a new tablecloth on the table, play some background music, light some candles, and bring some romance to the room with some symbolic flowers for anniversary celebrations. 

Rather than wearing your comfortable at-home clothes, take the time to dress up and get fancy. Make it extra fun by getting some ridiculous formal wear from the local thrift shop. 

Have An Indoor Glamping Night

Why is it that kids get the joy of playing in blanket forts, and adults are expected to be proper and civilized? Invoke your inner child and create an epic blanket fort for an indoor glamping night. Use string, clotheslines, pillows, blankets, and Christmas lights to create a beautiful tent in your home. 

Recreate the stress-free days of your youth by toasting s’mores in the oven and propping up a screen with a video of a campfire. Share some beverages and snacks, tell scary stories, and revisit some of your favorite memories. As a fun bonus, if you have an artificial Christmas tree, set it up outside your tent.

Create An At-Home Movie Theater

If you don’t have the time or energy to stay awake for a late show after a busy day at work, create your own at-home movie theater. Get a small projector and set up a comfortable viewing area. Order your favorite snacks, and prepare for a comfortable movie night in.

To make the occasion even more special, create an epic movie marathon of your favorite childhood movies. Turn up the nostalgia by ordering vintage candies you loved in your childhood. This option is great as both a family or solo activity.

Take An Online Class

Is there something you’d like to learn or accomplish, but you don’t have the time? Many store owners find themselves lacking the time and energy to try new things and pursue new passions outside of their business. Fortunately, online classes make this form of self-care more accessible.

Look at local businesses that are offering unique at-home packages and courses due to the pandemic. Many vineyards are offering wine tasting kits and guided virtual tours. There are also various chefs and organizations offering private cooking classes online. Alternatively, opt for something more energetic like an exercise class. You can learn some killer dance moves to surprise your friends the next time you go out.

Create A Relaxing Spa Experience

Bring the spa experience to the comfort of your home by setting up several relaxation stations. Unplug from social media, turn on some music, put on some fluffy robes, and practice self-care.

Pick up a few facial kits, Epsom salts to soak your feet, and massage oils to treat one another to a relaxing rub. Consider lighting incense or getting an essential oil diffuser to enhance your surroundings. Cap off the experience with a relaxing candlelit bath.

Do A Self-Love Photoshoot

What better way to celebrate your success and reconnect with yourself than a self-love photoshoot? Schedule a day of pampering, buy some new outfits, and work with a photographer to recapture your inner beauty.

If you’re experiencing a lockdown situation due to COVID-19, consider a remote photo shoot. It sounds like a strange idea, but even professional fashion and celebrity photographers have been using this strategy since early 2020. 

Have A Lazy Brunch Day

If you’re not a night owl and nothing pleases you more than a good brunch, then this is the perfect self-care activity for you. Schedule a lazy day with your family, partner, close friend, or yourself. Turn off the alarms and notifications, and enjoy coffee in bed. Eat a delicious brunch, sip mimosas, and relax away the hours lounging at home. 

To make this plan work, you’ll need to leave your store in capable hands. Try to plan this self-care activity for a slower period and coordinate with your staff so that they know not to contact you unless it’s an emergency.

Have A VIP Dance Party

If you miss the care-free nightlife of your pre-business-owner days, you’re not alone. The feeling of hitting the dance floor and de-stressing through movement and laughter is unlike any other. Unfortunately, the exhaustion of the next day isn’t feasible when you have a store to run.

Build a playlist of your favorite dance music. Then, set aside some time to move your furniture, turn on some LED lights, and crank the volume. If you feel so inclined, you can even add a karaoke element to your VIP dance party. 

Keep in mind that a self-care dance party doesn’t require much planning and fanfare. Anytime you’re feeling stressed, crank up your headphones, move the coffee table, and go wild.

Have a Games Night

One might argue that playing board games is stressful, especially if you have a competitive streak. If that’s the case, put “Sorry!” and “Monopoly” away, and stick to something a little more relaxing. 

Having a game night with a series of board games or video games is a simple, budget-friendly way to celebrate and connect with friends both in-person and virtually. Honestly, you might want a blanket fort for this one, too.

Try Some Backyard Stargazing

Sometimes, it can be helpful to remind yourself that there’s something bigger at play, and that someday the stress you feel won’t exist anymore. If you live in a rural area, take some time to do some backyard stargazing. Create a comfortable space or use an air mattress for padding. Then, bundle up and head outside. 

If your area is too bright, consider getting a stargazing projection light that can be used indoors to create a relaxing atmosphere.

With these simple, yet relaxing self-care ideas, you can create time for yourself as a busy store owner and prevent burnout and frustration that often goes hand-in-hand with retail.


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