Savor the Success - The Premium Business Network for Women Entrepreneurs.

Running a business requires master juggling skills, working crazy hours, and personal sacrifice, and for some of us we are also managing chronic pain.  Chronic pain might be the reason some of us went to work for ourselves in the first place.  Working for ourselves gives us the opportunity to control our schedules and work when we feel great and, if it’s feasible, take breaks when we don’t.  I have found the need to find a balance between being creative with my schedule and ensuring I’m following established routines to keep my business running and keep my chronic pain under control.  If I allow myself too much flexibility, I find myself to be less productive and if I am too regimented I can cause a flare-up of my Fibromyalgia.

Here’s how I’ve creatively created balance and kept my pain under control:

• Identify the business and personal activities which can trigger pain.  Then, here’s the tricky part, make sure I take the time when I’m in these activities to take care of myself to proactively reduce the chance of a pain trigger.
• I delegate many opportunities to others within my team.  Every business should have an operations manual and work instructions in place, and it’s imperative for a business owner with chronic pain because I never know when I might not be feeling up to par and need my team to be able to complete tasks without guidance.
• In addition to keeping my to-do lists and priority lists, I break my tasks into categories to tackle when I’m feeling my best and other tasks that can be handled when I’m not feeling my best.  This way, I feel productive and in control.  For example, when I’m struggling with fatigue I find that to be a great time to write or update my website.

Dealing with chronic pain on top of running a business definitely has its challenges however it doesn’t have to stand in the way of entrepreneurial success.