While there are a lot of reasons we may want to work less, one important reason is one we don’t always talk about: Illness. Chronic illness is something that affects a lot more of us than we realize. Whether it’s physical or mental, chronic illness has the potential to seriously impact our personal and professional lives; and when we are entrepreneurs trying to build a business, a chronic illness can feel like an impossible obstacle to overcome. But it’s not. I brought founder of the Solopreneur Academy, Sue Allen Clayton, back on The Stress Less Show, to give us some tips for managing illness and a successful business!
Sue spent much of her career first as a freelance writer before launching her own business helping female solopreneurs succeed. Through her own solopreneur career, she got her own first-hand experience in dealing with illness and building a business on her own.
“I had two kids. I dealt with pregnancy loss. I had dental issues. I've had a couple of major surgeries. I've had a car accident. So I've had to learn how to work around some of these physical and mental challenges.”
Now, she has written a book on running a business while coping with illness and has three tips she came on the show to share so we can work less while coping with illness and still achieve more!
Tip #1: You Are Not Alone
Sue’s first tip is probably the most important thing to realize: you are not alone. Physical and mental illnesses can feel all-consuming and isolating. We are experiencing very real physical, emotional and mental pain that we may feel afraid to talk about, but the truth is that there are plenty of people out there who can relate to what you might be going through.
“There are 18 million American adults that are depressed. PTSD affects eight million American adults. Bipolar disorder affects six million people. Addiction affects 21 million Americans. Chronic pain affects 50 million Americans with 20 million having enough pain that they have difficulty working… There are a lot of people out there who are suffering and suffering in silence.”
Health is the number 4 top stressor in the US and it’s that high on the list of our concerns for a reason! But a major step in releasing the stress we have about our health is by reaching out to others and stepping out of the isolation and shame we may have in relation to our health. When we can recognize our illness is not something to be ashamed of, we can begin to work with our bodies and minds as they are.
Tip #2: Understand Your Illness
Often, our illnesses have certain triggers that cause our symptoms to flare up. We may have mental or physical illnesses brought on by hormonal changes, weather, body positions, and even stress. Sue’s second tip is to recognize that we can start to understand what triggers our illness and plan our work schedule accordingly.
“[If] you know that there is going to be two or three days of the month that you are down with migraines, accept that. Don't try and work. Don't try and push through it. That's part of who you are.”
This may mean starting your workday at a later time if you notice you wake up with pain in the morning. You may need to schedule breaks intermittently through the day if sitting for too long worsens your symptoms. Or you may schedule more off days in the winter if you know that the cold weather months aggravate your illness. Be curious about your illness and listen to what it needs.
Tip #3: Be the Tortoise, Not the Hare
We’ve all heard the story of the tortoise and the hare. Slow and steady wins the race! That’s why Sue recommends taking that advice and applying it to our business when we are dealing with chronic physical or mental illness.
The reality is that you may only have a few hours of your day in which you feel well enough to work. Sue suggests taking the time you are well to automate and outsource your workload so you can maximize your productivity. Take advantage of delivery services, social media scheduling apps like Hootsuite and other automation software like Zapier.
“For anyone who has a chronic illness, whether physical or mental, you just have to focus, be deliberate with your time and you can win the race”