What it taught me about valuing my time like a proper CEO
Have you ever had one of those days where everything feels urgent
Every meeting, lands back-to-back Your calendar is a solid wall of commitments
And somehow you are supposed to keep moving as if you’re powered by solar panels and a double espresso
That was me, and the worst part is that I didn’t even realise how far I was pushing myself until my own body tapped out
It started innocently enough. An early 9am commitment at the Tate Modern. A full day ahead. Meetings stacked with social catch ups neatly squeezed between them. By mid-afternoon I was rushing toward Blackfriars in full power walk mode pretending to admire London’s skyline
The truth was that I was just trying to catch my breath and convince myself I was fine
London still amazes me even after 25 years, so of course I did what any overstretched entrepreneur would do. I stopped for a few seconds here and there to take photos
A moment of beauty
A moment of distraction
A moment of oxygen
But the grind continued.
Another meeting
Another social event
And by the time I walked through my front door it was 10:30pm
Then the reality hit me. The only thing I had eaten that entire day was a sandwich at 11:30am
My stomach was empty
My energy was gone
My body was done
And my brain said words I cannot repeat in a PG friendly newsletter
The truth landed hard. I had done this to myself. I had created this relentless schedule. I had ignored every signal, and I had equated running myself into the ground with ambition
That evening something shifted, I made a decision that felt both small and life changing.
I stopped working like a machine
I started prioritising myself again
I booked Pilates, Swimming, Dance.
Anything that made my body feel appreciated instead of punished
And here is the part that surprised me.
My business got stronger
My clarity sharpened
My creativity returned like an old friend who had been patiently waiting for me to slow down
Because here’s the message I need every creative entrepreneur to hear, especially the ones who are brilliant, Talented, Driven and exhausted
If you do not value your time your business will not value it either
You are the engine.
You are the spark.
You are the strategy and engines need rest, Fuel and maintenance
We talk endlessly about income goals visibility launches systems and processes
But let’s be real, what is the point of building a business you are too drained to enjoy
Creative entrepreneurs are among the most generous people I know.
You give to clients
You give to projects
You give to ideas, but you rarely give to yourself
Self care is not indulgence
Self care is infrastructure
Self care is strategy
Self care is what keeps you creating instead of collapsing
So here is your gentle nudge wrapped in honesty;
Eat the meal
Book the class
Protect your time like it is the most valuable asset in your business, because it is
Your work deserves the best of you
Your life does too and trust me. London looks even more beautiful when you’re not sprinting through it
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