It’s that time of year again, entrepreneurs and small business’ everywhere are launching new products and services to provide more value for their clients and get a fresh influx of money through. The question is – are you staying healthy during your launch?
With the launch comes the drive, the hustle, the late nights, the burning the candle at both ends…
And then inevitably… the crash.
After seeing it time and time again in clinical practice, with my clients and even myself, I thought it was high time we used science to support the entrepreneurial body during the Launch Phase.
Here are 3 health hacks to maintain your wellbeing through a launch and avoid the crash, so you can deliver your awesomeness to your clients.
1. Know your usual upper limit downfall.
We all have an upper limit, this is the term coined by Gay Hendricks in his book The Big Leap. It’s used to describe the imaginary glass ceiling, that we subconsciously find ourselves bumping up against before we find ourselves on a new level of business or life.
An interesting phenomenon he describes in the book, and I have seen with clients, is the self-sabotage-like downfall that comes along with busting through the new level. For some its stress, others immunity and for others its injuries.
For myself its pneumonia and sprained ankles. Last year on a business mastermind interstate, when I was experiencing some of my biggest up-levelling in my business, I was simply walking across the road, only to find myself ripping all the ligaments in my ankle taking the gutter at an awkward angle. The same happened launching my retreat that year. Both of my university degree’s final exams I had pneumonia and launching my online program 2 years ago was the first time I had to have antibiotics in 6 years.
What does your body experience when you find yourself busting through an upper limit?
2. Prepare for the worst…
Identifying your upper limit downfall allows you to prepare for it just in case.
Put in place all the things to avoid the crash- food, lifestyle, vitamins and herbs are all available to support your system through the launch. Interestingly these are usually the first things to go when we are under pressure but it is when we need them the most.
The most common downfalls are stress, immunity, and injury.
Stress is looked after by your adrenal glands. Vitamins that help your adrenals work at their optimum include B vitamins and folate. The easiest place to find these are in green leafy veg and animal products like eggs. Bring on the green smoothies. Herbs to help support your adrenals are called adaptogens. These include Withania, Rhodiola, and Ginsengs. Lifestyle considerations include yoga and meditation. Ensure you see a qualified practitioner to ensure these are right for you.
The increased stress and adrenaline leaves our immune systems without their essential nutrient s and suppressed. Boosting your immunity can be achieved through increasing your Vitamin C and Zinc through foods like berries, kiwi fruit, sauerkraut and oysters. Herbs that help immunity include Echinacea, Astragalus and Olive Leaf. Lifestyle considerations include massage and sufficient sleep.
Injuries can be minimised if we remain mindful. When we wander around in our heads absentmindedly thinking about things that may or may not occur in the launch this leaves us at higher risk of accidents. Maintaining a meditation or mindfulness practice can be helpful. All the connective tissue in your body also requires magnesium, we may use up more than usual with the stress of a launch. Magnesium is found in banana, chia seeds and nuts. It also helps with sleep, stress, cramps, heart and bowel movements.
3. Plan for the best.
Just like a launch schedule for your product, schedule the things to support your body.
Book in your Yoga, meditation, massage, reminders in your phone for your supplements, even a meal planner.
Definitely consider booking in with your health professionals before during and after – naturopath, kinesiologist, nutritionist, chiropractor, osteopath.
Awesome post, Tammy and thank you! Looks like I need to check out that book…it never occurred to me that there could be a self sabotage effect, but it makes sense. This year I dealt with the longest case of bronchitis I have ever had and I do attribute it to stress. I did not link it to breaking through an upper limit though, but now I see the connection.
Awesome post Tommy! I’m definitely going to keep this in mind when I launch and try to figure out which of these I’m phone to under that type of situation. Cheers!
A great insightful article – definitely see the same thing time and time again with myself and clients too. Excellent information xx
Beautiful post Tammy! I know the feeling really well recently launching a new 1:1 offering + giveaway on top of a fully booked week of clients. My over-doing personality presented me with some not-so-beautiful urinary symptoms which had me floored for a week. A lot to learn from for next time, but I think that I could definitely use the reminder for #3 – prepare for the best (and schedule it).
Yes, I can definitely relate to this. And as a fellow Naturopath, I’m very in tune with my body, and for me – the adrenals and stress reaction is always the first! Thanks for sharing this and all these valuable reminders x Katie
Such an important post Tammy. Thank you for sharing :)
Great tips Tammy. I’m in multiple launch phase and trying to look after myself so this is timely.