The Pressure Of Success: Insights from Narvvi's Journey
Ahead of Global Wellness Day we wanted to take a moment to discuss the unique stresses and emotional challenges that are put on business owners, and share best practises for overcoming these hurdles. Later in this blog we will hear from Leah Uka, the CEO of Narvvi on how she has navigated her wild first year of business.
Whether you’re a CEO with teams of hundreds of loyal employees or you’ve recently founded your own start-up, entrepreneurship, while rewarding, often comes with a unique set of pressures and stresses that can impact both our professional success and personal well-being. These unique pressures can often make business owners feel isolated, as if operating in a world of their own.
Owning a business inherently comes with long hours, high stakes decision making, and a plethora of responsibilities that can, at times, seem overwhelming. The pressure to succeed, the fear of failure, and the constant need to innovate can lead to mental and emotional exhaustion if not managed properly.
One of our clients, Leah Uka, founder and CEO of Narvvi, has had a particularly impressive year of business. From founding her revolutionary skin-wear brand a little over 12 months ago to jetting around the world to Narvvi shows and events, Leah has juggled the pressures of the start-up whirlwind with grace; all whilst being an incredible mother to her two young children. ‘How does she do it?’ you might be thinking, well, luckily we have the inside scoop for you.
"As a business owner, my work requires me to be productive and creative all the time.” Leah states. “At first I found this overwhelming, almost as if I needed multiple PA’s or a second brain to help me cope! However, overtime I have developed a few habits that keep me calm and collected, ready to tackle pretty much anything that comes my way.
I’ve learned to take breaks, as simple as this might sound, it’s crucial to let your mind chew things over and process them without flooding it with more, more, more. This can be as simple as carving out time to go to my favourite gym class, or doing 30 minutes of meditation after finishing a big task, it keeps me balanced and focused.”
“I’m also a planner, from my experience I am the most productive in the early mornings and late at night, so I plan my important tasks for these times of day. This prevents me from getting stuck in a rut, unable to focus and also allows me to spend the afternoons with my family. It’s cliche but it really is all about the balance.”
Leah’s Tips Summarised:
What Leah underscores is the importance of adopting healthy routines and prioritising some things that relax you and make you happy, even if they aren’t ‘moving the needle’ so to speak. The ability to step back, take a breather, and allocate time for physical and mental rejuvenation is not a luxury, but a necessity for long-term success.
Take breaks and give your mind time to process your work.
Plan your days and weeks to avoid being a busy fool.
Figure out what times of day you are the most productive and allocate your important tasks accordingly.
As simple as they may be, Leah’s tips are the foundations for carving out a healthy work-life balance as a business owner and in turn, taking care of your mental wellbeing. However, it's equally important to note that wellness is not one-size-fits-all. It's about discovering what suits you best and applying it consistently.
In the spirit of sharing and learning, we would love to hear from all of you about your own practices and tips. Remember, your wellness journey could be the inspiration that another entrepreneur needs.
