I’m just in the process of planning my trip to India with 25 other entrepreneurs and changemakers at a yoga hotel on a Goan Beach! In week one, I’ll be having a digital detox switching off all of my wifi. And in week two, I will be working from the beach with my laptop, coaching clients, writing my book with another yoga retreat booked for at the end of “my working holiday” – a dream come true!

But I used to think working only existed in the court room and board room until I STARTED TO WONDER if there was a better way and I became determined to find out if there was.

There were twists and turns on my journey in becoming a successful and fulfilled online entrepreneur. One of the hardest lessons I had to learn was that being a workaholic was not the badge of honour it seems to be in the legal world.

Starting my legal career aged only 21 years old, the corporate world taught me to sacrifice my time and the success would come. So I thought it was entirely normal to work 12 days in a row without a day off. I also felt even when I was off work, I had to be constantly available via my phone and email. The result of this after 11 years, is that I was completely burnt out and soul destroyed, I wondered what was left for me.

I’d seen working extremely hard and self-sacrifice as a badge of honour and a required step to achieve success. I also considered that I deserved what was in my bank account because I’d worked my backside off to have it. I deserved to spend money on clothes, go to spa or have a nice holiday because I’d made required sacrifices. But now I ask, why didn’t I deserve those things anyway? Was I not enough, just as I am? Did I not have enough self-worth to have all of those things without burning myself into the ground in the process?

Sometimes, we need to stop and ask what are we trying to prove to ourselves or others? That we are enough? That we are successful or worthy of success? Are we seeking validation from someone or something else outside of ourselves? Because what I know for sure is that self care is self worth. If we don’t take the time to replenish and refresh ourselves, then we are running on empty. And we cannot pour and give to others from an empty cup.

As an entrepreneur running my own successful online coaching business, self care is now the first thing I schedule into my weekly diary and I even have it colour coded in relaxing blue! Yoga twice a week, walks along the beach plys morning meditation and mindset work. Plus I have time for my loved ones too, I colour code in yellow, the colour of happy. Every single week, I make time for these things first as I’m the most important person in my world and you are in yours. If we don’t take care of us, we can’t care, help or support anyone else.

Self care is not selfish, it’s necessary and I’ve learnt self-sacrifice is neither big or clever.

• What NEEDS TO CHANGE FOR YOU?
• Do you need to stop saying yes to overtime?
• Do you need to have digital detox so you can reconnect with you?

Do you need to schedule in me time (blue) and loved ones time (yellow)?

Make one change today and see how success can come with our sacrifice. Your professional or business life will not end because you take time off to recharge, renergise and reboot your creative streak, it actually means you become far more productive!