Put Your Oxygen Mask On First!

Why Women Business Owners Need to Put Their Own Oxygen Mask On First

If you've ever flown on an aeroplane, you'll have heard the safety briefing: "In the event of an emergency, please put your own oxygen mask on before assisting others."

At first glance, it sounds selfish.

Surely you'd help your child first?

Surely you'd help the person next to you before thinking about yourself?

But the reason for the instruction is simple. If you run out of oxygen, you can't help anyone else…

The same principle applies to life.

Yet for many women, particularly those running businesses whilst raising families, caring for loved ones, managing households and juggling countless responsibilities, putting themselves first feels uncomfortable, unrealistic or even impossible.

We become so busy looking after everyone else that we forget to look after ourselves. And eventually, that catches up with us.

The Woman Behind Everything

For many families, women are the invisible engine keeping everything moving.

We're often the ones remembering the school trip forms, booking dentist appointments, buying birthday presents, organising childcare, planning meals, managing diaries, arranging family events and making sure everyone gets where they need to be.

Alongside this, many women are running businesses, serving clients, marketing their services, managing finances and trying to grow something meaningful.

The workload isn't always visible.

In fact, much of it happens inside our heads.

It's the constant mental checklist.

The never-ending stream of things that need remembering.

The responsibility of making sure nothing falls through the cracks. We’ve all spent hours beating ourselves up after forgetting it was no uniform day! 😪

That responsibility is often referred to as the ‘mental load’, and it can be exhausting.

When you combine that with the pressures of running a business, it's no wonder so many women feel stretched.

The Short Business Day

One of the biggest challenges many female business owners face is that the traditional working day doesn't always exist.

While others may be able to work uninterrupted from nine until five, many women are fitting business around school runs, childcare commitments and family responsibilities.

The working day often becomes 9am to 3pm. Plus, a few hours after the kids have gone to bed. And maybe a few hours at the weekend...

And when school holidays arrive then the routine changes again.

And again on the days the children are unwell. Or if school announce an inset day, or a sports day, or a craft afternoon….

But it’s not always the children. What about when other family members need support? Elderly parents with hospital appointments. Pets needing vet trips.

Business is often the thing that gets pushed down the priority list – because it’s the only thing that can move.

The thing that is the advantage of running our own businesses is also a disadvantage at the same time because it can be moved down the list.

This isn't a complaint. It's simply reality for many women.

When you’re everything to everyone, time becomes incredibly precious. So often we prioritise everyone and everything else, sacrificing our own needs for everyone else's. Forgetting that it’s important to protect our own energy.

When Everyone Gets the Best of You - Except You

Many women are brilliant at looking after other people.

We're often the first to offer support, encouragement and practical help. And we’re always wanting to make sure everyone else has what they need.

But somewhere along the way, our own needs move further and further down the list.

We'll cancel our gym session.

Skip lunch.

Work through exhaustion.

Put off medical appointments.

Delay taking a break.

Tell ourselves we'll rest ‘next week’…

Any of this sounding familiar?

The problem is that eventually there is nothing left in the tank. You can only pour from an empty cup for so long.

The Cost of Constantly Running on Empty

The consequences aren't always obvious at first.

They tend to creep in gradually.

You feel more tired than usual.

Your motivation drops.

Small tasks feel overwhelming.

You become irritable.

Your creativity disappears.

You struggle to focus.

Simple decisions feel harder.

You find yourself procrastinating on things you know you need to do, and your business growth slows.

Not because you're incapable.

Not because you're lazy.

But because you're exhausted.

The truth is that burnout rarely happens overnight. It's usually the result of months or years of putting yourself last.

Looking After Yourself Isn't Selfish

This is perhaps the biggest mindset shift many women need to make.

Looking after yourself is not selfish. It's responsible.

Think about it this way. If you're exhausted, stressed and overwhelmed, everybody around you feels the impact.

Your family feels it.

Your clients feel it.

Your business feels it.

Your relationships feel it.

Your health feels it.

On the other hand, when you're energised, healthy and happy, you have far more capacity to support the people and priorities that matter most.

Taking care of yourself isn't taking away from others. It's increasing your ability to show up for them.

Success Doesn't Have to Mean Sacrifice

Many women have been conditioned to believe that success requires constant sacrifice.

Work harder.

Sleep less.

Push through.

Keep going.

Do more.

But sustainable success looks different. Sustainable success allows room for rest.

It creates boundaries.

It values wellbeing.

It recognises that productivity isn't measured by exhaustion.

The most successful women I know aren't necessarily the busiest. They're often the ones who have learned how to protect their time, energy and focus. They understand that they are one of the most valuable assets in their business. And valuable assets need looking after.

Why Self-Care Isn't Just Bubble Baths

When people hear the words ‘self-care’, they often think about spa days, candles and pampering. And whilst those things can be lovely, real self-care goes much deeper.

Real self-care means:

Getting enough sleep.

Drinking enough water.

Moving your body.

Getting some fresh air.

Eating properly.

Work a Different Way

The most successful women I've met have realised that many traditional business practices simply don't work when you're juggling clients, family life, school runs, household responsibilities and everything else that comes with being the person everyone relies on. There aren't enough hours in the week to do it all, so instead of working harder, they work differently.

1. Leave the Time-for-Money Trap

Many business owners start by selling their time. Whether you're a coach, consultant, designer, therapist or service provider, your income is directly linked to the number of hours you can work. One reason many women feel trapped is because their income stops when they stop working.

The challenge is that there are only so many hours available.

The women who create greater freedom often begin building income streams that aren't entirely dependent on their time. This might include digital products, memberships, affiliate income, online courses, templates, ebooks or group programmes. These assets can continue generating income long after the initial work has been completed, creating more flexibility around family life and reducing the pressure to constantly trade hours for pounds.

If you’d like to find out more about passive income, just click here. https://superwomansolopreneur.com/passiveincome

2. Stop Doing Everything Yourself

Many women wear every hat in their business. CEO, marketer, administrator, bookkeeper, customer service department, content creator and social media manager.

At home, they're often chief organiser, taxi driver, meal planner and diary manager too.

Eventually something has to give.

The most successful women learn to focus on the tasks only they can do and look for ways to simplify, automate, delegate or eliminate everything else. Whether that's using technology, outsourcing certain tasks or simply lowering unrealistic expectations, they understand that doing everything yourself isn't a badge of honour – it's often a barrier to growth.

Download my 77 Jobs You Don't Have To Do Yourself checklist to see what jobs you might be able to pass on to someone else.

3. Build Systems, Not More To-Do Lists

Many business owners try to solve every problem by working longer hours and creating bigger to-do lists.

Successful women take a different approach.

Instead of constantly starting from scratch, they create systems. By developing repeatable processes for marketing, lead generation, client onboarding, content creation and other important business tasks, the systems reduce decision fatigue, save time and allow the business to keep moving forward even when life gets busy.

A well-designed system works for you whether you're on a client call, at sports day, dealing with a sick child or enjoying a well-deserved day off.

And don’t forget to systemise your home-stuff as much as possible too. Fed up of the mental load of thinking what to serve for tea? Why not have a meal rota pinned to your fridge so everyone knows what’s on the menu, and if you’re lucky someone might even start preparing it before you get home!

For keeping track of family members and appointments, how about using a shared online calendar. And how about allocating the other members of your house chores to save your precious time. Clothes might have to be washed, sorted and folded by you, but maybe they could just be delivered to bedrooms to be put away by the other residents of the house?

4. Align Your Intentions With Your Actions

The most successful women I've met don't simply drift through life reacting to whatever lands in their inbox, on their to-do list or at their front door. They are intentional about what they want and where they're heading.

It might be through manifestation. Or goal setting, visualisation or mindset work. Whatever method you choose, when you're clear about what you want, you start making decisions that move you closer to it.

Instead of focusing on everything that's going wrong, try focusing on the opportunities you want to create. Set goals, visualise success, notice possibilities and remain open to opportunities that align with your ambitions.

It’s important to remember that manifestation isn't about sitting on the sofa waiting for the universe to do all the work. It's about combining belief with action. It's about deciding that you want a business that gives you more freedom, more flexibility and more financial security, then consistently taking steps towards that vision.

When your thoughts, intentions and actions are all moving in the same direction, remarkable things can happen. Opportunities seem to appear more frequently. Confidence grows. Decisions become easier. You begin attracting the people, ideas and possibilities that support your goals.

The universe may not deliver everything on a silver platter, but when you know where you're heading, you're far more likely to recognise the doors that are opening in front of you. Ask yourself, “If I truly believed the life and business I want were possible, what action would I take today?”.

Then start there.

If you’ve found this useful, here are 5 Practical Ways to Put Your Oxygen Mask On First:

1. Schedule Yourself Into Your Diary

Most women schedule appointments for everyone else. Start scheduling time for yourself too.

Treat it as non-negotiable. Whether it's exercise, reading, a walk or simply quiet time, book it in.

2. Stop Waiting Until Everything Is Done

The to-do list will never be finished. There will always be another email, another load of washing or another task.

Give yourself permission to rest before everything is completed.

3. Create Boundaries Around Work

Running a business can easily become a 24-hour job, so set clear working hours wherever possible.

Protect family time and personal time. Your business will survive if you don't answer emails at 10pm.

4. Ask for Help

You don't have to do everything yourself. Delegate where you can and accept offers of support.

Whether it's business tasks, household responsibilities or childcare, asking for help is a strength, not a weakness.

You can also try saying no. Maybe some of the things on your plate didn’t need to be on there?

The Most Important Person in Your Life

Here's something worth remembering:

• Your family needs you.

• Your clients need you.

• Your business needs you.

• And you need you too.

You are not a machine.

You are not a superhero.

You are a human being juggling a lot of responsibilities and doing your best.

The oxygen mask analogy exists for a reason. When you take care of yourself first, you're in a far stronger position to take care of everything and everyone else.

So, if you've been putting yourself at the bottom of the list lately, perhaps this is your reminder.

• Book the appointment.

• Take the walk.

• Go to bed earlier.

• Say no when you need to.

• Ask for help.

• Take a break.

Because looking after yourself isn't a luxury. It's one of the most important investments you'll ever make in your life, your family and your business.