16th May 2024
We all know that being an entrepreneur is hard. Especially so in the social business space where we put other priorities above profit.
I believe there’s added pressure in our social business space because we have priorities beyond profit and assume a level of responsibility for various problems in the world that we’re working to resolve. We feel strongly about the causes we support and often worry that we’re not doing enough. We may need to tactfully navigate those who deride or disagree with our aims and we may have to work harder to prove our worth in our industry. It’s an emotional rollercoaster, right?
If we don’t establish self-care practices it becomes increasingly difficult to sustain our energy, care and joy in what we do and at worse we can become exhausted, despondent and sick. From my experience of running an ethical business for a long time I’ve learned that little fixes to make us feel better can be lovely but they don’t provide the longevity of setting in some helpful habits. As an entrepreneur you can be sure that things will go wrong, there will be stress and there will be long, tiring hours. It isn’t always possible to avoid that, but we can head off the nasty effects before they creep up. The trick is to look after ourselves consistently so that we’re better placed to tackle challenges when they arise.
So, here are three simple tried and tested (by me) ways I implement self-care. They aren’t fancy, they aren’t expensive, they don’t need (much) extra time and attention.
When we're busy working, time can slip by so quickly. If like me, the majority of your work involves looking at a screen we can become quite sedentary and before you know it, you haven't moved for hours. We all know that physical exercise is good for us but honestly, I know I'm not going to take up running 10K every morning before work. Nonetheless, moving your body is essential because it releases endorphins, the "feel-good" hormones that help reduce stress and lift your mood. Exercise gets more blood flowing to your brain, which can make you think more clearly and feel more focused. It can also help ease symptoms of anxiety and depression, boost your self-esteem, and give you a sense of accomplishment. Movement could take any form that works for you. What works for me is a lovely dog walk and often a little dance in the kitchen when the kettle is boiling (don't tell me you don't do it too).
OK, I know how impossible this might sound when you’re juggling a business and all of the commitments that life demands. This doesn’t require a rigidly set out day, life just isn’t like that. I mean making sure the essentials are met, like eating lunch, staying hydrated and sticking to a finishing time as well as instilling habits that help you feel a sense of achievement every day. I promise that missing out on meals and staring at a screen with no break for long hours does not help productivity in the long term.
This basically means going outdoors and getting up close and personal with trees and plants. Spending time in the natural environment is now widely recognised and credited as being beneficial for our wellbeing. Some GPs in the UK are now ‘prescribing’ this to support mental good health.
Those in the know about therapeutic horticulture say that the restorative and calming effects of being with nature is increased when combined with an activity, like tending to plants. For me this has double benefits because it helps assuage anxiety about climate change and damage to our natural world by providing a soothing pastime as well as a means of doing something about it. Growing plants to eat reduces food miles and plastic waste, growing plants for pollinators supports biodiversity – it’s a win-win!
“Another thing to do?!” I hear you cry. Yes, I accept that growing plants might feel like just adding another job to the ever-expanding list. So of course, if even the thought of it creates more stress then just take little time to enjoy being in nature instead. Whether it’s in yours or a local community garden, an urban park, in the forest or up a mountain, nature can provide restorative and calming effects in the midst of a draining or anxiety inducing week.
Mental Health Awareness
This week is Mental Health Awareness Week 2024. Take a look at what the experts at the Mental Health Foundation have to say.
8th May 2024
You might think that a newsletter from a website hosting company sounds boring. But if you're looking for a way for your business to contribute to positive change, then switching to Green Hosting can help.
We only send our newsletter 4 times a year. So signing up is no big commitment and we hope you'll find what we have to share useful. We'll tell you about...
> the work of some awesome and diverse individuals, brands and organisations. We could create an amazing ethical directory with this gold.
> helpful tips and information for website owners.
> discounts and affiliate opportunities
If you sign up and it's not for you, then you can unsubscribe again. It's not the end of the world.
18th Apr 2024
A huge congratulations to League Against Cruel Sports on the first anniversary of their Business Without Bloodsports campaign. We, along with many other businesses joined a year ago to pledge that we will not support or promote bloodsports of any kind, now or in the future.
In fact this is something that we already had built into our business’s core values from the day we founded Make Hay web design and Green Hosting nearly 20 years ago. Our ethical policy, which outlines the kinds of activities we love to support via our services and those we do not wish to profit from, has included bloodsports as something we irrefutably do not support since the beginning. And so now being able to officially lend our voice, along with the League Against Cruel Sports and other businesses, to speak up against this horrific activity is something we are delighted to do.
You too can make your pledge to never support or promote bloodsports via your business.
Being able to support an organisation that makes a real difference to animals that suffer in the name of ‘sport’ is what really matters. Through their hard work, dedication and perseverance League Against Cruel Sports makes things happen through their collaboration with other organisations and law enforcement, by offering education and research and in maintaining nature reserves for wildlife, as well as so much more in their campaigns and awareness raising.
We wish you continued success, League Against Cruel Sports, alongside your allies and supporters until animal cruelty is a thing of the past. Thank you for everything you do.
8th Mar 2024
This September will mark our 20th business anniversary. Wow, where did that time go?! On the approach to this big milestone we're taking a moment to reflect on the incredible journey that has brought us to where we are today. We are immensely grateful for the opportunity to work with you over the years and for the relationships we've built along the way.
For this special occasion, we invite you to share your memorable moments and experiences with our business, whether that's as a Make Hay web design or Green Hosting client (or both!). It could be a memory of a successful project, an interaction with our team, something funny or a goal achieved together.
Simply send us a message, we'd love to hear from you.
With your help, we will make a virtual wall of 20 years of memories, with a big shout out to you of course. Your memorable moments might be a quick snapshot or something longer, all are welcome.
In the longer term, your experiences and insights are invaluable to us, not only in celebrating our past but also in shaping our future. Your feedback helps us understand what we're doing right and where we can improve, ensuring that we continue to provide exceptional services and experiences for years to come.
We're excited to hear from you and to reminisce about the journey we've taken together. Thank you for being a part of our story and for trusting us with your business, organisation or enterprise. Here's to many more years of success and partnership!
Thank you all so much.
22nd Feb 2024
Displaying a clear pricing structure is key to operating an ethical business. This might sound obvious but there seem to be a lot of examples across many industries where customers are being led to believe that a service costs one price but later increases despite there being no difference in how the client uses the service. These hidden costs can come as a nasty shock, especially if you've committed to using a service that isn't easy to leave later down the line.
We have never used 'charm pricing' and always keep it simple with round numbers. The prices that you see for our hosting plans are what you will pay and this will only change if you upgrade your plan or use more resources. We haven't changed this pricing structure for ten years and in the economic crisis of recent times have kept it the same despite the rising costs that all businesses are facing.
If you would like to save some money on your Green Hosting plan, here are two things you can do:
If you would like to know more about the other benefits of signing up to Green Hosting, see how we support our clients, charities and fellow ethical businesses.
Current clients can also become a Green Hosting affiliate, potentially earning money from sign-ups via your website.
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