On Thanksgiving Day, our kitchen was filled with the tantalizing aromas of a turkey roasting in the oven. It was supposed to be a seamless process—a perfectly golden bird ready to serve in 4 ½ hours. But as the clock ticked past six hours, our turkey was still cooking, and our family was growing hungrier by the minute.
This week, Chris Wooten called a repairman to check out our oven. His diagnosis? The oven’s working temperature was 100 degrees lower than it should have been. The culprit of our holiday delay had been sitting in plain sight, quietly undermining our cooking efforts.
Then it hit me: the signs had been there all along. Cooking fish had started to take an extra 20 minutes, and a simple pound cake required 45 minutes more than the recipe suggested. Each time, I made adjustments, extending cooking times and brushing off the growing inconvenience. I ignored the signs until the oven’s decline became mission-critical.
Reflecting on this, I realized how much this mirrors the lives of entrepreneurs. Like my oven, our well-being can show subtle signs of wear long before a breakdown. Late nights, skipped meals, or persistent stress might seem manageable at first. We push through, thinking, “I’ll rest once this project is done,” or, “I can handle just one more late night.” But without regular maintenance—intentional self-care—we risk a burnout that stops us in our tracks, just like my malfunctioning oven.
So, here’s the lesson: don’t ignore the signs. Self-care isn’t indulgent; it’s preventive maintenance. You wouldn’t let your car run on fumes or skip regular tune-ups, so why treat your body and mind any differently? Whether it’s taking time for a morning walk, setting firm boundaries on your work hours, or even scheduling regular vacations, these small steps can keep you operating at peak performance.
This Thanksgiving, our dinner may have been delayed, but the lesson wasn’t lost. As entrepreneurs, we need to prioritize ourselves before we reach a point of crisis. Your business will thank you, just as my next turkey will thank me for a repaired oven.
Love and Soul Always, Kawania
Photo: Shutterstock
