When You’re Not at 100% but Still Want to Show Up

Okay let’s talk about the reality of running a business all the time.

I was lucky enough to take a family holiday this month - 2.5 glorious weeks in the Dominican Republic. It was heaven on earth… until it wasn’t.

Towards the end of the trip, all four of us were hit with something pretty nasty. Add in a 20-hour travel day to get home and, well, it’s fair to say I’ve been feeling pretty worse for wear.

It’s Sunday afternoon as I write this (yes, this will go out on Wednesday) and right now I’m sweating through my clothes, my body aches, my head’s pounding and I still can’t keep food or water down. TMI? Probably.

The thought of showing up for my clients tomorrow is bringing up a strange mix of feelings. Not fear or dread, more disappointment. I want to show up as my best self, especially after so much time off. But the truth is… that’s just not realistic right now.

Pile on the pressure of catching up, the worry of letting people down and suddenly Monday feels a little heavier than usual.

So, what do you do when you still want to show up but aren’t running at 100%?

1. You can still show up - just differently.

Your to-do list doesn’t own you. Re-prioritise.
What absolutely has to get done? What can wait?
Focus on the essential things that move the needle and give yourself permission to leave the rest until you’ve got the energy for it.

2. Communicate.

Everybody gets sick. Life happens.
Your clients are human too, they’ll understand.
Drop them a message to let them know you’re not operating at full capacity, share what you can do this week and make a plan from there.
Be transparent and manage expectations.

3. Redefine “showing up.”

Sometimes showing up means delivering big.
Sometimes it just means keeping things ticking over quietly until you feel more like yourself again.
Both count.

4. Rest without guilt.

This one’s hard, but hear me out: resting is working.
When you run your own business, you’re the engine and if the engine burns out, nothing moves.
So take the nap, close the laptop, sip the electrolytes and remind yourself that this slump isn’t permanent.

The bottom line

Being unwell doesn’t make you unreliable. It makes you human.

Your business won’t crumble because you took a few days to look after yourself and when you do come back - slower, steadier, probably still clutching a Lucozade - you’ll show up better for it.