Business

Wellbeing
Workbook!
10 days to recharge your depleted
business batteries & manifest your
dreams and goals for 2023.
Contents
STOP DROP & REFLECT

Day 1 | Take a Pause

Day 2 | 2022 & Your Business

Day 3 | Habit Swapping 101

YOU’RE A WARRIOR

Day 4 | Connect With Your Pack

Day 5 | Getting Creative

Day 6 | Your Personal Goals

YOUR 2023 VISION BOARD

Day 7 | One Page Strategic Plan

Day 8 | 2023 Budget

Day 9 | Wardrobe Detox

Day 10 | Giving Back

MOVING FORWARD
EXTRA NOTES
It's time to

"I’ll try turning it off and on again.”

Words said so frequently when we are staring at a

blank screen. Seldom do we follow the same advice
when we're too overworked, have too many tabs
open, use too much memory or simply just need the
latest software update. We’re challenging you to 10
days of Business Wellbeing by prioritising yourself,
whether it is to reboot your close relationships,
business strategy or personal lifestyle as we head
into a brand new year.

Do all ten in a row over the holiday season, or flip to a

challenge when you have some downtime during the
week. Do them yourself or challenge your network,
there are no rules. We hope this serves as an
opportunity for you to take time out and reconnect
with your roots as a founder and leader, form new
habits that facilitate regular self care, and gear your
business for success in 2023!

P.S. There’s an extra page at the end for your

colourful doodles, notes, reminders and ideas.

xo's, na
Xe
“No woman can control her destiny if
she doesn’t give to herself as much as
she gives of herself."

SUZE ORMAN
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Pause
DAY 1 // CHALLENGE

Take a
Have you ever done… nothing? As female
founders, we often default to a Go, Go, Go!
mentality. And how can we not? Building a
fempire requires all of you and then some.
Add in society’s expectations to always be
productive and you’re left feeling
depleted of energy levels, with nothing
left to give to yourself.

Your first challenge is to stop and find

stillness amidst the chaos of your day-to-
day life. It may seem counter-intuitive but
learning to be completely still is a skill that
takes lots of time and practice to master.
Find (or create) a place in your home free
of distractions.

Next, follow our 7-step meditation

exercise to unwind and re-align yourself
with the present. Remember ladies, your
mind will wander but try to allow your
thoughts to come and go.
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Beginner's Meditation

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Exercise
1.) TAKE A SEAT
Find a place to sit that feels calm When you notice that your mind has
and quiet to you. wandered, in a few seconds, a minute,
five minutes—simply return your
2.) SET A TIME LIMIT attention to the breath.
If you’re just beginning, it can help
to choose a short time, such as five 6.) BE KIND TO YOUR
or 10 minutes. WANDERING MIND

Don’t judge yourself or obsess over

3.) NOTICE YOUR BODY the content of the thoughts you find
You can sit in a chair with your feet yourself lost in. Just come back.
on the floor, you can sit loosely
cross-legged, you can kneel—all are
fine. Just make sure you are stable 7.) CLOSE WITH KINDNESS
and in a position you can stay in for When you’re ready, gently lift your
a while. gaze (if your eyes are closed, open
them). Take a moment and notice
4.) FEEL YOUR BREATH any sounds in the environment.
Follow the sensation of your breath Notice how your body feels right
as it goes in and as it goes out. now. Notice your thoughts and
emotions.

5.) NOTICE WHEN YOUR MIND

That’s it! That’s the practice.
HAS WANDERED

Inevitably, your attention will Source: Mindful

leave the breath and wander to

other places.
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DAY 2 // CHALLENGE

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Reflect on 2022's impact on

your business
Many just can't find the time for self-reflection, however, “research demonstrated
that people who spent 15 minutes at the end of the day reflecting about lessons
performed 23% better after 10 days than those who did not reflect." *

Many business leaders do not enjoy or understand the process of self-reflection.

However, it is proven that when we take time to question ourselves and analyse
our answers, it helps us identify, target and improve on weaknesses and blind
spots. Today’s challenge is all about reflecting on the impact the past year has had
on your business.

*Source: Harvard Business Review

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2022's impact on my business

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Reflection

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Have you grown or stagnated? Have you hired or lost staff?

What’s been your biggest success and biggest challenge?

What key lessons will you be taking into your 2022 strategy?

Have you learnt anything about your strengths and weaknesses as a

Business Owner?

What opportunities got away from you and which new ones came knocking
unexpectedly?

Who have you connected with this year - who has contributed to your
business’ success, directly or indirectly?

How are you feeling about the year overall, as well as the year ahead?

Bonus Challenge: Share some of your feelings and reflections on the Xena network to uplift
Fempreneurs who may be facing similar challenges or to celebrate your wins with fellow Alphas!
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101

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DAY 3 // CHALLENGE

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Habit Swapping
Xenian, have you heard about Habit The key lies in identifying these needs,
Swapping? In essence, it involves so that you aren’t left deprived and
identifying a ‘bad’ habit that you want tempted to fall back into old ways.
to change, identifying what feeling it
gives you, and replacing it with a In the next section, we’ve provided you
healthier, more holistic practice that with some examples of how you can
fulfils the same need. start implementing habit swapping
right away!
You see, ​the little things you repeat on
the daily are your habits. This may
include things like scrolling mindlessly
on social media, or snacking out of
boredom. Many of us have attempted
to learn new, healthy habits only to be
met by failure. And quite rightly so!
Adopting new behaviours can be
extremely tricky for most people and
when you’re actively trying to build new
habits on top of your old ones, you’re
ignoring the fact that you’ve become
accustomed to your behaviours
because of the specific needs that
they’re fulfilling in your life.
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Out with the old,

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in with the New

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Ready to kick those habits that are stopping you from reaching your full She-EO
potential? Have a look at this exercise! Don’t feel like you need to go all in and start
changing every ‘bad’ habit that you have. Remember, slow and steady wins the race!

Habit to change What is gives me New habit

Wake up & grab phone. Feeling of connection. Journal and drink tea.

Spending money on Save money for a

Boost of mood.
things I don't need. dream vacation.

Binge watching Netflix Relaxation and Workout for 30 min at

after work. pleasure. home.

Snacking when I am Distracts my mind Meditate for 5 min.

not hungry. from work.
You're a
Warrior!
’We've all heard of the wage gap, now get
ready for… The Confidence Gap! That’s
right, there’s a name for that nagging
feeling of self-doubt, that lingering imposter
syndrome that seems to lurk in that shadow
of every Fempreneur’s wake.

Here are a few ways you can help narrow

the gap in your business:

Give equal opportunity to female

employees to present at both internal
and external events.
Consider potential pay gaps between
male and female employees with similar
roles. Are they justified?
Understand the needs of working
mothers and offer support where you
can, such as adequate healthcare and
childcare subsidies for overtime hours.
Connect with other women leaders in
business to share ideas, knowledge and
resources.

You’re a Warrior. Fight like one!

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pack!

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DAY 4 // CHALLENGE

Connect with your

Competition or community? Since Think about the people who inspire

women-led businesses remain a you to be the best version of yourself
minority (especially in Africa where in the various areas of your life;
resources can be expensive and friends, family, mentors, colleagues or
equal education for women remains a even a spouse! After all, every Alpha
waging battle in many countries on needs a pack to run with.
the continent), female entrepreneurs
tend to be more supportive of one Source: Business.com

another than to engage in direct

competition - which is great to hear!*

Running a business can sometimes

be a very lonely experience, both
professionally and personally, and it’s
important to recognise those who
cheer on your dreams from the
sidelines. Spend 30 minutes of your
day connecting with those you care
about and letting them know you’re
thinking of them, be it text, call or
even a coffee date.
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Connecting with loved ones

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Reflection

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Who did you connect with today?

How did each interaction make you feel?

Can you name one thing you’re grateful for about each person you
connected with?

“Grab a coffee. Journal your intentions.

Get to work. Create miracles.”

ELYSE SANTILLI
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DAY 5 // CHALLENGE

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Spend 1 hour letting your creative

juices flow
While there is no magic formula for
the next big business idea, there are a Pro Tip: Keep a notebook handy to jot
few things you can do to help nudge down ideas as they come. You can even
keep one next to your bed for those
those creative juices along. Creativity
middle of the night brainwaves!
is increasingly understood as a muscle
that needs regular flexing in order to
remain active.*

For starters, digital devices are a no-

no. The constant engagement and
distraction are one of the prime
hindrances to good old creativity.
Visual art is a great way to gear your
brain into innovation, be it painting,
drawing, knitting, pottery or even
cooking!

Start making this a regular practice in

your downtime and watch the results.

Source: Forbes
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Reflection on your

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creative session
Which creative activity did you choose to do?

How did you feel while doing it? Did the time pass quickly or slowly?

How do you feel now? Would you try this again? Are there any other
creative outlets you’d like to try in 2022?

"Creativity is inventing, experimenting,

growing, taking risks, breaking rules,
making mistakes, and having fun."

MARY-LOU COOK
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DAY 6 // CHALLENGE

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Define your personal goals

for 2023!
Before you dive in with the usual New Year’s resolutions, we’d like to let you in on
some #GoalHacks. Did you know that just setting a goal can improve your wellbeing,
regardless of whether or not you achieve it?* The more progress you make on your
goals, the better it gets!

We like the SMART method for setting goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable,
Realistic and Time-bound. For example, if your goal is to do yoga, how often will you
do it? Which days and for how long? How will you hold yourself accountable?

Is there anything you need before you begin? Which positions would you like to
perfect and by when? What else are you hoping to achieve through the practice? Use
the following page to define 5 SMART personal goals for 2023. They can be health
related, financial, relationship & interpersonal, educational, spiritual or psychological.

Source: Psychology Today

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My Personal Goals

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What are your 5 SMART personal goals?

Which one will be the biggest challenge? How do you plan to

accomplish it?

How do you hope these goals will impact your overall wellbeing?

“Don’t waste your energy trying to change opinions … Do your

thing, and don’t care if they like it.”

TINA FEY
Your 2023

vision board
Use this page to create your 2023 Vision Board, a visualisation of your
personal and professional goals to keep you motivated and act as a
subliminal reminder of your dreams and ambitions. You can use your
One-Page Strategic Plan as well as your personal goals as inspiration -
find images, draw and write quotes that relate to each of those goals
and get inspired to continue making progress.
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DAY 7 // CHALLENGE

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Draw Up a 1 Page Strategic Plan

for 2023!
"The one-page strategy allows business
leaders to boil everything down to its
simplest form and align it with core values,
purpose, a BHAG (big hairy audacious goal)
and action items." *

An effective one-page strategy can be

helpful to glance at your business with a
fresh perspective and to gain a new sense
of motivation, as well as keep up the
momentum and maintain focus on
overarching goals.

Use the template on the next page to

draft your OPSP, but continue to refine it
as your plan for 2023.

Source: Entrepreneur.com

p la tes via
ore tem
Find m plates
& T em
ls
the Too
!
section
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#OPSP

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One Page Strategic Plan

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What are your business’ core How will you measure success?
values/beliefs?

What is your business mission and What are your business’ strengths?
what are your 2023 goals? Where can you improve?

What action is required to What trends would you like to tap

accomplish your goals? into in 2023?

Who in your business is responsible

for these actions?

Bonus Challenge: Connect with a Mentor on the Xena community to get

expert insight into refining your OPSP and achieving your business goals.
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DAY 8 // CHALLENGE

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Plan your business
budget for2023
Although often tedious, understanding your business’ financial position is crucial to
making the right decisions for the future. Often overlooked in annual budgets is the
buffer - additional cash flow reserved for those unpredictable but unavoidable
expenses. Many female founders, particularly those that are self-employed, can
often blur the line between their personal and professional finances.

It’s important to make this distinction as soon as possible to avoid confusion and
potential penalties down the road. Keeping track of your budget throughout the year
is also crucial for planning ahead. If you under or over allocate budget to a particular
area, you can make the necessary adjustments to the following year’s budget.
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2023 Budget Planning

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KNOW YOUR NUMBERS

What was your overall income and expenditure in 2022? What do you
estimate it to be in 2023?

How can you increase your income? Are there new opportunities? New
service offerings? Getting expert insight? Growing your team? What
about applying for funding?

What may heighten your expenditure? Increased staff salaries? Increased

marketing? Outsourcing admin and accounting? Overhead increases?

Are there any areas you feel you could cut back on expenditure?

Do you have a buffer for emergencies or curveballs?

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DAY 9 // CHALLENGE

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Ladies, we've all heard the saying: "Dress for the job you want, not the job you have",
but did you know that the same applies for business owners? Oh yes, putting some
effort into the way you present yourself can unlock more success for your business!

You see, how we dress greatly impacts our confidence, how we think, and how
others perceive us in business. Ask yourself: What are you wearing right now, and
how is it making you feel? Chances are that like many other female founders, you ran
into the classic “nothing to wear” conundrums or put on the same ol’ outfit that
you’ve found comfort in, putting very little thought into how
you’re actually presenting yourself.

You’re not alone! With the pandemic hijacking our social lives over
the past 2 years and changing the way we work (did someone
say Work From Home?), many of us have abandoned any sort of
desire to dig through cluttered cupboards every morning for the
sake of fashion, especially with our endless to-do lists!

And that’s exactly why we'll be doing a Wardrobe Detox in the

next section, so that you can feel organised and confident
in your style, and level up your confidence as a female
business owner! Remember ladies, we’re not defined
by what we wear but when we honour ourselves, our
bodies and the need to express our identity, we
radiate a level of confidence and self-belief that
shines through!

"Style is a way to say who you

are without having to speak"
- Rachel Zoe
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Get ready to Dress for Success!

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Wardrobe Detox

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Take everything out
Remove everything, yes EVERYTHING, from your wardrobe. Grab 10 items at a
time and lay them on the bed. Look at the quality of each item and decide very
quickly whether you love it or if it needs to go. Ask yourself “Does this item of
clothing inspire me or bring me joy?”

Don’t hold on to occasion wear

The vast majority of occasion wear and evening dresses tend to look dated really
quickly. If the item isn't something you'd consider rewearing, consider selling or
donating it. Nowadays buying occasion wear for each event and wedding isn’t
even necessary. Look into rental services to avoid cluttering your wardrobe.

Keep clothes that fit you NOW

When it comes to clothes, we need to stop living in the past or the future. Our
bodies are constantly changing, and keeping items of clothing that don’t fit is
only adding negativity into your daily routine.

*Tip: We are not meant to fit into clothes. Clothes are supposed to fit our
bodies! Ditch the size bias and buy clothes that look flattering on you,
regardless of the measurements.
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Get ready to Dress for Success!

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Wardrobe Detox

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Consider a Capsule Wardrobe
Ah, the classic “nothing to wear” conundrum.
Do you struggle to decide what to wear
despite having tons of clothes in your
wardrobe? If your answer is yes, you’re not
alone. Many people with overstuffed closets
find it hard to come up with things they want
to wear throughout the day.

Creating a capsule wardrobe may be the

perfect solution! It’s a collection of
interchangeable fashion pieces that can be
mixed and matched to create daily
ensembles. The idea is to thoughtfully put
together a limited selection of clothes that
you love wearing and will reach for regularly.

The Final Step

Finished with your wardrobe detox? Consider
taking the leftover items to a charity shop.
Once those items have gone, you won’t miss
them. Let someone else love, treasure, and
enjoy them now.

shion mo ment at
A #Fa
2022
XenaCon
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DAY 10 // CHALLENGE

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Spend an hour of your day giving back to your

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Community
Social responsibility is no longer on the You can also offer up your skills or
shoulders of big corporations - small services at a reduced rate to help a
businesses are jumping on the bandwagon business owner in need, or even
and there are many reasons why. From spearhead a charity drive within your
engaging employees to building better local community.
customer relationships, and even being an
attractive eye catcher for potential Source: Entrepreneur.com
investors, giving back to the community is
mutually beneficial for your business, as
well as the greater local economy.*

While you may not yet have the resources

to make a grand donation, there are many
ways that you can make a difference
without breaking the bank. You could
donate a small percentage of sales to a
worthy cause, draw up a volunteer roster
for employees to get involved with local
charities.
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Reflection on

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Community service

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How did you choose to give back to your community today?

Would you do this again? Is there anything else you would like to do
to get more involved in social responsibility?

Can you name five things you are feeling grateful for?

“One never notices what has been

done; one can only see what
remains to be done.”

MARIE CURIE
 Moving Forward
"Behind every successful woman is a Our team of funding experts can guide
tribe of other successful women who you through the application process
have her back.” and you could receive your funds in as
little as 24 hours.
You’ve reset. You’ve refocused. You’ve
reactivated. You’re ready. Is 2023 your year to go big?
To conquer your goals and unleash your
We hope these 10 days of challenges inner Alpha? To empower your pack
have left you prepared and inspired for and forge sustainable growth? Then
the year ahead, in all aspects of your life you’re in the right place!
as a woman and Business Owner. We’re
sure that 2023 will bring forth its own We share your Vision.
unique set of challenges, but we remain We believe in your PowHER.
firm in our commitment to you, and the We See You.
future of South Africa’s female economy.
With Xena, you’ll never have to go it alone.

If you want to take 2023 by the horns and

gear your business for accelerated
growth, you can apply for data-driven,
network-enabled Business Funding for
Female Founders directly through the
Xena community!

xo's, Xena
Click here to interact on
the Xena Network
Extra Notes
"Make New Year's goals. Dig within, and
discover what you would like to have
happen in your life this year. This helps
you do your part. It is an affirmation that
you're interested in fully living life in the
year to come."

elody Beattie
M
AUTHOR | THE LANGUAGE OF LETTING GO

Connect with like-minded

Female Founders on the
Xena Network

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