Rest, Routine, and Reconnecting: Prayer and Self-care as a Catholic Businesswoman

“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves” (Matthew 11:28-29).

We recently published an article on rest that used as its premise Bishop Barron’s definition of rest as “right praise.” To help illustrate what this rest of right praise looks like in the day-to-day life of Catholic women in business, I interviewed two businesswomen.

My first interviewee is Elise Crawford Gallagher, a co-founder and co-president of Catholic Women in Business and the founder and creator of Ringlet, a marketing, design, and brand management agency by women, for women. I also spoke with Lauren Rothlisberger, an Army spouse and creator of www.dailycurator.co.

Here are Elise’s and Lauren’s perspectives on the role of rest in their lives as Catholic businesswomen.

What would you say are the biggest obstacles to rest in your life as a Catholic woman in business?

Elise:

“I run two businesses, so at any given moment throughout the day, at least one of my 16 team members needs something from me, whether that’s reviewing a client’s social media feed, planning out our 2020 goals, or resolving a client issue. I am constantly on Slack, email, or social media, so my attention is always in a million different directions. It takes a lot of discipline to practice focus and presence throughout my day. Throughout the day, I bring myself into the Lord’s presence by asking Him for his Spirit, guidance, and words when I need them.”

Lauren:

“I think the biggest obstacle is that there is always work to be done. It feels like time should always be well spent, and it is hard to remember that ‘well-spent’ time can be in rest. I lived in Germany for years, and they still have a culture that treats Sunday like a day of rest. I certainly saw the value in that, but even still, the pull of being a wife, mother, and businesswoman always created a struggle for me. However, when I gave in and put things in the right order, it always turned out to be time well spent.”

Are there any things you have found helpful in restoring your relationship with God or reconnecting with Him during busy times?

Elise:

“Routines keep me sane. Every morning, I wake up before my husband and set aside alone time with myself and God. Some mornings, I attend daily Mass at my local parish. Some mornings, I pray the Divine Mercy chaplet. Others, I journal. This is my sacred 20 to 30 minutes where I am disconnected from technology and not beholden to anyone except the Lord.

“I also really try to prioritize self care, which for me means exercise, prayer, once-a-month massages, and therapy. These components allow for me to find peace of heart and growth in my physical, emotional, and spiritual health.”

Lauren:

“I have to constantly remind myself that 10 minutes a day to devote to prayer and meditation is just a small sliver of the day. More recently I have been ‘offering up’ the time spent doing things I don’t really want to do. Caring for a family includes a lot of tasks that are monotonous and tiring. Offering up this small bit of ‘suffering’ (OK, a little bit of a stretch) helps me keep perspective and reminds me that I am not alone in these tasks.”

If you could offer one piece of advice to a Catholic woman starting a business, what would it be?

Elise:

“Just start! I speak with a lot of women who are thinking about starting a business or turning their side hustle into their full-time work. Many women are afraid when just starting out, and rightfully so, because entrepreneurship can be scary! However, you can’t put the horse before the cart. Have courage, and just put something out into the world.

“It may not be perfect, no one might buy from you for the first few months, and your first service or product might be horrible. Who cares? Put something out there and get feedback, learn from your customers, and reiterate. Business is about constantly evolving. You can’t evolve if you don’t begin.

“Hedge your downside, be smart about your finances, and go for it!”

Lauren:

“It is a marathon, not a sprint. It is so easy to start prioritizing business tasks above everything else. You have to draw the lines and maintain your priorities. You can quickly find yourself disconnecting from what is most important to you with ‘urgent’ distractions.”

Which saint would you most like to have as a co-worker?

Elise:

“Dr. Gianna Mola! As a married mother of four, physician, and entrepreneur, I would have loved to hear how she approached daily life, routines, and prayer.”

Lauren:

“I have to go with my confirmation saint on this one — Joan of Arc. While there are so many amazing saints out there, the spirit of St. Joan of Arc would be quite a sight in the office. Even just a sliver of her fearless passion thrown at a few simple tasks would surely make the entire environment better!”

Elise, you’re in D.C., a city near and dear to my heart. Is there anything about living and working in the nation’s capital that makes rest especially difficult?

Elise:

“Everyone in this city works 24/7. Because it is our nation’s capital, usually, major governmental changes are happening down the street each day. It’s a fast-paced city. It’s so easy to get caught up in the daily grind and eventually burn out. My husband loves camping and hiking, so we try to escape to Maryland or Virginia for time outdoors as often as possible.”

Elise Crawford, CEO and founder of Ringlet, oversees all client projects, including email marketing, social media, events, and different partnerships. When she isn’t working at Fostr Collaborative on all things Ringlet you can find Elise at her favorite coffee shop or at home with her husband.

Lauren Rothlisberger is a Catholic, a Mom to four kids and a milspouse minivan driver. She focuses on time and project management for those navigating the interwoven timelines of work and life. Lauren believes in building out your week and curating targets for each day. You can find her resources at www.dailycurator.co.

Maggie Phillips is a freelance writer and military spouse with three small children and an incredibly patient husband. Follow her work at mrsmaggiephillips.com and on Instagram at @maggies_words.