April Hicke, Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer at Toast, is on a mission to help entrepreneurs rethink self-care. Throughout her journey, April Hicke has experienced the highs and lows of being an entrepreneur, battling moments of triumph alongside feelings of burnout. Her message is clear: the commonly marketed version of self-care is not enough. As April Hicke reflects on her personal and professional life, she emphasizes that real self-care is not about indulgence or escape but about setting boundaries and making intentional choices that nurture well-being.
April Hicke’s LinkedIn post offers a candid glimpse into her personal struggles with self-care as she navigates the demands of growing Toast, a thriving company. “Somedays I’m like okay I got this,” she admits, sharing how on some days she feels on top of the world—eating well, working out, and getting enough sleep. But on other days, April Hicke finds herself searching for answers to health issues, dealing with symptoms of burnout, and struggling to maintain balance. These moments of uncertainty led her to realize the importance of redefining what self-care truly means in the context of a fast-paced entrepreneurial lifestyle.
At a Toast Summit event, Roselle M. Gonsalves, PhD, delivered a profound insight that shifted April Hicke’s understanding of self-care: “Self-care as it’s marketed to us today is actually just self-soothing.” This concept resonated deeply with April Hicke, who recognized that no amount of spa visits or wellness treatments could calm her nervous system if she wasn’t addressing the core issues—namely, boundaries. For April Hicke, true self-care goes beyond quick fixes. It’s about taking responsibility for one’s well-being and enforcing the boundaries necessary to thrive both personally and professionally.
April Hicke’s journey toward embracing authentic self-care started with practical changes in her daily routine. One of her biggest revelations was realizing that self-care is about creating space for oneself, even when it means saying no. As she explains, self-care is “saying no to coffee chats so that I can focus on growing Toast,” or “not answering texts because I’m on the floor playing lego with my kids.” These moments of intentional presence and focus are, for April Hicke, the essence of self-care. They allow her to prioritize what truly matters while still nurturing her business and her family life.
As a leader and entrepreneur, April Hicke has found that protecting her time and energy is essential to success. For her, self-care means “being very crazily protective of my calendar.” She is proactive about blocking off time for important life events, like her kids’ first day of school, and scheduling time for reflection and mental health support. By organizing her life in a way that aligns with her values and priorities, April Hicke ensures that she can show up fully for both her company and her family.
April Hicke’s perspective on self-care extends beyond the individual. In her post, she acknowledges the importance of hustle, grit, and hard work in achieving success. But she is quick to point out that these traits are not sustainable without practicing true self-care. “We simply cannot show up in our most productive, creative, collaborative way if we aren’t practicing true self-care,” she writes. This realization has become a guiding principle for April Hicke as she continues to grow Toast while maintaining her own health and well-being.
One of the most striking aspects of April Hicke’s approach to self-care is her honesty about the difficulty of enforcing boundaries. She openly shares how anxiety about unread messages and constant notifications can overwhelm her, making it challenging to stay grounded. To combat this, April Hicke made the deliberate choice to remove social media and news apps from her phone, mute emails, and set time limits for work-related notifications. These steps, while simple, have allowed her to create the mental space necessary to focus on what’s important and reduce the stress of constant digital engagement.
April Hicke’s commitment to self-care is also evident in how she plans for the future. Rather than reacting to burnout after it happens, she proactively schedules quiet time during busy seasons. By looking ahead and identifying when her workload will increase, she ensures that she has the mental and emotional bandwidth to handle the pressure. For instance, as she prepares for a busy September and October, April Hicke is already carving out time for rest and recovery. This forward-thinking approach to self-care helps her maintain balance and avoid the burnout that can derail productivity and creativity.
Beyond her personal journey, April Hicke’s message about self-care serves as a powerful reminder to other entrepreneurs and leaders. In an age where hustle culture is often glorified, April Hicke offers a refreshing perspective: working hard is important, but it’s equally important to take care of oneself. For her, success is not just about growing Toast or checking off items on her to-do list. It’s about showing up as her best self, both at work and at home, by making self-care a priority.
As summer winds down, April Hicke continues to focus on self-care by spending time in areas without cell service, prioritizing family moments, and tackling her work goals for Toast with clarity and purpose. Her dedication to creating a sustainable balance between work and life is an inspiring example of how entrepreneurs can redefine success by embracing authentic self-care. April Hicke’s journey shows that true self-care is not about indulgence, but about making intentional, often difficult, choices that protect your well-being and allow you to thrive in all areas of life.
April Hicke’s reflections on self-care offer a valuable lesson for anyone navigating the demands of entrepreneurship. Her willingness to prioritize boundaries, mental health, and family time demonstrates that success does not have to come at the expense of personal well-being. By rethinking self-care and embracing a holistic approach to growth, April Hicke is setting an example for leaders everywhere—reminding us all that taking care of ourselves is the first step to achieving greatness in both business and life.
