How to create work/life balance when running a business
If you're a small business owner, and you're reading this, then chances are you're working 24/7. I know this because I too am a small business owner who is working 24/7. The difference between us though? While it may seem like we both work all the time and never rest, that's not true for me at all.
In fact, I have my own unique way of maintaining balance in my life as both a business owner and also as a mother. So if you're wondering how on earth I do it all without going crazy or burning out? Well here's your answer:
What does work/life balance mean to you?
You already know what work/life balance means to you, but let’s take a minute to clarify what it is not. Work/life balance is not working overtime just because you can, and it certainly isn’t burning yourself out in pursuit of some arbitrary goal. Instead, work/life balance means setting aside time for both work and personal activities without feeling guilty about either one. When your schedule allows for adequate breaks from business tasks and responsibilities, the quality of your work will improve—and so will your health overall!
So how do we get started on creating our own perfect balance?
You don't need to be working 24/7 to be successful.
You don't need to be working 24/7 to be successful.
I know that if I was running a business, I would feel like I needed to work all the time. But this isn't true. You can still be successful and have a life outside of work by taking time off once in a while and saying no sometimes too!
It's okay to take a break from your business. It's also okay for you to relax, spend time with your family, and do things that aren't related at all with running the business (or even remotely related).
Don't take it all on.
You don't have to do everything yourself. There are plenty of people who can help you, and it's a good idea to ask for their help when you need it.
Don't be afraid to delegate tasks that aren't essential for your business. You don't want to waste time on things that don't matter, so get rid of the ones that do!
Don't take on more than you can handle. This is an important tip because it will help prevent burnout and stress in the long run, by letting you focus on what actually matters: running your business
Prioritise your health.
Prioritising your health and wellbeing is an important part of creating a work life balance. Maintaining a healthy body, mind and spirit will help you to focus on your business without getting burnt out.
It is important to make time for yourself so that you can get the most out of your working day. Taking regular breaks from work can help you stay focused and productive throughout the day, as well as clearing your mind after a stressful period of time focusing on business. Some examples of how this might look include:
An hour’s yoga session each morning before starting work
Taking a walk at lunchtime or during the afternoon where possible
Having set times in the day that are dedicated solely to reading, journalling or doing something that uplifts your inner state.
Make time for yourself.
A business is a lot of work. It can be hard to take a break, but it's important that you do. If you're working all day, every day, and never taking time for yourself, your business will suffer in the long run. If you feel like you need to take some time off from your business or even just make sure that it isn't taking over your life, here are some tips:
Spend time with friends and family—Your friends and family are always there for us when we need them most. We often forget about them during busy times because we're focused on our businesses and don't want to bother them with our problems or stressors. Once in awhile though (or maybe even every week), spend some quality time with those close people in your life—they'll appreciate it!
Do things that make you happy—You may be thinking “but I'm not really good at anything except running my company” but if there's something else that brings pleasure into your life then do it! For example: baking cookies; reading romance novels; playing video games; meditating/praying…the list goes on and on!
Cut out the things that don't work.
If you're looking for a quick way to improve your work life balance, try cutting out the things that don't work.
Whether it's an old habit or something more formal, there are certain things that can really sap your energy and make it hard to focus on what matters. These might include:
Trying to do everything yourself without delegating tasks/managing people
Being too rigid about your schedule (for example, having set hours)
Not taking breaks or giving yourself time away from work
If a feature isn’t making you money or moving your business forward, it’s time to cut it loose.
In order for you to have a work life balance, it's important that your business is making money and growing. That being said, you can't be afraid to make sacrifices when necessary. As much as we all love our pet projects and side projects, if they aren't bringing in revenue or moving the needle in some way for the business then it's time to cut them loose.
If you're having trouble getting something done or making progress on something then stop what you're doing and reevaluate your plan of action before continuing on down that road any further. It might be time to cut a feature loose (or even find another project) if it isn’t working out as planned.
Comparison is the root of all misery.
Don’t compare yourself to others or put unnecessary pressure on yourself. You will never be able to compete with the likes of Zuckerberg, Jobs and Gates, so don’t even try! You can only worry about what you can control and do your best in that regard. Trust me, I know how this feels because I did exactly this when starting out as an entrepreneur and it was incredibly stressful.
Don’t try and be perfect - nobody ever is! Instead focus on doing your best work at all times, even if it means making mistakes along the way (which will happen). Just remember: “Mistakes are teachers; but only if we are willing learners." - John Wooden
Don't be afraid of failure: As Henry Ford said: “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again more intelligently." So embrace failure as part of life because without it there would be no success either!
Give yourself a break.
It's important to give yourself a break from work. Try to do something you enjoy, whether that's going for a walk or cooking dinner with your partner. You can also try getting away from the city by going somewhere else in nature, such as the beach or the mountains. If you love the water, make time for the beach. Whatever floats your boat, do it.
Be aware of how you spend your time
Being aware of how you spend your time is a great first step in making sure you take care of yourself. This includes knowing when to say no and being honest with yourself about whether or not the things that are getting in the way of your personal life are actually important.
For example, if you find that meetings are constantly taking up all of your day, then maybe it's time to introduce some new processes so that these meetings can be shorter or more efficient. Or if clients keep coming in with requests for work outside of their contract, then perhaps it's time to tell them that they need to pay extra for additional work (which will also give them an opportunity to see if they really want this extra work).
It's also important not just within a day but over weeks and months as well—do you find yourself constantly checking email at night? If this is true then there might be some changes needed in terms of how often people should be reaching out and asking questions via email versus other methods like phone calls or messaging through social media channels like Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp (though these aren't always appropriate depending on who the person is asking).
People are more likely to support you when you give them the opportunity to help you.
It’s important to remember that you are not alone. You will never be alone. There is always someone who can help you, even if it's just a simple tweet or phone call. People love being involved in the lives of others and feel appreciated when they can contribute something small, but meaningful.
In addition, creating a work-life balance for yourself may result in feeling more energised and happy overall because your mind will feel clearer from the time spent away from work-related tasks and responsibilities.
Make sure that you give people the opportunity to help you out! This will only make them happier—and once they see how appreciative you are for their assistance, they might offer even more support than originally planned!
Know your priorities, and prioritise them differently.
The first thing to do is to figure out how you want to prioritise your life. There are a few different ways that you can go about doing this, but here are some ideas:
Prioritise your health and wellbeing
Prioritise your family and friends
Prioritise your business
Prioritise hobbies/passions that give you a creative outlet for all that pent-up energy you have from running a business (this is the one I'm focusing on)
Prioritise mental health (this should be at the very top of all of these lists!)
Develop a routine and stick with it
Developing a routine is just as important for your mental health as it is for your physical health. It takes the guesswork out of your day, which allows you to focus on other tasks at hand.
There are many ways to develop a routine, but here’s an easy way to start: Write down everything you do throughout your workday in a journal for two weeks straight and then analyse what tasks take up more time than others. From there, look at the list and decide if any of these items can be delegated or automated—if so, do so! If something isn’t directly related to running your business (like reading social media comments), consider letting go of it altogether. You should only focus on those things that bring value back into YOUR life and YOUR business—not necessarily theirs.
It's ok to take time off once in a while.
It’s important to take time off once in a while. It’s easy to feel guilty about taking time off, but it can actually be good for you and your business. Taking regular breaks will help you stay productive and focused on the task at hand.
Here are some ways to make sure that your time off is as refreshing as possible:
Plan ahead by setting aside two days every week where you turn off all notifications and don’t look at your phone or computer screen until the next morning. You might want to try something like this during the weekend if you typically work long hours during weekdays.
If possible, find a way to work from home so that you can still get work done but still have some quiet time away from everyone else as well (if there is no other way for this then try finding ways of making extra money online). This doesn't just mean being able to spend more time with family either!
You were born to make a difference, so don't let anything or anyone hold you back. When you feel like you need to take some time off from your business, do it! There’s nothing wrong with taking a few days off every now and then.
In conclusion: Success isn't about working more than everyone else; it's about working smarter and living healthier. And if that means making some sacrifices along the way? Well, so be it! It's all about balance—for your mind, body and soul—and finding what works for you as an individual (not just following someone else's path). So if this article helped get your brain going on some ideas of how to achieve work/life balance in 2023? Then I've done my job well :)