Maintaining a work/life balance can be difficult for an overworked business owner. If you don’t feel like there are enough hours in the day, you may be required to make some significant changes to your lifestyle. Here are 7 tips to help business owners achieve a work/life balance:
Know Your Priorities
You need to decide what your priorities are at work and at home. What things at work can’t be completed without your involvement? Are there any difficult or demanding clients that require your full attention? Define what is work is important and what can wait.
You should also decide what your priorities are outside of the office. Focusing on your health and that of your family should be at the top of your list. Do you find yourself struggling to find the time to support your parents or elderly relatives? At Spectrumhealthcare.com, you can find companion care services, so you know your loved ones are well looked after.
Be Open to Change
The best business owners are open to change and new ideas. You may need to adapt your work schedule or how you work in order to achieve a work/life balance. It’s all about being flexible. You may need to work in the office some days and work from home on others. You may want to consider hiring office movers and finding a workspace in a building closer to home. There’s also the chance that working from 9 to 5 may not work for you. Try working during the hours you feel the most productive. If you do, you’re more likely to get things done quicker and have more free time.
Manage Your Time Efficiently
In order to spend more time with your family, you need to manage your time more efficiently. Create a schedule that includes work hours and family time. Creating a balance between the two things requires careful planning and sticking to that schedule. Get all the important work done first and spread the smaller jobs throughout the week. You can also use software to help you improve your productivity and performance, such as finmo and a project management system.
Delegate Tasks
As a business owner, you may feel like you have to juggle things to make sure the work is done properly. Don’t make the mistake of trying to do everything yourself. It’s okay to ask for help. You can outsource certain projects or ask a trustworthy employee to take on more responsibility. You can hire staff who are knowledgeable in specific fields or take some time to train existing employees to handle non-critical tasks and answer emails.
Schedule Time to Answer Emails
Answering emails can seem like a whole job on its own. Depending on the complexity of the questions you’re being asked in those emails, they may take hours to reply to. Dedicate some time in your schedule to answer important emails. The best times to answer them are first thing in the morning or at the end of the day. Instead of typing away on your phone at all hours of the day when you should be relaxing and spending time with your family, sit down and go through them in a dedicated workspace. It may take some discipline, but don’t let your emails distract you.
Schedule “You” Time
You need some time to yourself. Schedule in that time each week and set bet boundaries with your clients and staff. Be consistent with those boundaries, otherwise people will continue to reach out to you regarding every problem. Don’t feel guilty about having “you” time. You don’t have to be on call 24/7. “You” time can be on weekends, during meals, while taking public transport, and when you sleep. To help you fight the urge to check your phone for missed calls every few minutes, turn your phone off or put it on “do not disturb”.
Find a Way to Manage Stress
Maintaining a work/life balance can be stressful for business owners, and can lead to burnout. It’s easy to take all that stress out on your family and employees, so you need to find a way to manage it. Therapy is the best way to address your issues before they become a problem. Get out all your pent-up energy and frustrations with exercise, and consider taking up a new hobby.
Image Credits: Barbara Olsen
Like this article? Share with your friends!