How to make sure your work-life balance is good when starting your own business
It is very difficult to find time when running your own business, let alone when only launching it to life. Start-up owners have incredibly busy schedules, with a lot of responsibilities, tasks and problems to take care, which often results in dedicating almost all of their time to business for years.
This work-life misbalance cannot result in a sustainable healthy and happy lifestyle. Let’s take a look at how it can be avoided.
Set Boundaries
It is understandable that with having your own business, you need to be reachable almost always. However, it doesn’t mean there should be no limits.
Create a set of rules and guidelines as to how you structure your life around your business. It can be something as basic as no phone calls or business-related meetings after 8pm or Sundays being completely business-free and yourself being off-limits to everyone.
Rules Are Rules
Just as you would set boundaries for your partners and customers, you need to set rules for yourself. It is easy to break them by turning up to work on Sunday because “it is an exception” or take a late night phone call because “it is just this one time”.
Ultimately, it is up to you, but do you work to live or do you live to work?
Avoid Unnecessary Firefighting
When it comes to managing a start-up, unforeseen situations and emergencies are inevitable. However, before setting out fixing and solving the emergency situations, define what qualifies as an “emergency”. Failure to do so will turn your life in constant stress and negate the first two points of this blog.
Consistency Is Key
Creating boundaries and contingency plans is not just something you do for a short while and go back to your old ways of running the business. It has to become a lifestyle, not just an objective to reduce stress and workload for a couple of weeks. Stick to it.
Take Breaks
Business is important, but so is your personal time. You can’t enjoy life outside of business without focusing on it and investing at least some time into it. Take a week or two off, go on holidays, concentrate on a hobby, and enjoy life. Create a schedule and stick to it. Be careful and considerate when planning your week/month out and try to find the best balance between work and rest.
By creating a good work-life balance, not only will you get rid yourself of constant stress and overwhelming schedules, but become a happier, more successful business-owner.