As a business owner, there are times that you may find yourself as an “always-on, always-available, always-connected” entrepreneur that will make you feel like you’re working hard but not getting ahead. Moreover, you’re also prone to experience all sorts of being overwhelmed and stressed out more than ever before.
Of course, there is nothing wrong with wanting your business to succeed. Still, when that becomes your primary focus, you may lose sight of other important priorities, such as your health and personal relationships.
And believe it or not, the most successful leaders and achievers focus on what they want, which includes having a long-term perspective and finding a work-life balance that works for them.
So, are you ready to get more control over your day? Take a look at the essential tips we will discuss in this blog post to strike a work-life balance when managing your business.
But first, we will briefly go over what work-life balance means and its positive effects.
Keep reading until the end!
What is work-life balance?
Ideally, it is a state of equilibrium between an individual’s professional and personal priorities. It’s also prioritizing your work time equally as much as time for your health, well-being, interest, family and relationships.
However, in reality, the word “work-life balance” can be hard to define, as what this balance looks like may be different from one person to another.
For instance, some may view work-life balance as being able to work a flexible schedule to prioritize caregiving duties, while for others, it means stopping working at five o’clock sharp every day and spending the rest of the evening pursuing personal interests.
But to simply put it, a good work-life balance is having a state of harmony in different areas of your life.
The positive effects of balancing work and personal life include:
- Lower risk of burnout
- Less stress
- Increased creativity and productivity
- Greater sense of well-being
- Higher retention rate
Top 10 Work-Life Balance Tips for Business Owners
TIP #1: Set your priorities
According to Stephen Covey, the key is not to prioritise what’s on your schedule but to schedule your priorities.
You can start by listing your daily priorities apart from work. Carefully think about what you would like to include in your day. It could mean exercise, hobbies, family time, good sleep, and anything else that matters to you. This way, you can ensure your work gets done, but you won’t take the other aspects that make you feel balanced for granted.
Being mindful of your daily priorities will help you set reasonable boundaries for yourself and keep your burnout at bay.
TIP #2: Delegate other tasks while you focus on your core strengths
In most cases, business owners tend to be a jack of all trades that wear many hats of responsibilities, but the truth is, you don’t have to do it all. Really! So learn to do what you’re good at and delegate where you can.
You can hire skilled experts from business process outsourcing companies (BPO) to manage a certain project for you or a part of your company’s operations. For example, website design outsourcing to handle your business’ website or recruitment process outsourcing for the human resource management of your company. It can take many forms, but at the end of the day, it all leads to one point where the help of outsourcing services makes it possible for you and your business to be cost-effective, combat stress and achieve a better work-life balance.
Likewise, this also applies to your personal life. If you’re a parent working from home with your children around, you don’t have to try to be the perfect worker and parent simultaneously. Ask for help. Delegate the tasks whenever you need them.
TIP #3: Establish your working hours and stick to them
Setting boundaries is still vital, despite technology making it easier for people now to stay connected at work, even when not at the office.
According to a report by The University College London, you’re at a greater risk of health issues like heart disease if you spend long work hours at your business than people who work the standard 7-8 hours a day.
So learn to establish your working hours and be committed to sticking to them. After all, you are still a human that needs absolute rest. Don’t feel tethered to your work 24/7.
TIP #4: Learn to say “no” to excessive work
Whether you’ve just launched your startup or have been in business for years, knowing when to say “no” can prevent you from taking on more workload than what is currently on your plate.
For one, you can always look at your current client list to identify which ones boost your stress levels and drain your energy too much. Then, respectfully tell them that you can’t take on their business right now.
As a business owner, remember that declining when you don’t have any time and energy to take on an extra workload is salient to strive for a more balanced lifestyle.
TIP #5: Prioritise your physical and mental health
When there is an underlying belief that one must always be productive, it’s easy to deprioritize your own health and overlook the importance of self-care. But if you go too many days without taking care of your health, pause and prioritise self-care. Being healthy will help you show up better at work and in your personal life.
Do whatever suits your needs that will get you back to your healthy point. Read a book. Listen to your favourite songs. Eat healthy meals. Exercise regularly. Get enough sleep. Call in sick on days you’re feeling rough. Take a mental health day. Have a minute to meditate and self-introspection.
TIP #6: Take breaks during work
You can boost workplace creativity and maintain employee retention by encouraging breaks during work. Whether it’s getting up from your desk for a stretch, eating your lunch or taking a short walk and coffee break, finding time to take breaks throughout your workday agenda can help you and your employees get work more done.
TIP #7: Unplug once in a while
Unplugging technology can be very hard in this seemingly incessant, fast-paced world where hustle culture is relentlessly ablaze. But becoming increasingly obsessed with staying connected will make you burnt out and sacrifice your health and well-being.
Take the sign to unplug yourself every once in a while to reset your energy. This momentous break will allow your mind to stop being in a constant “doing” mode. Disconnect from the constant barrage of notifications and the daily stress to make space for ideas and creativity.
TIP #8: Get out & reconnect with nature
Nothing beats the healing, restoring, and soothing feeling nature renders to people. As a business owner, you inevitably spend most of your days exposed to an unpleasant toxic environment, and the best solution is to hunch yourself over a serene change of scenery. Being one with nature will make you feel emotionally better and help you come back feeling more refreshed and empowered to tackle your challenges.
TIP #9: Focus on achieving results
You may get a false productivity high just because you’ve completed many different things in one day. But how much of that work creates maximum impact?
Instead of doing as much as you can every day, consider diverting your energy to valuable results. Work on the most critical things on your task list. It could mean doing only two things in one day, and if successfully finished, it will be fulfilling. It can also help you feel “at peace” at the end of the day and enjoy your personal time guilt-free.
TIP #10: Take it slow
Last from our given tips is not letting your attempts to work-life balance improvement achieve everything in one day.
Don’t pressure yourself. You can begin with one of those techniques to change an aspect of your life. And once everything feels normal, work your way up and incorporate something new.
By taking things slowly, assure you’ll be much more likely to succeed.
Conclusion
Although there’s no exact formula to finding work-life balance, as everyone has their own unique set of struggles and ways of defining it, following the tips above will help you and your employees remain happy, healthy and perpetually productive. So, make the most of them that work best for your needs. Thank you for reading!
Guest article written by: Experience a balanced lifestyle with The Lead Enquiry. We are a proven and excellent outsourcing marketplace that can connect you to the right BPO service provider to help you focus on the other areas of your life while staying productive at work.