Entrepreneurs and small business owners know all to well the perils of balancing personal and work life. If you feel like you are constantly walking along the tight rope, just waiting for that inevitable misstep where everything will come crashing down, breathe easy. It does not have to be like that. Following these steps will help you reclaim that delicate balance that you seek.
The Handcuffs of Independence
The great thing about the information age is how it has unlocked a series of new professions and business opportunities. Start-up costs are low and many times you can do the job from anywhere with an Internet connection. What seems like pure freedom and liberation from the 9-5, often turns out meaning longer work hours and a feeling of always being “on”. These new handcuffs of location independence can be tricky to navigate. That is all the more reason to establish clear boundaries between work and home. Just because you CAN check your email before going to bed does not mean you SHOULD. Real emergencies will find you. Set up some simple rules and stick to them.
The Illusion of Done
Much the same way that location independence can quickly turn against us, so too can the illusion of being done. If you are an entrepreneur or business owner, there exists in you a burning desire to get it all done. However, redefining your goals and how you go about achieving them can lead to a big boost in fulfillment and a rebalancing of home/work priorities. Work is never “done”. You send out one hundred emails before lunch, and you are done – until after lunch when you receive responses. Even an author writing a book is not “done” when he finished the last page. There exists a series of edits, then marketing strategies, meetings, and book tours. The point is, your goal should not be to get everything finished, but finish what is important. Stress levels peak because of a feeling of being rushed not being busy.
Energy Drains
Take stock of your personal life, work environment and tasks. Where are the energy drains? The things that sap you of the will to continue working; the things that deplete your power to make decisions and be creative? It is time to trim the fat. Can you remove any of these energy drains from your personal or work life? This is where it can really help to rethink outsourcing. You need not go as extreme as Tim Ferris did for his New York Times best seller The 4-Hour Workweek and outsource most of your daily tasks, but a little change could make a big difference. Stuck staying in on a weekend afternoon to do laundry, bring it to a drop-off center. It is more affordable than you may think. Is it cheaper to do it yourself- yes, of course. But ask yourself, “How much is my time worth?” Everything from home-cooked meals to virtual assistants can be had for surprisingly low prices. These menial tasks can be outsourced so that you have more time to do the things that you enjoy the most in life, and achieve a better work-life balance.
Define Success
Lastly, we all to often allow others to dictate our values and our self-worth. What does success look like to you? What will it feel like for you to achieve it? Ultimately you will be the one putting in the hard work and sacrifice to attain it, so what exactly do you want? I doubt an out of balance personal and work life is your goal. So take steps today to get yourself back in equilibrium.
What do you do to maintain work, life balance?
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