Striking proper work-life balance is extremely important for the long-term success of an entrepreneur. Mentioned below are a few simple things you can do to achieve and maintain a work-life balance.
There is no denying the fact that entrepreneurship can sometimes be exhilarating and may appear to be exasperating at the very next moment. Some days, you may feel empowered enough to take on the world. However, in some other days, everything may appear to be falling apart. In a nutshell, being an entrepreneur can be emotionally draining and your efforts to find the correct rhythm between work and life can be tricky. Going through the daily grind of work, eat, sleep, and repeat can impact any individual’s mental, as well as physical wellbeing.
The latest research reveals that compared to a lower-level manager, the likelihood of suffering from depression is 30% more in the case of an entrepreneur. There is no fixed working hour for an entrepreneur and they often work late into the night. Making things worse, this work schedule often has a negative impact on their family lives and relationships. Unless there is a conscious effort to achieve and maintain the correct work-life balance, entrepreneurship can cause some serious damage to an individual.
If you are an entrepreneur struggling with your work-life balance, here are few tips you can try out to turn things around.
First and foremost, learn to deal with stress and don’t allow stress to take over your life. A lot of entrepreneurs are found to be severely affected by stress over matters such as sales, deadlines, future cash flows, and many more. Learn to let go the things that you have no control over. This will improve your overall quality of life, and help you focus on finding solutions rather than worrying.
Correct prioritization is another area where many entrepreneurs tend to go wrong. If your daily work schedule has more than what you can complete, prioritization is your lifesaver. Look at the larger picture and focus on jobs that are more important for your success in the long-run. Please remember that as the head of the organization, you can’t afford to spend time on anything and everything around you. Instead, try to spend your time on things that need your participation or intervention.
Many entrepreneurs consider business as a sign of their success. However, being busy without making a positive difference to the business can make things dull and boring in no time. Therefore, avoid taking pride in being ‘busy’ and say no to certain things that are not related to your business goals. This will free-up valuable time for you to focus on things that you love as an individual.
Create a daily routine that works best for you and helps you manage time for things that are important for you. With this routine, you will find it much easier to set your priorities, keep track of your goals, and limit procrastination.
Achieving the right work-life balance may also involve making certain lifestyle changes. These small steps will help you avoid serious burnout and improve the overall quality of your life. Some of these changes include waking up early to avoid feeling rushed in the morning, switching to a healthier diet, exercising in the morning, becoming more technology savvy, etc.
Ignoring the needs of the family is another common problem faced by many entrepreneurs around the world. Taking time to look after the family and its emotional needs can work wonders towards achieving a healthy work-life balance. For example, spend some time with your kids in the evening discussing the latest NBA match. If you have elderly parents, talk to them regularly to understand their health issues. You may also seek help from Caring Advisor or any other elder care facility in your area.
