Any entrepreneur who’s been at it awhile knows it’s all too easy to let your business take over your entire life. Because there’s always more on your to-do list than any human can get done in a day (or possibly even a lifetime).
But unless you find ways of creating a bit of that elusive work/life balance, chances are you won’t last long owning your own business. Or at the very least you’ll be very unhappy doing it. Because you simply cannot work 60-80 hours a week, month after month, without burning out.
To help you become a successful AND happy entrepreneur, I recently solicited tips from more than 100 experts on productivity, time management, business/life balance, mindset and more. Below are a few more I thought were worth sharing. Enjoy!
Schedule your leisure and family time.
“Some entrepreneurs are so immersed in their businesses and are such slaves to their blackberries that they can never find time for "life". For many people like this, the best way to begin to tackle that problem is literally to SCHEDULE your leisure and family activities so the time is blocked out, i.e.: Mon – Fri 6 – 7 pm family dinner Thursday 5 pm – mani/pedi Sat. 1 – 4 pm, art museum w/ kids Sun. 5 pm call parents Like that, or they will never make space in their day. Sounds a little nuts, but it works.”
Lizzy Shaw, Owner/President – Lizzy Shaw Public Relations http://www.lizzyshawpr.com/
The best way to maintain business/life balance is to stay organized.
“The best way to maintain business/life balance is to stay organized. If you can get to the office and work effectively, you can leave when you need to with peace of mind that your day was productive. I write a list before I get to work so that I'm prepared and know what my day will hold. I try to avoid getting side tracked and I work hard to stay on task. There are always things that come up when you run a business, but referring back to the list gets me back on track.”
Deborah Sweeney, CEO – My Corporation http://www.mycorporation.com/
To avoid personal/professional burn-out, you must compartmentalize.
“There's no such thing as an underworked small business owner. You put your career on the line daily; you're predisposed to care about every detail of every issue. But to avoid personal/professional burn-out, you must compartmentalize. Billing and collecting aren't the best parts of the job, but you have to do them. Marketing and filling the pipeline may not show immediate results, but without them your business stalls. Be GREAT at delivering your product or service first, but then make time to be good at everything else as well.”
Cheryl Heisler, President – Lawternatives Career Consulting www.lawternatives.com
Get an iPad!
“While growing a successful startup over the past four years this tip has started to reverse the effects of my countless 80 hour work weeks in the past. Are you ready for the tip? Ditch the home computer and get an iPad. Seriously. It forces you to prioritize what you can accomplish in and out of the office. As a result, it empowers you to spend more time, less distracted, with what matters the most, your family.”
Paul Burke, CEO – TicketDerby, Inc. http://www.ticketderby.com/
You have got to start putting your "Life" before business…
“You have got to start putting your "Life" before business, or you will always be spinning your wheels, thinking "If only…….., then everything will be okay" —————-the universe will not cooperate with you if your head is in the wrong place. You take care of business, but you absolutely make sure you are giving an appropriate amount of time to your "life" which certainly, I hope, consists of a lot more than the "office or shop". The better you will feel about your own life, the better your business will shape up……….the business does not run you – you run the business”
Harris Glasser
What do you think about these tips? Got more to add? Please do share by leaving a comment below…
