7 Tips to Create a Work-Life Balance as an Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurship is not easy. It comes with its own share of complexities and responsibilities. Solving problems, Facing challenges, budgeting, people management, and so on are an integral part of entrepreneurship. An entrepreneur needs to work on multiple tasks at a time. This versatility undoubtedly gives great satisfaction but can also prove to be harmful for overall well-being if not executed correctly. Since the number of tasks on to-do list of entrepreneurs is enormous, the time and energy required to complete the task on the list is also enormous. Amidst this hustle, entrepreneurs can easily lose the work-life balance. Once the work-life balance is lost, there is a risk of losing fitness, mental health, relations etc. easily in life.

Below are 7 tips to help create a work-life balance as an entrepreneur:

Avoiding the Trap of Perfectionism:

We all want to be perfect in whatever we do. Especially when it comes to growing the business, perfectionism is seen as a necessary evil. However, the truth is- it is not.

Perfection comes with practice. However, there is no shortcut to practice. A definite and minimum timeframe is required to complete that practice. Also, the brain takes some time to settle things into memory. In short, working longer hours will not make entrepreneurs perfect overnight. Moreover, there is no “perfection” since there is always scope for improvement.

Hence, a work-life balance with the unnecessary struggle to gain perfection quickly cannot co-exist.

Learning to Say No to Opportunities Not Related to Goals:

Entrepreneurs cannot be people pleasers. It is their decisive actions which distinguish them from the rest. The confident choices of entrepreneurs ultimately lead them to success.

On the other hand, the world is full of opportunities. When the desire to do something is very strong, opportunities to execute the action manifest themselves. There is no limit to opportunities and opportunities will always be there. However, it is important to identify which opportunity aligns with the goal of business in the long term. The ability to filter the useful ones and reject the unrelated options is what will help achieve work-life balance for entrepreneurs.

Segregating Work Based on Priority and Importance

Entrepreneurs have a huge to-do list. It is tough to strike out all the tasks from the to-do list as per the plan. A lot of times, some tasks need to be finished ahead of others. Few can be delayed.

Hence, it is important to determine which tasks need to be completed on priority and which ones are not important. If any task is not important, it can be eliminated. If elimination is not possible it could be delegated to others. Important tasks deserve the focus of entrepreneurs.

Blocking Calendar For Me-Time:

Appointments, meetings and calls constitute the everyday calendar of entrepreneurs. The remaining slots on the calendar are utilized to complete other tasks. Towards the end of the day or week, entrepreneurs might feel that they never had time for themselves. Unfortunately, few entrepreneurs realize it after a couple of years.

So, how to make time for oneself? The easiest way is to block the calendar for me-time. Me-time can include pursuing hobbies, spending time with family or friends, watching movies, reading books etc. When these activities will be on the calendar, they will happen.

Taking Breaks During Workhours

Continuously working without any breaks takes a toll on productivity. This is because human mind can concentrate on a task only for a limited amount of time- 30 minutes for most of us. The work done with this focus is actually when the maximum work gets done. To get the attention back, it is important to take breaks.

When breaks are utilized for better purpose, overall productivity increases manifolds. Breaks could be utilized to complete certain small tasks like folding clothes, arranging desk or for exercises like walking or stretching.

Planning the Goals Along with Timelines

A well-planned strategy leads to a successful business. Planning is crucial for any business to grow. However, often entrepreneurs tend to overestimate the capabilities of the team and take a lot on their plate. Sometimes, it is alright to take on a lot of tasks because at times, it is unavoidable. To cater to the business needs, certain tasks need to be performed. However, the catch here is that entrepreneurs often tend to miss the timeline as to how long the tasks will take to complete.

This leads to making them work overtime. Hence, for a work-life balance it is essential to estimate the timeline of completion of tasks and acting accordingly. Once in a while, it is alright to extend and work if required; however, this should not become a routine in the long run. At the same time, it is equally important to stick to these timelines to accomplish all the goals.

Leaving Work at Workplace

This rule is not only applicable to entrepreneurs but to employees as well. The stress of work, office politics, gossips of colleagues should be left at office and not be brought back home. At home, the time, attention and energy should be for self and family.

For those entreprenuers, who work remotely or from home, the space cannot be physical boundary but time can be. The discipline of inculcating the habit of stopping work after time is up will bring significant difference in the life of entrepreneurs.

It is important to have work life balance. It is necessay to experience that freedom of time and place. After all one of the reasons for stating the business was this.