Life-Work Balance: The Road Less Traveled
So you’ve got a business idea, and you’re ready to go solo? Round of applause. I’m excited for you. But there’s one thing you have to prepare for, and it might be the most important of all.
Maintaining your sanity.
Part of being a business owner means finding a healthy way to build your business while living and enjoying the intentional life you’re designing.
Working yourself to unhappiness is a real risk when you’re going at it alone.
Even without employees or bosses, finding life-work balance can be a bit trickier than you’d expect.
It’s your sole responsibility to figure out how to spend your time wisely. And if you don’t, you run the risk of burnout, mental health challenges, and dwindling creativity.
But, don’t worry. we’ve got you.
Here are 5 simple tips for achieving life-work balance as a Solopreneur.
5 Tips for Achieving Life-Work Balance as a Business Owner
1. Set Boundaries
I like to establish clear boundaries between my work life and my personal life.
Determine your work hours, communicate your boundaries with anyone you work with, and stick to your guns. Don’t be afraid to say no in order to protect your me time.
2. Prioritise Self-Care
I notice a lot of business owners neglecting their health.
They sit in front of the computer from 8 am until 8 pm, believing every social media comment and email is urgent and critical.
Newsflash: They aren’t. A 100% response rate doesn’t scale. So stop trying.
You have to make time to take care of yourself if you hope to be a successful business owner. Your whole business depends on your mental and physical health being in a good place to support it.
So block time in your calendar for exercise. Eat healthy, and prioritise good sleep. Schedule time to enjoy hobbies and to socialise with people who lift you up. Allow yourself time to just relax.
Get off of the computer. Go enjoy yourself.
3. Delegate and Outsource
Being a business owner doesn’t mean tackling every single administrative task on your own.
So please don't try to do everything yourself.
Instead, delegate tasks and outsource certain aspects of your business, so you can focus on your core strengths and prevent overwhelm.
4. Leverage Helpful Technology
While I believe most people should use tools and technology they’re already familiar with, there are certain tools that can help you become much more efficient.
Here are some examples:
Social media scheduling tools help you save time and prevent you from having to be sitting at your computer at publishing time.
ChatGPT-4 can help you brainstorm and organise faster.
Analytics tools can help you understand data to make faster decisions.
Utilise productivity tools and apps to help you manage your time more efficiently. A lot of them come with a learning curve but can be well worth the up-front time investment.
You learn how to use a new piece of software, and you can use it forever.
5. Embrace Flexibility
One of the greatest benefits of owning your business is flexibility.
Flexibility to spend time with your family and friends. To enjoy a mid-day lunch with your partner. To attend more social activities. To be present for sporting events your kids are involved in.
Flexibility is the name of this game.
But I’ll say it again. None of these freedoms are possible if you can’t get away from the computer.
So I recommend treating your business schedule like this:
Starts and stops are rigid: Define start and stop times for your days. No cheating.
Give yourself a flexible 60-120 minutes per day: Force yourself to use it. Go for a walk. Grab lunch. Do a Zoom with a friend. Get coffee and read a few chapters. Enjoy!
Work towards taking a weekday off: It took me two years, but I eventually moved to a 4-day workweek. I still do a few things on the off days. But I’m certainly not chained to the computer.
Your goal should be to adapt your schedule to accommodate your personal needs while still achieving your business goals.
Achieving a healthy life-work balance is essential for business owners.
If you set boundaries, prioritise self-care, delegate tasks, practice time management, leverage technology, and embrace flexibility —you can maintain harmony in your personal and professional life.
The ever elusive, life-work balance can be yours.
And this balance will help you stay focused, motivated, and ready to tackle the endless challenges that come with journey of owning a business.