Starting and running your own business can be very challenging. Many people think that they need to work around the clock, 24/7. That’s not true and, to be honest, it’s not good for you or your business.
Some people say, “There really isn’t enough time in a day.” Really, there is. You just need to plan out each day to make sure there is work/life balance.
Burning the candle at both ends can burn you out. There’s nothing worse than being self-employed and bored with your own business. It can happen if you are living and breathing your business each and every second of the day. If you are, you need a break.
- Go sit somewhere quiet, let your mind relax and just think. Think about what’s really important and go from there. You may have worked a regular nine to five job for someone else. Why not work your own business nine to five. Find an “end point” for your day and stop there. If one of Facebook’s top executive Sheryl Sandburg can be home for dinner everyday, so can and should you. If your son’s basketball game is at 6pm – go! Don’t say, “I have too much work to do.” STOP, go… and enjoy yourself and your family. Believe it or not, it will all be there when you go back to work at 9am. And, who knows… you may have left a problem behind, that you found an answer to while you were out enjoying yourself. Take it from those who have looked back with regret and said, “I wish I had spent more time with my family.” You don’t want to be that person.
- Schedule work on your calendar from nine to five and nothing business-related after that. Of course there may be a few exceptions, hosting a business executive for dinner or celebrating a co-worker’s going away party. As a rule, cut the work at five – or a time that works best BEFORE seven.
- Create a “to-do” list each day so you will know from where to begin the next day.
- Delegate. For the control freaks, this may be a hard one, but one that is necessary. Let someone else take over a few of the “to-do” items. Free yourself from the tactical work and work on strategy. In the end, you will have more rather than fewer hours.
Your brain and your business needs time to relax. Everything not done today, will be there tomorrow waiting for your fresh eyes and rested mind.
[…] week I wrote the blog, “Don’t Burn the Candle at Both Ends.” I talked about taking time out of your busy schedule to take care of […]