Business? Family? How To Balance It All Without Losing Your Sanity?
Being an entrepreneur is serious business. It requires mental fortitude, physical prowess, and ingenuity that can exhaust the most motivated individual. What many fail to realize is that starting and running a business is a delicate balancing act. Although true balance is not always attainable, there are some things you can do as an entrepreneur to ensure that you can keep your health, your relationships, and your sanity while building your empire. Do what you can, have a bit of compassion on yourself, and enjoy the ride. It might not all be pleasant, but it will be worth every effort to find balance in health, work, and life.
Balance Tip #1--Define What Your Harmony Is
For some, having that quiet moment at 5:30 a.m. to sip your morning coffee and usher in the day is absolutely essential for centering yourself. For others, it might mean being able to get to your daughter’s first soccer game without sacrificing professional goals for the day. A workout plan might be in the cards for another individual who places health high on the priority list. Whatever harmony looks like for you, do what you can to design your weekly activities so you can have those things that are important for you. It will help to preserve your mental health, sustain your physical health, and provide you that sense of well-being that comes from accomplishing all kinds of goals.
Balance Tip #2--When You Are Away, Be AWAY
It does a body---and a brain---good to get away once in a while. While it can be tempting to check your emails when you are at a family sporting event, or make some calls while in transit from place to place, consider unplugging from everything for a while and see what happens to your productivity when you return to the game. The more you can prove to yourself that “the show will go on without you,” the less likely you will be to say no to those important life events that contribute to a work and life balance.
Balance Tip #3--Stop Saying You’re Too Busy
Busy is really a code word for “I am not prioritizing this right now.” We make time for the things that we value; establishing what is truly important to you in life will allow you to open your schedule for the things that truly matter and help you eliminate or delegate fewer pressing things. Saying you are too busy becomes self-fulfilling prophecy; if you say you are, you will likely create conditions that perpetuate a state of surviving, not thriving. Replace this stress-filled phrase with, “I am making time for the things that I truly value in life,” and watch the magic unfold.
Balance Tip #4--Write Down Your Ideas
Keep a journal handy to can record down ideas for business development during non-working hours. This will help to eliminate clutter in your brain and reduce stress when the time comes to put your nose to that grindstone once more. Writing it down and putting it out of your mind will allow you to be more present in the moment and less stressed when it comes time to pour over your list again.
Balance Tip #5--Take Time For Yourself
A car can go nowhere on an empty tank of gas---similarly, you cannot perform at your best when you are always giving to other endeavors and forgetting to care for yourself. While you may not have an hour to devote to a massage right now, you could devote five to ten minutes to indulge in a short meditation or pick up a good book just for pleasure’s sake. Make your favorite indulgent treat to savor after the kids go to bed or pick up an over the top coffee on the way to work one morning---one that costs more than it should. Sending these little messages to yourself that you, too, should be pampered and taken care of will fill your bucket, and it will provide you with the mental and physical stamina that will be needed to get you through some busy times. Fill your reservoir first, then take care of others. You'll be surprised how good it feels.
Balance Tip #6--Ask For Help When Needed
No man---or woman---is an island. We all have those times when we need to draw on the help and expertise of others to keep the boat afloat. Fortunately, for you, we have the business end of your balancing act covered. At MaxGroup Business Solutions, we have marketing, streamlining, and growth plans that will revolutionize the way you do business, freeing you up and allowing you to take time for the things in life that truly matter. While it will take a bit of work, it is possible to have it all---and we can help you improve your business growth and function so that you can get there faster. Visit www.maxgroupbusiness.com today to see just how successful you can be!