Tips for Better Work-Life Balance
Are you struggling to find and maintain a healthy work-life balance? Owning a business can and will demand all of your time and energy if you allow it, and trust me, it’s easy to fall into a place of giving it just that. If you’re a workaholic, or even just someone who pours all of yourself into your career, you might be thinking to yourself, “balance? Is there such a thing?” If that is you, this is a must read.
Why is achieving a better work-life balance so important?
When you own your own business, you are deeply passionate about seeing it thrive and achieving success (obviously). In order to do that, you have to give it attention, time and so. much. energy. After you give so much of yourself to your work, it may feel like you’ve got nothing left for anything else. Guess what? That is normal, and you are not alone. But it’s just not sustainable. As much as we need success in our career, we need a life outside of that. We need joy, self-care, relationships and other things that truly fill us up. That’s where work-life balance comes into play.
In a society that emphasizes constantly doing THE MOST, it can often feel like you’re inadequate if you do anything else. But I’m here to tell you that setting aside time for things outside of work is just as important, if not more, than putting time toward your business. Burnout is real and truly, if you aren’t doing things that fulfill YOU as an individual, your work will only suffer. Whether it’s a hobby, your partner, friend and family relationships or some much-needed self-care – you have to prioritize what fulfills you as a person and not just a business owner.
Don’t know where to start? Fear not! Here are 5 tips to achieve a better work-life balance.
1. Set strict “on the clock” hours for yourself and actually abide by them.
This one is KEY. When you’re a work-from-home employee, or run your own business from wherever you are, you probably don’t have a time that you clock in and out. And that’s a slippery slope to ALL hours becoming work hours. In a culture where our work is accessible from our phones, it is beyond easy to find yourself working around the clock. And trust me, when I say easy I mean really easy. But again, that’s just not healthy or sustainable.
A really good way to achieve a better work-life balance, is to set your own work and “play” hours. Pretend for a second that you have a boss who isn’t you, and that you have strict work hours set FOR you. Whether it’s 8 to 5 like a traditional office job, or a schedule more catered to your specific situation, set those hours in stone ahead of time. I call them my “office hours.” After you’ve set those hours, the arguably even bigger battle is actually sticking to them. When you don’t have anyone telling you when to start and stop, it’s so challenging to do it. But it pays off! “Go” to work, clock on, be present and then “go home” from work at the end of those hours and be present there too.
2. Be mindful and present in whatever world you are in.
Separating your two worlds, work and personal life, is so crucial. Being fully present in each of them is even more-so. If you are working, but mentally or emotionally consumed in something personal-life related, you probably aren’t doing your best work. And at the same time, if you are supposed to be clocked off and pouring into yourself but instead are answering emails or letting your mind wander to your never-ending work checklists, you surely aren’t giving your whole self to your personal life. In BOTH of these cases, you’re making the balance a moot point. There’s not a lot of sense in creating a schedule to separate your work and life if you aren’t going to be fully there in either place.
Whether you’re in business mode or not, BE there. Turn off your phone, constantly try to compartmentalize your worries and stresses and throw your whole self into whatever you’re doing in that moment. It’s a learned skill that takes a lot of practice, but it’s one that is well worth your energy. Both your career AND your personal life will thank you later.
3. Keep your goals clear in your work and personal life.
Ask yourself daily, what are your goals? What is it that you are wanting for your business? How do you define “success” in your career? And then ask yourself, what are your personal goals? What really matters to you? How will you find happiness and contentment in your life outside of work? Do some deep digging within your mind and heart to find the answers to those questions and lead with them. Being crystal clear on where you’re headed will help you to focus on both your work and your personal life. Define what your goals are, how you are going to achieve them and set some deadlines and lay out a timeline. That way, when you are throwing yourself into your business you will know what you’re working toward and WHEN you want to get there. When you have a fire lit under you, you’re bound to stay focused. You will also know that when you’ve achieved those goals, you can more peacefully step back when you need to.
The same goes with your personal life. If your goal or desire is to focus on the relationships with those around you and you’re clear about HOW to do that (spending more quality time with them, being more attentive and intentional about checking in and being present for them), you will likely focus on striving toward that. We all want to be the best we can at everything we do, and being mindful and intentional about where we’re headed in both our business and personal life is one helpful way to do that.
4. Pay close attention to your mind and body and what they are telling you.
What do we mean by this? Basically, keep a close eye out for signs of burnout. The very last thing you want is to fully deplete yourself. If that happens, everyone loses. You might think you have a healthy work-life balance, but there are some pretty tell-tale signs that you actually don’t.
Lack of motivation or drive where you once had plenty
General overwhelm and extreme stress
Physical sluggishness or fatigue
Symptoms of depression or feeling “down”
Losing sight of why you’re doing what you’re doing
If you start to feel any of those things or symptoms similar to them, it’s time to reassess your balance, or lack thereof. A huge indication that your work-life balance is out of whack, is the presence of burnout. Before you fully reach the point of no return, listen to your mind, emotions and body. You might just need an extra dose of what feeds your soul OUTSIDE of your business.
5. Outsource where you can.
This one needs to be underlined, highlighted and posted in bold in your mind. A really useful tool in achieving a better work-life balance is to ask for help. Seek support in all the areas that you can, outsource the jobs that can be taken over by another party and delegate the work that is draining you of all your time and energy.
By outsourcing tasks that require your extra time and energy, especially the ones that aren’t your strength in particular, you will free up SO much of your bandwidth and allow you to pour yourself into the part of your business that got you started in the first place.
Don’t get me wrong, I understand that it can be difficult to relinquish ANY part of your business and it can also be hard to want to invest in outsourcing when you can realistically just do whatever it is yourself. But can you do those things as well as someone else who specializes in whatever it is? Part of being a business owner, is building a team and knowing where you need extra help. Free yourself up so that you can focus on your true passion and the reason why you’re here to begin with. It will surely be worth the investment.
REMEMBER: Work-life balance is a journey, not a destination.
What we mean by this is, never stop working on achieving a better balance. What worked for your balance in May, will not work as well for you in December. You can almost count on that. So, keep taking those moments of pause and steps back to take a look at all the areas of your life. Just as life is ever-changing and constantly evolving, so is your business and therefore so is the balance between ALL of your worlds. The “juggle struggle” is something we should all constantly be working on. Don’t settle into what is working in the current moment and miss the opportunity to grow even further in your balance!
Why is the right brand integral in finding balance in your business?
Building the right brand for your business will make this work-life balance even more attainable.
How? Because optimizing your brand to speak to your ideal clients, fully represent what you do and HOW you do it will simplify your life and support a healthier work-life balance. Branding your business is an investment, and while it may seem like one you can put on the back-burner or just do without, it is a worthy investment that will lighten your load significantly and give your business a huge leg-up. Like we mentioned before, outsource where you can and start with branding your business.
At Northwest Brand Design, we are all about helping you create a business and brand that fits INTO your life and doesn’t become your life. Our goal is to do all that we can on our end, so that you are better able and free to do what YOU need to do in your business and personal life. You and your business are the priority and we are here to support you in your success both in your business and your life outside of that.
To wrap it up, working toward a better work-life balance is an integral part of success in ALL areas of your life. “All work and no play” is just not sustainable and will result in every area of your life suffering. You want your business to get the best of you and you certainly want and need your personal life to also get the best of you, and the only real way to do that is to create the healthiest balance possible. Remind yourself of all of these tips in your journey to obtaining that balance, and don’t forget that the best work-life a balance is a constant work in progress. Keep evolving and adjusting as your life and business do, and you will surely be set up for success!
