Work/Life Balance – What’s The What?

Work/life balance is that happy place where people feel fulfilled both at work and at home. The journey to this happy place is different for everyone – some small business owners work 8 to 10 hours; others work 10+ hours, while some others prefer to work less than 6 hours each day.

Understand who you are and what makes you happy (along with making sure all your bills are paid) so you can begin to create more balance in your life.

Oh No, Not a Routine!

Don’t think of routines as death marches, think of them as a way to get the most out of your day. Carve out specific times to make those phone calls, and answer those emails. Try to schedule meetings and appointments during times when you’re most alert.

Routines help you feel less frustrated and overwhelmed. Within a few weeks, it won’t feel like a routine anymore, it will just become a way of life.

To Multitask or Not to Multitask?

There’s a lot of debate about the merits of doing multiple tasks at once – does this really save time or does this just create more stress? If you prefer to complete multiple tasks at once, here are a few tips from the National Federation of Independent Business.

Depending on what you’re trying to accomplish, you may need to focus 100% on each task rather than dividing up your time.

Delegation is a Beautiful Thing

If you have a staff, put them to work! Delegate smaller tasks to your assistant, employees, interns, or outsource them. Hire freelancers and contractors to get these things done. You can’t be everywhere or do everything at once. Reach out to the people you trust to get the job done.stones-1320391-m

Quick Tips for Better Time Management

Here are some quick tips you can use now to help achieve work/life balance:

Start a time journal – track how you spend your time at work for one month.  Record time spent planning, calling, meetings, etc. to see how you really spend your day. Then create a routine to give yourself some extra time.

Schedule time with yourself – take at least 30 minutes to plan your day, think about work strategies, consider new business ideas, etc. to become a more engaged business owner.

Interruptions happen – Be patient and know that your day will never be perfect. Handle issues as they happen rather than putting them off for later.

Be realistic – you won’t accomplish every single item on your list each day. Readjust your schedule to create a full, but not hectic day.

For more great tips, read this article from Entrepreneur.com.

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