How to Create a Successful Life-Work Balance When Running a Business from Home
When you’re just starting off running your own work-from-home business, work can easily take precedence over everything else.
I have been in a similar boat for some time now but eventually realized that perspectives need to shift and how one frames the situation has to change.
Today for me I don’t look at it as Work-Life balance, but more like Life-Work balance.
I know it’s easier said than done. One could live differently to build that balance, and it’s not just getting up early or managing a tight schedule.
It goes much deeper into how we look at things and life in general and then reframing how we approach and balance our day in different chambers of life
I define them and try to balance them in these eleven categories
1) My Health and fitness
2) My Intellectual life
3) My Emotional life
4) My Character
5) My Spiritual Life
6) My Love & Relationships
7) My Parenting Life
8) My Social Life
9) My Financial Life
10) My Career
11) My Quality Of life
Each of these is important, and you only have a finite time to give daily to these chambers. Making them all work together and juggling to keep poise is where the fun begins:) I will dwell deeper into these topics in future posts.
Today on a lighter foot, I have put some necessary changes to help you get through to start with maintaining a steady Life-Work balance, this helps you work more efficiently and ensures you get Time off to relax and de-stress. Here’s how to strike the right balance and make sure you don’t burn out.
Take Time Off…and Stay Off
When you are off work, be totally off work. Don’t check your email. Turn off notifications. Try to not even think about your job. Everything related to your business should be done only during designated “work” Time. If you think of something you need to do, put it on your to-do list for the next day.
Make a Schedule (Even Though You Don’t Need To)
One of the great things about running your own business is that you don’t need to stick to the 9–5 schedule anymore. However, it can be helpful to create a work schedule anyway. This helps by clarifying the division between work and non-work time. You can also create a ritual for starting and stopping work to make the transition. Set a schedule that works for your business and your life.
Prioritize Tasks
One of the main reasons work often spills over into leisure time is that we don’t prioritize effectively and tasks take longer than expected. When you’re on business time, create a priority list to ensure you get the most important things done well ahead of quitting Time.
Learn Time Management Techniques
With only a certain amount of time to spend on your business each day, you have to make the best use of this time. It’s beneficial to learn some basic time management techniques. For example, decide how long each task should take. This keeps you from spinning wheels and wasting your precious working time. Look also for ways to delegate, automate, and trim functions that aren’t necessary.
Work Efficiently
In addition to time management, think of some ways you can improve your efficiency to get more done during your workday. Try your best to cut out distractions. Set breaks throughout the day to refresh yourself and maintain concentration, but put a time limit on them. If there’s something you need to do that’s not related to your business, schedule a time to do it as a break or after work is done.
Learn How to Cope with Stress
Learn some methods to help you cope with stress when you experience it. You can use these as little breaks throughout the day or as a way to transition from working to non-working Time. Easy ideas include short walks, simple exercises you can do at your desk, or basic meditation techniques.
There is no perfect Life-Work balance. It’s something you have to keep working on as you grow your business and life. But you will get better at it over time, and it will benefit both your business and your personal life.
