The world of an entrepreneur is nothing less than a roller coaster ride with unknown twists and turns and long work hours. They are the captain of their ship and sometimes in the process of ensuring that every aspect of the business is running efficiently, they end up losing their work-life balance.

Work-life balance is a crucial aspect of a healthy lifestyle and the reason why burnout and fatigue occurs in the first place is due to a poor work-life balance. According to Harvard Business Review, an estimated $125 billion to $190 billion a year is spent in treating the psychological and physical problems of burned-out employees in the United States. Having said that, let us look at few tips to help our busy entrepreneurs maintain a good work-life balance:

1. Set up a routine

This is the single most important thing you need to do if you want to regain your work-life balance. Being the busy bee that you are, it can be really difficult to keep a track of the all the things going on in your life and business. Hence, schedule everything! Just like you schedule your important meetings, set apart some time for yourself and your family and stick to it. Utilise your calendar for scheduling the ‘me-time’. It can be part of your work calendar so that you know how to give due importance to your family, friends and most importantly- you, in addition to your work.

2. Prioritise 

As an entrepreneur you are already an expert in handling all facets of your business. But remember that you can only do so much at a time. Hence, it is very important that you prioritise your tasks. You may receive a client’s mail at 11 PM at night but it wouldn’t do any harm if you respond to the mail the next morning. You aren’t losing a deal. So relax and set your expectations right.

Also read: 5 ways to beat burnout

3. Delegate

Just like you delegate your HR, accounting and admin work to specific teams, sometimes it works to delegate your life too.  Responsibilities like laundry, house cleaning, cooking and childcare can be delegated. You can either hire specialised people to do the above for you or you can divide the tasks between you and your spouse.

4. Switch off the digital world sometimes

Digitisation has impacted every aspect of your lives and digital media such as laptops and smartphones are something we can’t imagine a single day without. No doubt technology is one of the greatest things to happen to mankind but everything that is overused has its side effects.  Prolonged use of technical devices can cause physical inactivity leading to aches and joint pains. Staring into the laptop screen for long hours can also interfere with your sleep cycle. And in order to maintain that critical balance of work and life, it is important that you turn off the digital realm every once in a while and enjoy the simple pleasures of nature like talking a walk, going to the gym, eating out with friends and family etc.

Also read: 5 non-work related activities that can boost your productivity

5. Pursue a hobby

It can be anything you like. Pursuing a hobby can help you truly achieve work-life harmony. Doing something you love apart from your work can rejuvenate you and help you look at the world from a different perspective. And as they say, it is never too late to start something new.

6. Say ‘no’

It is easy to say yes to every new opportunity, new client or an interesting new idea that has the potential to benefit your business. But learning the art of saying no is also important. You can’t possibly be at all places at all times. Hence saying no when something is out of your reach and capability is good for your physical and mental health. It also helps you maintain a good work-life balance.

7. Take vacations

You work hard all throughout the year and to reward yourself for all that hardwork, taking a vacation to some far off land is a great idea. Plan a vacation and as mentioned earlier, delegate your work so that even in your absence your business thrives. After all isn’t freedom from a routine life is why you started a business in the first place?

With these tips handy, now you no longer have to compromise on your personal and professional life. Let me know in the comments section below if you found these tips useful.

Also read: Get inspired: 8 easy ways to find motivation for work

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