When you run your own business it can be all about the work, work, work, work, work, work, work (as said by Rihanna).
Work–life balance is a concept including proper prioritising between “work” (career and ambition) and “lifestyle” (health, pleasure, leisure, family and spiritual development/meditation) however we all know that this can be extremely difficult during particular busy periods. How many times have you been working and suddenly it’s 8.30pm and you still haven’t had a dinner or just fired up the laptop at the weekend to check a couple of emails and before you know it a good few hours have raced past.
Of course, we’re all passionate about our jobs and wanting to provide the best services to our clients or customers but sometimes we need to remember not to burn ourselves out. Your business cannot run if you are poorly and there is nobody to delegate too.
Have a clear start / finish time – it’s been two years since I left my full time employed job in the pharmaceutical world. Since then I’ve still had the alarm set for the same time – 7am. This way, I ensure that I get up, get showered and dressed and be at my desk by 8.30am. I also try to finish between 5-6pm dependent on workload.
Work when you are most productive – when it comes to work, I am more productive in the morning up. I can get a whole heap of things crossed off my list and feel that I have achieved something by the time I stop for lunch. However, John works much better in the afternoon and later into the evening.
Have a break (have a KitKat!) – if you worked in a ‘normal’ job you’d get breaks throughout the day, whether that’s scheduled or just grabbing a coffee from the canteen and having a catch up with other folk also taking a break. You should DEF be stopping for lunch and trying to get outside for some fresh air if you can. We have two dogs so we have to have a break every day to take them for a walk. Getting away from the screen for 30 minutes will clear your mind and help you refocus when you get back to it.
Commit to taking time off – always being available can play havoc with your down time. If you find that you’re replying to emails at the weekend or even whilst you’re away on holiday you’re never really taking time away from the business to relax and unwind. I’m sure most clients would not expect a response at the weekend and certainly not whilst you were on your well deserved holiday (unless it was extremely urgent).
A change of scenery – if your business means that you’re working on your own for the majority of the time it can be very lonely. Try grabbing your laptop and taking it to your favourite coffee shop for an hour. Just by sitting somewhere else means that you’re out of the work environment but in a more relaxed surrounding which could lead to more productivity!
Remember, Boatman Admin Services can offer a helping hand to allow you to achieve a better work life balance.
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