A recent study came out that more children will come down with anxiety issues and act out due to their parents being on smart phones. Great.
The American Academy of Pediatrics plans to develop parental guidelines for smart phone use in front of children, like it did for using TV. Well, it looks like I won’t be adhering to those guidelines, like many other business owners.
Work/Life Balance?
We all hear about work/life balance. Does it exist, can it exist, is it a bunch of bull$hit? I’ve written about it and been quoted for articles on it. But to be honest, it’s a constant battle that keeps getting harder.
As a business owner, I find it extremely difficult to turn off work. The more business owners I speak with, the more I hear it from them too.
Business owners don’t work 9-5. They wake up at the crack of dawn, work late, and plug in when they get home. Their workweek is seven days a week.
What is it about finding a work/life balance? Why is it so difficult? Maybe it’s because we are workaholics or it’s our name on the business. But whatever the case, there needs to be a balance. Here’s what I’m doing to have some “normalcy” in my life.
Turn off the Phone
Turn off your cell phone during dinnertime. Don’t put it on vibrate, turn it off. I can’t have it on vibrate because I’ll hear it and be tempted to respond or answer. (I get the shakes if I don’t). Your business is not going to collapse during that hour. So turn it off!
Goals
We all have business goals, but what about personal goals. Make a short list of what you want to achieve that week for yourself. Keep them attainable like going to the gym three times a week or having lunch with a friend.
Meditate
This is a tough one. I am not one to sit quietly for a long period of time. But, research says that meditating for just 10 minutes will benefit you. I recently met with a news reporter for lunch and he swears by it too. Reluctantly, I tried it. I’m going to admit that I had a tough time turning my mind off. I need to give it more time. But YOU should try it.
Outsource
If you are a business owner, especially a new one, you may not have the ideal cash flow coming in. But, if your budget allows for it, hire someone to help clean your house, landscape your lawn or anything to help you out. You work 70 hours a week. The last thing you want to be doing are these projects. I just hired a maid and it was the best thing I could have done. Invest in your quality of life. .Life is too short.
Reward Yourself
Take a vacation. Yes, I know- what you’re thinking as business owner. This is what a vacation looks like: we bring our laptops, answer emails, return phone calls and fight with our significant other because we’re working and not paying attention to them. Sound familiar?
You work 70 plus hours a week, you know that you need a vacation.
Is it worth it? Yes. If you don’t take time off, you are going to get burnt out and be good to no one.
Do you bring your laptop? Yes.
Do you tell your clients that you will be away? Yes.
Do you answer emails? That’s up to you. I do, but again I am in the news/public relations world so I have to.
Do you work a little? Again, that’s up to you. I wake up at the crack of dawn, do some work and then enjoy my trip. I do check emails and texts and I respond if necessary. Is this the perfect remedy for work/life balance. Absolutely not, but it works for me.
I don’t know if we will ever find a work/life balance. But, we have to try to figure it out or we will get burnt out. To be successful, we must put 100% into everything, our work, ourselves and our family.
I would love to hear what works for you. Please share your ideas!