How to manage your time and attention as a business owner
Every year we choose a Word of the Year to anchor our focus and drive our business forward. For 2022, we’ve chosen the word “Balance”.
As a business owner, it can be tough to cope with the various demands of your life. On one hand, you want to devote all your time and energy to your business to make it successful.
But on the other hand, you also need to make sure that you’re taking care of yourself and spending time with your family and friends.
Oftentimes when we’re striving to achieve our goals, we sacrifice other important things in life. We may become so focused on our work that we forget to take care of ourselves and we let our friends and families down because we’re always working.
While it’s important to be ambitious and driven, it’s also crucial to put our time and attention on both our professional and personal lives.
So how do you do it? Keep reading to steal the tips we plan on using this year.
What is balance?
Balance means different things to different people, and it also depends on what’s going on in their lives at that moment in time.
Instead of defining it as something concrete, rather think of it as a mindset and lifestyle that promotes focus over overwhelm, intention over reaction and a sense of (relative) control in your work and personal life.
“In all aspects of our lives, balance is key. Doing one thing too much can cause upset, like the old saying goes, everything in moderation is the secret!” – Catherine Pulsifer
Why is it important to a business owner?
Here are some of the most notable advantages:
1. Our lives are busier than ever and it’s important to take a step back and focus on our health
2. Working all the time can lead to stress and anxiety, which can have negative impacts on our physical and mental health
3. It’s important to set boundaries between our work and personal lives so that we can enjoy both aspects of our lives
4. Implementing new strategies doesn’t mean that we have to completely cut ourselves off from work – it just means making other aspects of life important as well
There are many different ways to achieve work-life balance, so find what works best for you and stick with it!
Time to reflect
In order to find harmony between the different aspects of your life, you need to take a step back and be mindful of how it’s impacting you as a whole.
For example, if you feel like all you do is work, take time out of your day to figure out what’s going on. Jot down thoughts or feelings that come up for you when thinking about how much time you’re spending on certain tasks, meetings and so forth.
Oftentimes, simply becoming aware of how we are currently running our lives can lead to great insights into how to optimize it.
Maybe it’s making you feel overwhelmed because there isn’t enough time in the day for everything that needs to get done. Or maybe being so reactive is making you feel stuck and helpless at times—out of control of what happens next or how your situation plays out.
Ultimately, creating work-life harmony comes from within. You can’t look at it as a single, separate facet of your business, rather you need to think about your overall lifestyle and how you are giving priority to some things while potentially ignoring other, just as important areas.
How to find balance in your work life as a business owner
As a business owner, you have loads on your plate from strategic decision making, sales, marketing and more. And I totally get it. When you are in the middle of a big project or pitching for new business, work has to be your #1 focus. But this needs to be cyclical; you can’t spend all your time on work and have no personal life to speak of.
Here are a few points to consider:
- Make a list of what you need to do each day, and try to stick to that list as much as possible. This will help you stay organized and avoid feeling overwhelmed.
- Establish clear boundaries between your personal and professional lives. This means that you’re 100% present for your friends or family when you’re with them, without constantly thinking about what needs to be done on the job. It also helps to establish firm hours of availability – for example, I know some people who set specific hours each day during which they will always respond to emails or phone calls.
- Set boundaries with your clients and colleagues. Let them know when you’re available and when you’re not, and stick to those times.
- Setting realistic goals for yourself is another important factor. We all have an image in our heads of how we would like things to be, but what really matters is how things are. Setting realistic goals means that you’re taking into consideration what is possible at any given time, and working towards that instead of constantly trying to achieve the unachievable.
- Take breaks throughout the day, even if it’s just for five minutes. This can help your body relax while also allowing your brain to take a moment to recharge.
- If you employ staff, train them to a high level of competence so that you can delegate time-consuming tasks like sending invoices or scheduling social media posts. Taking on tasks that are ordinarily done by others can give you more time to focus on your most important goals.
- Invest in software solutions that can automate processes or change how you currently do things in order to speed up your processes. Learn more about creating a change strategy for your business by clicking here.
Maintaining balance in your personal life
Some of the points that apply to your work life can also be applied to your personal life, so see which ones you can use to make your personal life feel less overwhelming.
Here are a few more suggestions:
- Establish a set routine and stick to it.
- Take time for yourself every day, even if it’s just for 10 minutes.
- Make sure you’re getting enough sleep – at least 7-8 hours per night.
- Eat healthy foods and drink plenty of water.
- Take breaks throughout the day to stretch and move around.
- Connect with friends.
- Exercise regularly, even if it’s just a 20-minute walk every other day.
If you have to choose just three of the above to start with, we recommend eating healthy foods, getting enough sleep and exercising regularly because they will directly impact your ability to perform as a business owner.
Try not to skimp on these three essentials – they’re all essential for feeling calm and in control of your life and will keep you functioning at the highest level.
Closing thoughts
Finding balance in our work and personal lives is not only essential for our health and well-being, but it’s also crucial for our performance in our businesses. If we want to run a thriving business then we need to be operating at an executive level and these tips will help you do so.
While it can be challenging to make changes, the rewards you will reap will be well worth the effort.
Whether this means cutting back on hours at work or spending more time with family members, there are plenty of ways we can create a healthy equilibrium between these two areas of our lives.
We all have different needs when it comes to balancing out both sides of ourselves – what works for one person may not necessarily work for another.
The only way to find balance is by trying things out and seeing what works for you. Good luck!
