As a small business owner it’s hard to juggle your work and outside responsibilities. You have to ensure that your business is running effectively while still having a life outside the office.
Remember that you still need a good balance between work and play for your health and well-being. Small business owners often don’t realize that they’re falling into the trap of working too hard. The danger in this is they end up exhausted from the constant work demands associated with self-employment.
Why you need balance
Working too much without taking some time off for yourself and your personal relationships can quickly become counterproductive. You’ll be tired, stressed and irritable. You’ll find yourself unable to perform optimally. As a result, you’re more likely to commit mistakes and snap at people who are important to you and your business.
Some dangers of overworking include:
- Missing opportunities for both yourself and your business because you’re too busy.
- Being short-tempered with your staff, affecting their attitude and performance.
- Treating your family poorly, resulting in an uncomfortable home life.
- Working to the point of burning out or developing an illness
- Losing the passion that prompted you to start your business.
There are a number of things you can do to scale down your workload and regain a sense of balance. Avoid burnout and bring back the fun in running your business with these tips:
Start delegating
Delegating takes some of the pressure off you. It allows you to free up time for more urgent tasks. This can also give you more leisure time to unwind.
Create good systems
Develop a clear operations manual for each process in your business. This lets you and your key staff take breaks without compromising productivity. It also speeds up training whenever someone new joins your team.
Stretch and walk
Take a few minutes every so often to get up from your desk and stretch. It’s good for your body and helping yourself stay focused.
Talk to your office family
Ask your team for suggestion and input. Sometimes it is them who see the things that even you as a business owner can’t see.
Network with other business owners
Chat with fellow business owners who are working normal hours. You’ll stop feeling so isolated when you receive valuable advice from them.
Take mini-breaks
Include short breaks in you daily itinerary. Schedule a day off once a month, a week off every 12 weeks or perhaps take every second Friday off.
Re-evaluate your client base
Do you have customers that take up far too much of your time for very little gain? Find a polite way to stop doing business with them if necessary. You can also opt to pass them on to capable staff members if they become too time-consuming to keep on yourself.
Stay motivated
Staying passionate about your business and motivated to do your best is important. If you find yourself no longer having the same energy you once had, your staff and business will suffer. Take action now to avoid entering a negative spiral.
You could try the following:
- Set exciting and challenging new goals for you and your business.
- Share your goals with your staff so your whole team understands and supports what you want to achieve.
- Set measurable ‘stepping stones’ to reach main goals and celebrate each achievement.
- Refresh your daily routine. Allocate blocks in your schedule for key daily activities such as checking emails, attending meetings and visiting clients.
Securing the foundations of fun and motivating business management is possible when you avoid burnout and retain a fulfilling life outside work. All successful business owners can attest to this truth.