Time Management for Entrepreneurs: Organization Tips for a Healthy Work-Life Balance
Finding a work-life balance is difficult, and for my fellow entrepreneurs who feel the weight of their business on their shoulders, it can even feel like it doesn’t exist. This is especially true when you’re just starting and working long hours to get your business off the ground. When I started The Inspiration Agency, the first phase was difficult for me. I would skip meals, cancel personal plans, and forget to just rest. Eventually, this became so tiring that it started to affect my mental health. That’s when I realized the importance of organization and time management in maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
So how do you find the right work-life balance? There’s no secret formula but here are some tips I learned as my business grew.
1. Set realistic goals and priorities.
When you’re first starting, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all of the things that you need to do. The to-do list just keeps getting longer and longer, that’s why it is important to sit down and set realistic goals and priorities. And these goals and priorities shouldn’t just be work-related but also include some of your personal ones as well. I always try to maintain a balance to make sure I'm able to sustain my productivity and energy. Caring for your mental health and “me-time” should be at the top of your list. It may seem trivial, but we always get caught up with a never-ending list of tasks that we neglect ourselves and our health. Organize your valuable time by these priorities for your personal life and your professional one.
2. Separate Your Work-Life from Your Personal One.
Separating your work life from your personal one and creating a healthy balance for yourself isn’t as easy as it sounds. Especially if you’re an entrepreneur, a freelancer, or someone who works remotely. Personally, setting limits for myself was something that I struggled with for a long time. It was hard for me to stop working when I was supposed to be enjoying my personal life, there was always a loop of things that I wanted to get done before logging off. So I’d tell myself once I’m done with this I’ll stop, and then I’d receive an email with one more thing for me to finish before logging off. Obviously, to-do lists related to work are ongoing lists, and setting the limits is important for you to have a healthy balance. What worked for me is setting hours that I should be working for a specific day instead of setting tasks that should be done during that day. Also, removing Slack from my phone, turning off email notifications, and removing any cues that would remind me of work were the things that help me create that balance. Set these limits and give yourself the time to enjoy your personal life by going to classes that you enjoy, hanging out with friends, or simply lying in bed and watching Netflix. Long story short, when you log off from work you should be logging off for real and enjoying your personal life.
3. Create a schedule and stick to it.
One of the best ways to stay organized is to create a schedule and most importantly, stick to it. This will help you make sure that you are spending enough time on both your personal and professional life. The most straightforward way is to create a daily to-do list. In your to-do list make sure to include both personal and professional tasks to see the exact work-life balance that you are creating for yourself. Look at your important tasks for the day and plan accordingly, without sacrificing too much of your personal time. When I first started, my to-do list typically had my professional tasks and a few doctor appointments whenever I had those. With time, I realized that the focus of my to-do list had shifted to only professional tasks. Without realizing it, I would skip meals, miss out on exercising, and just work for hours. This was so unhealthy. This is when I decided to incorporate these tiny details that are important for my health and personal life into my to-do lists. Now, my list and calendar include my workout, meals, 5-minute breaks, and other personal care tasks that I need to do throughout my day. I would recommend even blocking off parts of your calendar in case you find yourself in lots of back-to-back meetings like I do. By doing this, I was able to create a better work-life balance that I needed between my professional and personal life because having a quick 30-minute yoga session in the workday is just as important as that 30-minute client call.
4. Delegate tasks whenever possible.
As your business grows, likely, your team will also grow. It’s the perfect time to re-evaluate your tasks within your own business and delegate some of them so that you are not doing everything yourself. Especially for small business owners, it's extremely important to understand that it's impossible to do it all by yourself. This is why at The Inspiration Agency I always try to find like-minded people that share the same passion for digital marketing and helping businesses thrive. We work as a team and we delegate tasks to each other effectively and efficiently. As the founder, I always try my best to split work responsibilities fairly and to align tasks with the skills and experiences of each team member. I try to create a healthy work environment where everyone knows exactly what's expected from them and that whenever they need help with anything, we, as a team will be there. By creating this, I feel more confident delegating tasks and my team feels more relaxed and productive. Delegating tasks has allowed me to have more energy by freeing up some extra work hours.
5. Take breaks.
This is one I can’t stress enough. You have to remember that you are human and that you need to take breaks occasionally. If you are feeling overwhelmed, step away from your work and take some time for yourself. During one of our weekly team calls, I emphasized and urged my team to take a break and spend the time they needed to get in a better headspace. Burnout is real, especially, in a fast and creative field like marketing. Giving yourself the space to breathe, go for a walk, or do something that you like is something that you owe it to yourself to do. The length of the break that you require is something that you have to decide based on your need. Don't feel guilty if you need a longer break. Embrace it, and take the time that you need to restore your energy to get back on top of your game.
6. Seek help when needed.
When things get out of control (trust me, they probably will), don’t let your ego stand in the way of admitting that you need help. There's no shame in doing so. Take this as a sign of your ongoing hard work. Oftentimes, burnout is a result of over-working and over-stressing. Ideally, you don’t reach this point having created your schedule and priorities, but it happens. Seeking out the help of a professional is one of the options to help resolve how you’re feeling. Other options may include talking to close friends or family members, spending time with yourself doing things that you enjoy doing, or even going on a vacation. Don't ignore what you're feeling and don't continue with work unless you resolve all the negative feelings and get more positive energy back into your day-to-day. Take a moment to understand your emotions and address them before moving on so you can stay focused and ensure long-term success.
Let’s be real, you won’t always have the perfect work-life balance but working to maintain a healthy balance should be the goal. There are only so many hours of the day and as much as you prioritize your work, your mental health and physical health are equally if not more important. Spend time doing things that will make you a better, healthier you. By following the tips above, you can find ways to better manage your time and your workload so that you can have a more balanced life.
