When was the last time you took a holiday? If you had to rack your brain, then you may well have an issue with work-life balance. Maintaining a healthy middle ground is essential for your well-being as a business owner or manager.
The last thing you want to do is burn out just as you’re reaching your full potential. Once you understand how useful these tips can be, you’ll wonder why you didn’t employ them sooner.
Think smart with workspaces
Where you work can play a pivotal role in your business success. Situate your office too far away from home, and you’ll spend far too much time commuting. Too close, and you risk spending too much time at the office.
A happy medium can be found with simple, smart solutions such as serviced office packages. You can save time, forget worrying about multiple bills, and enjoy a stress-free approach with one all-inclusive monthly cost.
Outsource the small jobs
You would be astounded at how much time you can free up purely by outsourcing those small, finicky tasks in your everyday work life. Think about how much time you spend cleaning your office instead of managing your workload, or chasing up clients for money when you could be out finding more clients. Where possible, pay someone else to handle the jobs in your workplace that are affecting your work-life balance. The myriad of different benefits might surprise you.
A team you can trust
When you’ve built a company from the ground up, as many British have done, it can be hard to let go. You want to have control over everything within your business because it’s your baby. The truth is, the bigger your company grows, the less time you have. If you refuse to delegate, then your work-life balance will suffer.
The key to an excellent work-life balance is to have a team you can trust. Hire people who are passionate about their work, who will do what’s best for your business, and who will go the extra mile when needed. You can then be confident that you’re leaving your baby in safe hands when you need to take a break.
Focus on wellness
Many business owners know they have to set time aside for themselves, but this ‘me time; seldom goes according to plan. Appointments with yourself are always the first to be shelved if something comes up.
As a compromise, establish your workplace as one that welcomes and promotes wellness and separation. Create relaxation areas with sofas and recreational activities, and even incorporate yoga mats and quiet spaces.
Establish boundaries
Around 26% of workers find they can’t switch off from work because of smartphones and work emails. It’s easy to find yourself thinking about work 24-7, leading to extra stress and an increased risk of burnout.
If you want to bring a sense of work-life balance into your business, establish home-life boundaries first. Put your phone into flight mode if you can, spend time with your family, and promote a workplace where work stays at the office rather than going home with you (or your employees). Having that degree of separation is more important than you might think.
Being passionate about your business is wonderful, but not if you let it overshadow your enjoyment of life. Put effort into creating a beneficial work-life balance by focusing on wellness, outsourcing tasks, being smart with your workspace, and hiring a team you can trust. Your business and family will thank you for it.
Helen Bradfield did her degree in psychology at the University of Edinburgh. She has an ongoing interest in mental health and well-being.
