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Getting a work/life balance is something that can feel like it is easier said than done when it comes to owning your own business. If you work from home then this can be even more tricky, as there is always more work to do and you never really ‘leave’ work, like you would if you were to go into an office. It can be hard to switch off as the lines between home life and work life are more blurred. If this sounds like you, and you are looking for ways to be more productive, but to also be able to strike more of a balance, then here are some tips to help you to achieve and maintain a work and life balance that is much healthier for all.
Play to your strengths
It is important to learn that you can’t be all things to all people. It is important to think about where your strengths are, and then outsource to other people. If there are areas of the business that you’re not skilled in or don’t have a great knowledge of, then it is time to assign it out to other people. For example, if you ship products abroad as part of your business, you should look at outsourcing to a reputable customs broker for all things customs and legislation when it comes to shipping. Then you’re not wasting your time, and importantly, not getting it wrong, which could lead to some costly mistakes.
Prioritize your time
It can be easy to put some of the harder or more complex tasks off and save them until last. However, this isn’t a productive way to be. Instead, you need to look at prioritizing the tasks that you have laid out ahead of you, which you can divide up into categories. The categories are either urgent and important, urgent but not important, important but not urgent, and not important and not urgent. You shouldn’t look to do tasks that are the latter when there are some urgent and important tasks to be getting on with.
Know when you work best
It is important to know when you work at your best and do this as much as you can. Of course, working from home means that there is a degree of flexibility in your life, but generally, if you are able to work when you know you work best, then it will help you to be more productive. If you know you work best in the mornings, why not get up a little earlier, especially when you know you have certain deadlines to meet? If you’re better off working in the evenings, then use your time in the day to deal with all of your life admin and tasks, so that you can completely dedicate your time to working in the evening.
Plan out your time
Knowing when you work best is one thing, but you should still be planning out your time. When will you do certain tasks or when will you take breaks? By working in hour-long slots, for example, you can know that you’re able to allot an hour or so to each task and then move on or schedule more time in if needed. This can be the same thing for family or lifestyle commitments too.
Make your workspace more productive
When you are trying to be more productive and to do more with your time, you need to have a workspace that allows you to do this. If you are working a lot of long hours, without much downtime, then it is important to invest in a workspace that will help you to do that. If you’re uncomfortable and don’t have all that you need to get the job done right there with you, then it will make your job much harder, making your lifestyle balance worse. Simple things like having a chair that is comfortable, a stand to make your laptop the right height, additional screens, and so on, can all be worthwhile to help you to be more productive.
At the end of the day, you should also be realistic with yourself and analyze how your day has gone. Think about what has worked well, as well as what didn’t and could be remedied. You’re not alone in being a business owner and trying to strike a good balance with your life and work. Look at what works, be flexible, and change when it is needed, not to mention, getting help from those around you when needed.
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