By Eva Webster
It’s a constant push and pull – working enough to accomplish what you need to push yourself forward but being there for your family and friends. But also, for yourself.
Home life is extremely important and finding the time to unwind and enjoy life’s simple pleasures can, in turn, make you more productive at your job. You are constantly learning about how to best balance the two, and there may be some tough times along the way where you gave too much to work and not enough to life, or the other way around.
In an effort to find that perfect balance, I asked some accomplished business-people about their challenges with balancing Work and Life:
Tommy Linstroth – Green Badger
“The work/life balance is critical, especially the older you get. If I had started Green Badger when I was 25, it would look a lot different than it did when I was 35. Making time to be with my children and everything they have going on is extremely important and has to make up for all the nights I’m on the road! Fortunately, being an entrepreneur lets me pick my girls up at 3 on Friday – because I have the flexibility of working at 10 PM that night. You’ve got to find the right balance, but being an entrepreneur offers you the opportunity to find time for what’s important when it is important.”
Bo Lais – Lula
“The key is to not wear yourself out. It is important to be fully present in what you are doing, so you can be focused on your goals. I noticed that if I don’t take the time and be intentional with my family, I feel distracted at work. If I don’t focus while I am at work, then I am distracted when I am with my family. A healthy personal life can help recharge and motivate an entrepreneur.”
RonaLynn Fitzpatrick – Gong Bath Meditations
“The most important aspect of work/life balance that most people overlook is merely knowing your priorities. Most people examine balance from a time perspective, but in reality, if you are living your priority values; time is irrelevant.
For example, if you claim family is your top priority, you need to define what that means for you. Does it mean engaging in activities that are mutually enjoyable, or does it mean providing for them? Answering this question will clarify what is most important to you and living your priority is what will feel most fulfilling regardless of the proportion of time and where you spend it.
Of course, you will have other and possibly competing values, but if you have prioritized them accurately, work/life balance will be of less concern. More important than finding balance is finding ways to live your authentic values in every aspect of your life.”
Scott Christ – Pure Food Company
“There’s one strategy I used that has made a huge difference in my work/life balance: writing down my goals every day in the following areas: Work, Health, Family, and Gratitude … then “checking each off” every day as you fulfill them. Setting an “implementation intention” like this is a well-researched method of helping you achieve your goals. The more you write things down, the more you’ll be able to create a healthy balance in your life. It’s pure magic.”
Adam Draper – Gladiator Law Marketing
“Successful entrepreneurs experience an odd dichotomy between short-term and long-term success. I am a firm believer that the market combined with your competitors dictate how much you have to work. On multiple occasions I have found myself working 110-hour weeks for months at a time. But I also know that level of intensity will lead to permanent burn-out. The key to long-term success is building a system that minimizes the need to surge and spreads the workload amongst many people rather than one person shouldering the entire burden. So, in the short-run, especially when the business is in its infancy, success is found with the entrepreneurs who can endure through those long hours. But in the long-run, success is found by the entrepreneurs who build a balanced system.”
Adam El-Agez – Hands Off
“Most entrepreneurs are in “always on” mode when it comes to thinking about business. While that’s what makes us who we are, it can also become a liability if we don’t allow our brains to log-off from the non-stop business chat that we have with ourselves and others. It’s a crucial skill to be able to let go and allow ourselves to experience a life outside of seeing everything as a monetization opportunity! Enjoying time in the water surfing or fishing or with friends and family and being totally present becomes a skill in itself.”
Dan Wesley – Credit Loans
“Simply put, I take things one day at a time. I can’t do more than that anyhow…
Certainly, I strive to think days/weeks ahead but it’s more important (I think) to look at things on a daily basis. Some days I’m at the mercy of my personal life: kids are sick, wife is out of town for business and that becomes my # 1 priority and focus to get through the time frame.
Other days, I’m preparing for the quarterly board meeting and a ghost to my family. It happens, but it all blends out since I’m approaching this day by day.”
So, there you have it. Everyone handles the balance between their work and home life differently, but everyone knows how it important it is.
What works for you as you balance work and play?
Eva Webster is a freelance writer, editor for Article-Writing.co, foodie, wine lover, animal hugger and Pearl Jam super-fan.
