By Denise Rivera
Maintaining a healthy work-life balance throughout the stages of your business
Being a successful business owner requires drive, focus and dedication — but at what cost? Finding a happy medium between your work life and your personal life can be tricky.
According to the Small Business Administration, small businesses make up 99.7 percent of U.S. employers. A lot of you are striving to build a successful business, while also making time for family and friends.
As your business evolves, so will your work-life balance. Here’s what to expect as you’re building your business.
Starting Out
Want a social life? It’s not easy when you’re getting your business off the ground. Plan to be overwhelmed and working many long hours as you dedicate all of your time and energy to your new venture. Maybe your child is starting elementary school, but you’ll miss seeing them in the morning and won’t be home until they go to bed. But as you’re making these early sacrifices, know that the blood, sweat and tears will pay off.
Staying Organized
Nothing is worse than feeling like you have to be in two places at once — or that you’re unsure of what’s next on your to-do list. Avoid the hassle by creating a scheduling system or calendar to prioritize your duties and responsibilities in the critical development stages of your business. Check off tasks as you complete them using an online checklist such as Forgett that allows you to create private lists and shared lists that your team has access to. Save time by tackling small jobs that can be done in less than five minutes, such as sending an email or filing a folder, rather than putting it off. Then, before your day is over, gather what you’ll need for the next day, which will make your morning run a lot smoother.
Getting Up and Running
Once you’ve established a solid foundation for your business, you’ll want to begin delegating responsibilities. Your job is to oversee the scope and growth of your brand or company. Consider hiring one or two employees, if possible, to take on additional duties, such as an assistant to manage your schedule and other everyday tasks. Or, hire a freelance assistant using a service such as Upwork for specific projects at affordable prices. And, if hiring isn’t an option, consider a temp agency for the busy seasons to distribute the workload.
Maintaining the Flow
Take a step back to strengthen relationships with those closest to you. You control your schedule, so use your time wisely. Commit to a time to meet with friends and family, and stick to it as you would with your work schedule. That way, you can go out to lunch with a friend instead of eating at your desk — or leave early for a family outing. Your health is important, too! Consider squeezing in a yoga class or high-intensity cardio to de-stress.
Celebrating the Victories
Thanks to your hard work and commitment, your business will taste success. Celebrate the victory with your team by hosting a lunch at the office or treating them to dinner. Recognize your team who contributed to the growth of your business, so they know their hard work is appreciated. At this point, you may even want to treat yourself to a well-deserved vacation.
Denise Rivera is a ComplyRight product evangelist working to empower small business owners with their everyday goals by providing practical solutions, like HRdirect’s Time and Attendance Software, TrackSmart. She has over 20 years of experience in sales, marketing, and operations management. She lives in sunny South Florida, where she successfully maintains a healthy work-life balance with ample time to spend at the beach. You can connect with Denise here.
