Work-life balance is critical for entrepreneurs. Why? Because being an entrepreneur is tough. You have a lot of highs and lows, and not a lot of other people to help you grow the business. If your life is out of balance, you won’t be able to excel in any area. Working longer is usually not more productive, but the temptation to overwork is always there. You must find a way to integrate the things that are important to you while growing your business.
Most women face challenges while trying to balance their career with domestic responsibilities at home. Despite all the discussions about equality, women still do far more work than men at home. It puts enormous pressure on female entrepreneurs and can impact their performance at the workplace. To fix these patterns in any woman’s life, they must completely restructure their day-to-day tasks.
Although achieving work-life harmony may feel impossible at times, one can attain it with the right attitude, and flexibility. To help you in this aspect, we listed ten tried-and-tested tips that can help every women entrepreneur in achieving a balanced life.
1. HAVE REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS
It’s not easy for a woman to create a well-balanced life always. There are times where her family needs attention, and at times, business wants her entire focus on the projects. It makes it difficult for her to prioritize the tasks especially if it’s essential for her growth. If you ever see yourself in this state, try to make your expectations flexible. Stop assuming that women can manage everything all the time. This thought will reduce a lot of stress and helps you to achieve balance in your life.
2. SET BOUNDARIES
Many women entrepreneurs assume that working around the clock will help them grow and their business quickly. But in reality, it can lead to general exhaustion, and sleep deprivation. So set boundaries for yourself if you don’t want to feel overwhelmed with the everyday tasks. Be clear about where you need your focus, and do it unapologetically. Once your priorities are clear, you can work solely on it without worrying about other’s responsibilities.
3. GIVE TIME FOR YOURSELF
If you are unable to spend some “me” time, it hampers your creativity and thereby effects your business in the long run. So, learn to take some time for yourself even in the busy schedule. You can spend a day at the spa, go for a health checkup, or plan outing with your kids. This particular time set aside to take care of yourself will have a positive impact on your lifestyle.
4. EVALUATE YOUR SCHEDULE
Always set some time to assess your schedule to identify what’s working and what’s not. As life keeps changing constantly, the tips applied a year ago might not work today. So, you must continually evaluate your plan at least once in every quarter. It helps you to achieve work-life balance easily and thereby makes you highly productive.
5. TAKE EXTERNAL HELP
Sometimes it’s highly challenging for a woman to work full-time as they have to take care of their social life too. It can include cooking meals for kids, cleaning the house, making kids study, and attending unavoidable family gatherings. In such cases, you can outsource some of your tasks whenever required. For instance, you can hire a housekeeper to do house chores, or you can delegate specific tasks at work to a responsible employee. Also, don’t be afraid to turn to a friend or business partner for any help while running your business. In personal life, you can ask for advice from your family when needed. Sometimes, it’s difficult to handle everything all alone, so never hesitate to take help from your near and dear ones.
6. STOP COMPARING
Any kind of comparison is self-destructive. You might find yourself comparing your attributes such as strengths, and weaknesses to other women leaders. It will hamper your growth eventually if you practice this often. According to social comparison theory, this emotional drive is part of the underlying desire to know ourselves better in the world. But dwelling too much on this area will kill the confidence within you. So, focus on your goals instead of comparing yourself to other businesswomen. It will help you to achieve more.
7. LEARN TO SAY NO
Say “Yes” to the tasks that benefit you and “No” to the ones that don’t. As a woman entrepreneur, you may easily fall into the trap of doing everything by yourself. It will not only make you exhausted but puts your priorities way aside. So, you must learn to say “no” gracefully to the tasks that others throw on your way. Also, explain the reason for rejecting the request honestly. Although it is one of the hardest things to learn, you must master this skill if you don’t wish to waste your limited time doing other’s chores. Therefore, draw a boundary around you and stick to it elegantly! Otherwise, your business may consume you entirely one day leaving no space to breathe.
8. STICK TO YOUR PLAN
As a business owner, you are more likely tempted to skip the rule or push yourself to work for long to attain the annual goals. In such cases, you must tell yourself to follow a reasonable schedule. After the completion of the work timing, you should unplug from it to give yourself some time or to your family. Besides, try sticking to the holiday schedule as well. Treat your entrepreneurial life like a 9-to-5 job with regular holidays. This method will recharge your energy level and makes you feel refreshed while you come back to work. Overall, be consistent and set limits in your career life if you don’t want to feel overworked.