Maintaining a Work-Life Balance

Small business owners sometimes find themselves in an unusual situation. You may have decided to strike out on your own in order to spend more time with your family or experience the freedom of being your own boss, but instead every waking moment is taken up with running your new company - in spite of assistance from your small business accounting software.

A 2007 survey conducted by MasterCard Worldwide found that more than half of small business owners believe that being in charge of their own firm gives them a greater work-life balance than other workers. However, this goal is not always easy to achieve.

"For most small business owners, the line between professional and personal life is often blurred as they are constantly juggling multiple business and personal tasks," explained Bruno Perreault of MasterCard Worldwide, commenting on the findings.

For those who are still working toward this objective, here are a few tips:

Use lists to stay in control

Some people are natural list-makers, while others tend to keep priorities all in their head. For those who find work tasks spilling into personal time, list-making can help set limits and use the workday to its fullest potential.

In order to better control how you use your time, try making a list every night before you close up shop that will set out priorities for the day ahead. When making this list, be careful not to give yourself too much to do or you will defeat the purpose.

Don't forget to cross out each task as you accomplish it - this will help provide a feeling of accomplishment, like you have really earned your evening off.

And don't punish yourself for failing to cross every item off of your list. Life is unpredictable and even the most motivated business owners may find that they have to move some items to be tackled the next day.

Delegate tasks

Especially in the beginning, small business owners may get used to handling every task - both large and small - themselves. However, as a firm gets into its groove, it may be time to start letting other people take care of some duties to free up your time and reduce stress.

When deciding which responsibilities to delegate, consider what effect these tasks could have on your business operations. Your small business accounting software may already be a great help, but many people also choose to hire a bookkeeper to take care of day-to-day cash flow management. Even hiring an administrative assistant to handle correspondence two days per week could be a help.

Some entrepreneurs back away from delegation because they think it will cost them money. However, keep in mind that your time is also valuable.

Don't over-commit

Again, old habits may be hard to break. In your company's early days, you may have found yourself saying yes to any project or customer that came your way - even if it was not the best use of your time.

Once you have more confidence and financial stability, don't be afraid to say no to some of these commitments. When considering whether you will accept work, consult your small business accounting software and consider your bottom line, but also think about what you might do with that time to put it to better use.

Schedule some downtime

A 2007 survey by American Express found that 45 percent of entrepreneurs consider taking time off from work to pursue a leisure activity to be a "guilty pleasure." However, it is precisely these activities that will keep you motivated and energized to tackle your work, while giving you a chance to step back and re-evaluate.

Maybe your schedule is already full of tasks such as "call X about payment schedule" and "meet with Y about new marketing plan." Why not include other non-work-related activities into your busy planner that will allow you to concentrate on yourself for once and take a breather?

For example, after you remind yourself to call X, add in an hour to go to the gym or go for a walk - whatever helps you unwind. Or head down to the local coffee shop. Once these activities are added to your regular calendar, alongside more "important" meetings, you will be less likely to let them slide.

Take a vacation

It may seem difficult to pull yourself away from your small business accounting software, but it is necessary to maintain your mental health. It's not always easy to schedule time off, but even a day here and there can provide some time away from everyday stresses such as paying bills and dealing with customers.

The key to a successful vacation is to make sure you are truly disconnected. That could mean no cell phone or email - or you could set limits on when you allow yourself to communicate about work matters. Just remember to be easy on yourself - you shouldn't feel guilty about taking a break from work, but it is also not a crime to break your own rule and check your messages once in a while.ADNFCR-1776-ID-18887920-ADNFCR


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