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Greater minds than me have proclaimed the importance of a healthy work-life balance, emphasizing its physical, psychological and social benefits. But taking time off, going to the gym three times a week and meditating can be a big challenge for a busy entrepreneur.
Here's how to find out what works. Maybe it's not a daily 5 a.m. wake-up and cardio workout, but a weekly Pilates class that keeps you sane. Or maybe spending time with friends gives you more energy than a meditative session.
Here are my tips for improving your routine as an entrepreneur and finding a balance between rest and business success.
Related: Is it possible to balance career and personal well-being? 26 entrepreneurs share their own tips
Schedule breaks throughout the day
They say sitting is the silent killer – our sedentary lifestyle brings with it numerous risk factors and impacts on our health. While the goal is to exercise regularly, taking regular breaks to stand and stretch throughout the day will help at least mitigate these risks.
Health experts recommend taking a 5-10 minute break for every hour you spend at your workplace. Stand up, walk around, change positions, etc. It also helps to incorporate back, neck, hip, and hand stretches into your routine.
Another common ailment that we computer warriors suffer from is eye strain. Follow the 20-20-20 rule to reduce eye strain. Use blue light filtering glasses to reduce eye strain, improve mental health and support healthy sleep patterns.
These small but subtle improvements will ensure you make the most of your short breaks during the day, improving your physical and mental health and preventing future posture, muscle and eye problems.
Don't cheat on your days away
Do you unplug when you take a break? On days away from the office, it's important to give your mind (and your laptop) a break. This means you don't have to read Slack messages, deal with emails, or answer panicked customer calls (unless absolutely necessary).
Did I always log out during my vacation days? No – guilty as charged. But since I've realized how important it is to spend time with family (for me and them), I think this “off the radar” approach is essential. Today that's a huge privilege given the support of my team, but even as a sole proprietor I've found ways to unplug, even if just for a day or so.
Don't cheat yourself out of free time. If your company structure and capacity allows, hold yourself accountable for taking a real vacation, turning off your notifications, and rescheduling business for another day. Chances are good that everything will be fine when you return.
Related: 9 Things You Can Do to Have a Work-Free Vacation (Infographic)
Know your must-haves and nice-to-haves
Most entrepreneurs are creative thinkers. We are the “big idea” people of the world. As a result, we tend to get distracted by the next shiny object and divert our attention from our most important priorities and goals.
Pursuing these “nice to have” ideas leads to overwhelm, lost investments, and burnout. When we pursue new ideas without clarity and intention, our priorities become muddled and we have less time for planning and rest throughout our day.
I’m particularly guilty of this – that’s why I have my “no” person (my COO). It keeps my ideas in check and helps me distinguish my “must haves” from my “nice to haves.” Not only does this help keep my business on track, but it also ensures that I spend my productive time on important tasks while still having enough time to rest.
Find the activities that nourish you
A lot of advice on how to create a work-life balance simply doesn't fit my individual interests and goals. For example, I am not a cold diver, morning meditation or yoga person. But I find that time with my family nourishes me more than anything else. I enjoy traveling, meeting new people and going to delicious restaurants.
The key to balancing your routine is finding what nourishes YOU. For you, that might mean morning walks, playing with your dog, a trip to the pickleball court, or meeting friends for happy hour. Identify the activities that best support your physical, social and emotional health and make time for them.
Conventional advice leads you to believe that you need to structure your day in a certain way – e.g. E.g. waking up early, exercise routine, time blocking, etc. In reality, everyone functions differently. Find the things that fuel you, structure your day so that you feel productive yet refreshed, and make time for the things that nourish your soul.
Related: I'm very busy – but still have a lot of free time. Here are 10 hacks that help me truly enjoy my life
Recognize the first signs of burnout
Like a thief in the night, burnout sneaks up on you when you least expect it. It might feel like a month of being at the top of your game, and then suddenly you're a homebody with barely enough will to make it to the fridge to get a soda. The goal is to not let it get to that point, but to do that you have to be able to recognize the signs of burnout early on.
This may look different for different people, but in general, signs of burnout include constant fatigue (that doesn't improve with rest), difficulty staying focused and motivated, feeling more irritable and overwhelmed than usual, withdrawal from social interactions, and Unexplainable health problems. Basically, if you're feeling “weird” and aren't sure why, burnout could be imminent.
The good news is that if you recognize these signs early, you can better contain the damage. You may need to reduce your schedule, build more breaks into your day, relax at a friend's house, or book a vacation. Resist the urge to assert yourself; The mental and physical consequences of burnout are no fun!