The life of an entrepreneur is hard. The first years of launching your business and making it successful can take a toll on your personal life. When you spend your whole day at the office and your nights thinking about the next day, you are bound to pay a price at home. So what should you do? What can you do?
The Secret is Balance
No matter how busy you are, there are only 24 hours in a day. You cannot get an extra minute so you have to work with what you have. Are you willing to let family and your personal life take a backseat in the pursuit of success or do you want to grow with your loved ones? The key here is to strike a balance.
- Don’t let family time be an option. Make it a priority, a non-negotiable one at that. Always find time to be with loved ones and friends. Even if you have a tight schedule make sure to spend at least 1-2 hours of quality time with them every day. Be around for the holidays and festivals and always make it to their most important moments as they make for you. Go to the recitals, the school plays, the graduation parties of your loved ones and they will support you when you most need it.
- Make time for you. Dedicate just one hour every day for personal time be it going to the gym, taking a walk, reading or listening to music. If you spend most of your time nurturing your business and your family, you won’t have any time for yourself. Give priority to your own mental health to eliminate burnout. Busy and stressed entrepreneurs are often more susceptible to depression, anxiety and self worth issues but a little time to yourself and a different perspective can help put your life in place.
- Get help! As an entrepreneur, you may think you have to do everything yourself or it won’t get done. Not only is this thinking wrong but detrimental to your growth and state of mind. Hire employee(s) and delegate your tasks to them. When you reduce your own workload and share the burden, you can pay attention to other facets of your life like family and recreation.
- Prepare yourself for struggle. Always remember that on your quest to success, you will find yourself with long working days, week and even months! This intense period of hard work and determination will get you where you want to be. If you find yourself busy today, make sure to find time to stay home and relax in the future.
There are many sacrifices entrepreneurs have to make to become successful in a world of cut throat competition. And yes, there are many things you will miss when you busy yourself with a venture like free time or a social life. The trick is to find the right things to sacrifice and hold on what’s really important – your home. After all, what is the point of succeeding if you have nobody to celebrate it with!
