4 Ways To Foster Better Work-Life Balance As A Solopreneur
3 MINUTE READ
If you work for yourself, you know the challenges of balance. There’s the balance of work and play, family and social commitments, meetings and time off the screen. Regardless of who you are or what you do, when you work for yourself there is always a sort of give-and-take when it comes to your time and energy. But there are ways to foster a better work-life balance as a solopreneur (without sacrificing your values along the way). Here are some tips that can easily be added to your weekly routine.
1. Create A Structure For Your Work Schedule
When it comes to your dedicated work time, it’s easy—and even easier when you work for yourself—to lose structure around your time ‘off’ and ‘on.’ Boundaries tend to be less rigid when your work blends with your play, when your office is your home, or when you’re the main person responsible for the success of your empire.
But, you’ll be far more successful when you create a structure around your work days, times, and weeks.
Here’s how to do this: Create set times that you’ll be online vs. offline, that you’ll be in your inbox or out of your inbox, and that are strict ‘OOO’ (Out Of Office) when it comes to personal or family time.
By giving yourself this structure–and attempting to adhere to it as much as possible–you’ll not only build in intentional rest time, but you’ll also be more focused when it’s time to get serious about projects, deadlines, and to-dos.
2. Schedule Your Non-Work Commitments First
How often do you find yourself missing out on social or family events because you have something work-related? If you find yourself nodding your head to this, then it’s time to make a change. Rather than booking your work events first—and then having to schedule your social and/or family events around them—do the opposite.
Create your monthly calendar with respect to social and family outings first. Reach out to close friends/family members and schedule your dinner dates, coffee chats, or gatherings/ parties. If you have children, get their updated school and sports schedules and add all their important games to your digital or physical calendar first.
Then, from there, you can start to plan work events, meetings, and calls. This way, you’ll naturally foster balance by prioritizing other areas before your work instead of the other way around.
3. Maintain A Consistent Sleep Schedule
It’s not always easy to have a consistent sleep schedule. . . especially if you’re a solopreneur, and especially if you’re a parent or have other people who rely on you. Regardless, one of the best ways you can create balance and peace in your life is to (attempt) to maintain a consistent sleep schedule.
Whether this is eight hours per night or four, the idea is to try to go to bed around the same time whenever possible and/or wake up after a certain number of hours. Why this helps is that it allows your body to regulate a circadian rhythm. While having a solid amount of hours per night, of course, has its benefits, there’s something to be said about quality sleep over quantity.
4. Use The Accountability ‘Buddy System’
When there’s no ‘boss’ breathing down your neck, you’re either lackadaisical. . . or what happens more often than not–you’re the exact opposite–and struggle to truly disconnect.
But, it’s harder to be a workaholic when you have someone who’s being mindful of your rest time. Whether this is a spouse or partner, friend, child, or someone in a similar career as you, finding an ‘Accountability Buddy’ is key to creating work-life balance as a solopreneur.
This ‘buddy’ will provide support and valuable check-ins to make sure that you’re not just working all the time, but that you’re giving yourself time to reset and rest, too. You don’t always have to be ‘on’ to be successful. In fact, the opposite is true—the more you cultivate balance, the more passionate, driven, focused, and intentional you’ll be.
