Work Life Balance

How well are you balancing your work and personal life?

If you run your own small business, you may find yourself struggling with this balance. While traits like helpfulness, and a strong sense of responsibility are valuable assets, they can also make it difficult to switch off from work and achieve a healthy work life balance.

Perfectionism, for instance, can be advantageous in situations requiring attention to detail, but it can also lead to prolonged working hours, anxiety, and falling behind on tasks. Learning to accept that “good enough” is indeed sufficient can help alleviate this pressure.

If you’re feeling dissatisfied with your work-life balance, it’s crucial to prioritise your own well-being. By nurturing happiness in your personal life, you not only benefit yourself but also result in greater effectiveness in your work.

Signs of an imbalance may include feeling overbooked, constantly pressed for time, neglecting health and relationships, or experiencing disorganisation and sleep disturbances due to work-related stress.

Here are five tips to help restore equilibrium:

1. Make small changes: Experiment with new activities or habits, like going for a walk instead of watching TV, or planning meals mindfully. Reflect on the impact of these changes on your mood and overall well-being.
2. Limit social media and work-related activities during non-work hours: Disconnecting from platforms like Facebook can provide much-needed mental rest and separation from work obligations.
3. Assess your strengths and weaknesses: Seek feedback from trusted sources or utilise resources like self-help books or online assessments. Leverage your strengths fully and find strategies to address weaknesses, whether through learning, delegation, or assertive boundary-setting.
4. Slow down and prioritise: Focus on essential tasks rather than attempting to tackle everything at once. Prioritisation can lead to increased effectiveness and reduced stress.
5. Consider having a personal and business coach, often someone looking in from outside can have valuable insight and input.