For Determined Women Business Owners
Women’s Work-Life Balance Tips
Improving Your Daily Life
For women business owners, work-life balance is a never-ending battle. Juggling the demands of running a business with personal and family responsibilities leaves very little space for self-care and personal time.
Sound familiar?
If you’re not dealing with diapers and breastfeeding, it’s toddler tantrums, playdates, sporting practices or events, and calls from school about missing homework. Add to that the fact that the whole family needs to eat, but they’re never all home at the same time. Isn’t that the way it works? All. The. Time?
And despite carpooling, childcare, and relatives helping out (if they don’t live 5,000 miles away), you never seem to be able to think clearly. Your thoughts are like a plate of spaghetti in your brain - forever entangled - and something is always missed.
Usually, it’s YOU!
Believe me when I say it doesn’t have to be that way.
All it takes is some sage advice and systems in place, and your work-life balance becomes something to be proud of. Here’s how to approach improving work-life balance.
Set Crystal Clear, Firm Boundaries
Establishing clear boundaries between work and personal life is absolutely critical. Define your specific work hours and stick to them. It’s hard, but you MUST!
Figure out a way to stick to your timetable like glue! I like to set a series of alarms on my phone the night before or first thing in the morning. As long as you know exactly what has to happen at each alarm time, you’re golden!
DON’T LET YOURSELF OFF THE HOOK! You’ll thank me for it!
Prioritize and Delegate (Yes, You CAN!!)
Focusing on high-priority tasks makes for better time management.
Have you heard about a teacher who filled a glass jar with larger rocks first to represent the most meaningful or important tasks? Then came gravel (lower priority), then sand (minor tasks), then water until the glass was completely full. Imagine if it went the other way around - filling your jar with small stuff first. You’d never have space for the tasks that matter. Let that sink in.
Delegating tasks that others can handle frees up your time and reduces the stress of trying to do everything alone. As women, we’re programmed to think we have to do everything ourselves. When kids grow up, it’s good for them (and you) to be allocated tasks that suit their age. It’s about teaching them responsibility and helping others.
Schedule Time for Yourself
MAKE SURE you write personal time into your daily or weekly schedule, just as you would a business meeting. Yes - personal time is equally important as business time. It might not be directly making you money, but it’s your time to relax your mind and give it breathing time and space for creativity to blossom.
Whether you choose a hobby, work out, or simply relax, YOUR SELF-time is essential for recharging your batteries. You’ll end up letting everyone down if you let your energy levels drop
Use Technology Wisely
Leverage technology to streamline business operations and stay organized. As I said earlier, I love to use my phone for regular alarms during each workday. That’s a really simple job, but there are many ways tech can save you time and brainpower.
Tools like project management software and automated scheduling can save time and reduce your mental load. Make sure you record ideas as they pop up, whether it be via voice message, text, or a note-taking app. If you don’t get them out of your head as they appear, you’ll lose them! Believe me, I know!!!
For Ultimate Work-Life Balance, Learn to Say 'No!'
(You CAN Do This Too!)
Saying no to non-essential commitments can help you focus on what’s truly important. This is something I find really difficult, but I’ve learned the world will not end just because I say ‘no.’
It can save your sanity, win you some extra sleep, prevent you from overspending, and so much more. It sits right beside the previous point of scheduling time for yourself. It prevents overloading your schedule and keeps your stress levels down.
Create a Support System Around Yourself
Build a strong support system, both at work and at home. Relying on a team, friends, or family can provide the assistance needed to manage your responsibilities.
This part isn’t always easy, especially if you’ve recently moved house or even moved abroad. But do your best to meet new people in your area of work and/or life. Treat each place you visit and every person you meet as another opportunity to build that ideal work-life balance you crave.
Practice Self-Care Regularly
Incorporate self-care into your routine as a non-negotiable part of your life. Regular exercise, good nutrition, and enough sleep are vital for sustaining energy and focus.
You’ve known this all along, but has it really sunk in? You feel it when you’ve skipped a meal because you ‘didn’t have time’ and you’re running low on energy, right? Listen…you can’t take care of business or family if you don’t care for yourself FIRST!
If you need help on the business success side of life, reach out. Don’t climb that business ladder alone!
So, yes - balancing work and life as a woman business owner requires intention and effort. By using these strategies, you can create and maintain a more sustainable, fulfilling work-life balance. Practice allowing yourself personal growth AND business success for a happier life.