Work-life balance for small business owners
As a small business owner myself, I know how the ongoing tasks and responsibilities of running a business can be overwhelming (e.g., challenges of time constraints, financial pressure of revenue generation) and lead to work becoming an unhealthy part of personal life. It does not have to be this way though as there are actions that small business owners can take to attain a work-life balance that will not only help them enhance personal contentment, but it can also improve business success going forward. The term work-life balance is used often, but what is it? People have their own definitions, but the Cambridge Dictionary defines it as “the amount of time you spend doing your job compared with the amount of time you spend with your family and doing things you enjoy.” This means that a healthy work-life balance is when small business owners work diligently on running their business while also having the availability to do things that matter most like spend time with family and friends, pursue hobbies, and invest in better health. Having a healthy work-life balance helps small business owners prevent themselves from “burnout,” which can have a negative effect on both their business journey, personal relationships, and health.
Actions that can improve work-life balance
Be effective with time management
Small business owners who manage their time well can maintain a healthy work-life balance. Effective time management can be accomplished in ways that include time-blocking and creating manageable tasks. With time-blocking, the purpose is to be intentional about dedicating certain blocks of time to the various tasks that need to be completed for business. This also applies to blocking off specific time for personal activities as well. With creating manageable tasks, the purpose is to not get overwhelmed with larger projects for business and/or in personal life. Taking things “one step at a time” can help keep small business owners focused and motivated. I illustrate with a hypothetical example below.
Kenneth owns a health and wellness consulting firm. In addition to his everyday responsibilities of running the business, he has decided to write and publish a book about health and wellness. He knows that this is the type of project that requires much time and effort. He decides to set small progress goals every day over one year, which is manageable given all the other things he must do in his personal life and business.
Set and maintain boundaries between personal life and business
Having clear boundaries between personal life and work is essential for small business owners who want to have a healthy work-life balance. This can be accomplished by setting specific work hours and establishing a designated workspace (for those who work from home). By setting specific work hours, this helps manage time expectations with family, clients, and employees (if applicable). Note that it is important to turn off notifications (e.g., business email) after work hours, which will lessen distractions during personal time. By establishing a designated workspace, this can help small business owners (who work from home) better separate work and personal life. I illustrate with a hypothetical example below.
Jane owns a website design firm and has clients across the United States. Her business is 100% virtual so she made the decision to work from home. She acknowledges that there will be distractions (e.g., tasks to do around her home, etc.) while working from home so Jane decides to convert a room to an office, which will strictly be used for business purposes (e.g., Zoom meeting with clients).
Use flexibility as an advantage
Small business owners have many challenges, but one of the many benefits of being a business owner is having flexibility with their daily schedule. This does not mean that small business owners should be adjusting their schedules all the time, but if there is a personal commitment, then they can use the flexibility to adjust their work schedule accordingly. I illustrate with two hypothetical examples below.
Mark owns a sales consulting firm. He and his wife have two children who have several after school activities and sports that they participate in. His wife is a teacher and gets home relatively early from work, but there is no flexibility with her work hours, so Mark is responsible for helping their children with homework and bringing them to the activities and sports.
Sue owns a marketing consulting firm. She and her husband have three children who sometimes have events during the day. Her husband has a relatively long commute to work, which means he does not get home from work until dinnertime. Sue has the flexibility to get to events at her children’s school and is the one that generally attends. On these days, Sue will adjust her work schedule, go to the school event, and then return to work (if applicable for that day).