How Creative Entrepreneurs Can Find Work/Life Balance

I love the opportunity I have to run a business while still feeling fulfilled in other areas of my life! But maintaining this balance requires a tricky dance, walking a fine line without drifting too far to either side. I’m sure a lot of other business owners can relate! 

As we’ve all spent a lot more time at home over the past year, and minimized the social interaction we had, at least in person, I’ve realized how much I rely on that balance to maintain a peaceful and successful schedule and mindset. Today I thought I’d share with you some of my tips for other business owners looking to find a good work/life balance!

Prioritizing Your Time
A big part of my balance comes through prioritizing how I spend my time. I often hear about entrepreneurs sacrificing dreams or balance because they “don’t have time for” whatever it is they’re giving up. The reality is we all have the same amount of time. If something doesn’t find space in your life, it’s because you’re not prioritizing it, not because you don’t have the time, really. And that’s okay! That’s the beauty of life, that we all get to choose how we spend it.

By looking at work and other responsibilities through this lens, I’ve been able to uncover untapped potential and realize a greater ambition than I thought I had. I’m getting more done by being really intentional with how I spend my time, and that allows me to achieve a better work/life balance.

Here’s how this looks in my day-to-day life:

• When I’m working at home, I prioritize the most critical tasks in the early morning before my family rises, or intentionally block off time I’m unavailable to them/away from the house, and leave the less time-sensitive tasks for during the day. I’m still able to work, but if I have to stop in the middle of an email draft, I can always come back to it later when my family doesn’t need my attention, as opposed to a lengthy presentation or consultation call that I’d have to pause and leave people hanging.
• If I am having trouble getting through my latest book on my To Read list, I’ll search for an audiobook version instead that I can listen to as I drive or while I get ready. 
• I make sure that the most important things make it onto my calendar first. If I want to be the kind of person who only works four hours a day, or goes on a weekly date night, or plans a family outing every week, then I have to be intentional about it.

Integrating Work With Hobbies
Another way I’ve found that I can find more balance is through integrating my work with my family and hobbies. That will look different for everyone, but some ideas might be:

• Bring one of your kids with you on your next work trip. Even if they have to sit in the hotel for a couple of hours at one point, you’ll have mornings, evenings, and meals out to spend with them. Or allow them to shadow you at meetings and presentations and see what your work looks like!
• Cater your business to your hobbies and interests. Are Monday mornings the best time for you to work on your golf game or meet with your scripture study group? Make sure your work schedule reflects that. Additionally, perhaps you begin offering a service or product that goes hand-in-hand with a creative hobby you have. Your shop will benefit from the expanded inventory and you’ll benefit mentally by getting to develop yourself personally and earn a profit off your new skill.
• Along with our previous comments on prioritizing your time, find ways you can bring work with you, and get more done in the “in-between” time. When my husband is driving, I like to quickly respond to emails to get people answers faster and progress a project to the next phase. This is much better than waiting until I’m working the following morning before sending off a response! I also bring a notebook with me when I take my kids to the park so I can brainstorm ideas or sketch out logo concepts, making my process that much more efficient when I get back to “real” work time.

I’ve been doing this for a few years and really love the balance I’ve struck and I hope you’re able to achieve the same! What strategies to find a better work/life balance would you recommend that I can add to my list?