Running a business brings many challenges, and so does running a household. While the two aren’t mutually exclusive, keeping all aspects of your life operating smoothly requires some organization and planning. Todaywe have some tips to help you manage the many facets of your life.
Set priorities and boundaries
It’s important to establish what your priorities are, so make a list of them. Determine what is essential, what would be nice, and what can be put aside, at least for now. Once you are clear on the things that are most important, develop a schedule for attending to them. You may not have to do every single thing yourself–accepting help is a strength. You’ll need to set boundaries to make sure your time and energy are going to the things that are most important to you. You may need to put exercise or time with friends on your calendar to prevent brushing them aside. Setting and sticking with regular work hours can be very helpful. Learning to say no is important in business as well as social and home life.
Delegate
Although many entrepreneurs like being hands-on with all aspects of the business, nobody can truly do it all. It’s important to distinguish the things that must be done by you, from the things that can be delegated. You may find that you can hire freelancers to take on certain tasks at your business, particularly during the busier seasons. You might use a virtual assistant at work to automate emails to customers, social media postings, and other routine tasks. Sometimes hiring a professional for specific endeavors can save you a lot of time and money.
For instance, if you have decided to make your business a limited liability company (LLC), which has tax benefits as well as protects your assets, you could hire an attorney to do the legwork. Since each state has different regulations for LLCs, you might want to work with an online formation service that’s already familiar with the specific regulations and can get you started in minutes.
Delegate at home, too
You may also find it helpful to delegate some of the responsibilities associated with your home life. One can often find freelancers to do tasks including cleaning, pet care, child care, and running errands. Don’t overlook the value of asking other household members to help, too. Kids and teens can help fold and put away laundry, take out the trash, and help with simple tasks like sweeping and loading the dishwasher. If you lack time to go to the gym, you might benefit from an online exercise coach or class.
Manage your documents
Your business needs a good document management system. At some point, most businesses will need to share documents with staff, suppliers, or clients. In many instances, PDFs are the preferred format for such documents. Although some work may have been created as image files, the best solution is to use this free tool to convert them to PDFs, saving you lots of time and hassle.
Although nobody would claim that running a business and running a household simultaneously is easy, it can be done with adequate help. It’s important to acknowledge your own limitations and honor them rather than overextending yourself and getting burned out.
Set your priorities, and schedule them.
Be sure to include time with your family, friends, pets, and hobbies, as well as exercise and adequate sleep if these are important to you. Delegate, ask for help, and learn to say no to things that don’t support your goals and priorities. Remember to schedule some slow time or rest time, too–none of us can operate at full speed indefinitely.
Article Courtesy of Adam Taylor
Adam Taylor is committed to separating work and home so that he can enjoy both. Now, with TaylorandNoel.com, he’s sharing his best practices with other freelancers, in hopes they can do the same.
