Being your own boss. It sounds so empowering and freeing. It is also a serious challenge. There’s a myriad of responsibilities to juggle. A family to care for; a home to run; a business to build; and somewhere in all of that, you need to take care of you.
You can create a fabulous looking plan that on paper seems completely doable. Yet when you sit down to work the plan, it becomes a struggle to keep up with your own expectations and you find your life lacks balance.
Like you, I’ve experienced similar challenges. At the core of the lack of balance, I discovered a need for structure. As an employee, it had always been provided as a normal part of the work day. However, as my own boss, I had to find a way to create that structure from scratch. Perhaps what I learned can help you find what you need to succeed.
- Create a map of your life needs. Block out the chunks of time you are truly unavailable. Account for the time you need for personal tasks. The dishes need to be washed. The laundry needs to be done. Make sure to schedule time for you as well. Without downtime, you won’t be able to give your life your best.
- Make a list of your business tasks and projects. Determine how important each one is. How critical is each one to your ultimate success? How long will each one honestly take? Start by fitting the most important ones into the open slots on your schedule.
- Allow space for flexibility. Life happens. Staying on track when it does requires knowing where you can flex your schedule while still moving forward. Help yourself stay on track by leaving yourself some unscheduled time.
- Be realistic. Giving your life your best doesn’t mean only accepting perfection. Don’t become so focused on being perfect that you loose your momentum. Measure your work by its effectiveness and consistency.
- Take time to celebrate. Don’t hold your celebrations for the big victories. The small ones are your building blocks. Use them to reinforce your dreams and your life.
Your dreams can be a reality. In the midst of planning and creating your future, remember to include time to enjoy the beauty of today.
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