Finding Balance As A Female Entrepreneur

They say it costs to be the boss, and that statement has a lot of truth to it. As an entrepreneur, you sacrifice a lot of your time, money, and energy to succeed. Running a business is so involved that it’s easy to neglect other areas of your life. Everything from your children and relationships to your social life and well-being begins to suffer. Of course, no one wants to live this way, which is why you must find a healthy balance. 

Work-life balance, for many, is a bogus phrase to which there is no real answer. And I kind of agree, there isn’t. However, there is such a thing as finding a personal balance that satisfies you and your lifestyle. Yes, somehow, this topic falls onto women more than men. While it shouldn’t be that way, and this question should definitely be posed to everyone who is a professional or entrepreneur, it remains true that gender norms continue to exist. As a result, women do have to ask themselves this question probably a lot more and for some time to come.

So, how do you find the balance between home and work life as a female entrepreneur? Check out the suggestions listed below. 

Schedule Work At Work

As much as possible, do work at work, and then leave it there when you come home. Alternatively, if leaving work at work isn’t possible, set aside time at home where work is untouched. Use that time for yourself, your family, and all your personal needs.

Consider a Hybrid Work Model

One of the benefits of the pandemic is that working from home and virtual meetings became the norm. As a result, commuting times sharply declined. The flip side is that sometimes working from home can lead to you going stir-crazy. Finding balance here can help tremendously.

Consider a hybrid model where you work from home a few days of the week, and the rest you go into your office or work outside the home. This allows you to spend time with family (reduced commute) and potentially decreases the associated costs.

Get Organized At Home

When your home life is in disarray, it’s challenging to focus on the business. So, you need to get organized. Evaluate your home life and determine which things are causing you the most stress. Perhaps you need to clean your home and find a place for everything to cut down on stress and anxiety. If you and your family don’t have morning and bedtime routines, developing a system can save time throughout the day. Routines also ensure that you get a great start to your day and have a decent night’s rest. 

Prioritize Your Health

Investing too much time in your business and family causes you to fall behind on self-care. It also forces you to forget about the most important person – you. If you’re not at your best physically and mentally, you can’t be the fantastic boss, mom, wife, daughter, and friend that you are. 

One way to prioritize your needs is to create “feel good” rituals. Iron out time throughout the day where you do things for yourself that boost your mood. Whether it’s signing up for a coffee subscription and enjoying a cup of joe before starting your day or taking a long bath with essential oils at the end of a stressful week, it’s all about you. 

Some other self care ideas to consider

• Regular exercise routine (or join virtual/in person classes)
• Meditation sessions
• Speak regularly with a therapist (take care of your mental health!)
• Joining spa and wellness programs (recharge and rejuvenate!)

Your Diet

A big part of your health is what you feed yourself. If you can’t create time for cooking healthy meals, then outsource or find ways to achieve balance in your diet with what you are able to do. In the entrepreneur life, it can be tough to juggle everything and eat well at the same time. Understand that not every day will be healthy, but your week overall can include healthy habits and foods. Remember it’s all about finding balance!

Your Emotional Well Being

Stress can take a huge toll on your health. Stress management, therefore, is an important part of any routine. Where possible, do what you need to do for yourself to unwind. There’s no right answer here as everyone is different. Just recognize what works for you and do it regularly.

Sleep

Getting enough sleep is a huge part of being healthy and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Going to bed at the same time each night and having a routine to help you fall asleep and stay asleep is key.

Again, everyone is different and it can take some experimenting to see what really helps you. Try and see what works and then stick with it. It can take our brains and bodies a few weeks to associate our bedtime routine with the fact that it’s time to sleep. But once that correlation is made, you will find that falling asleep is easy!

Don’t Be Afraid To Ask For Help

You’re only one person. While you’re a phenomenal woman with unique talents, abilities, and strengths, you can only do so much alone. Whether it’s at home or in the office, don’t be afraid to seek help. Older children, significant others, family members, and friends can pitch in with personal tasks to reduce your workload.

Outsource

If you need help in the office and you can afford it, don’t hesitate to hire staff or outsource strenuous projects to freelancers, consultants, or agencies. 

Finding balance includes managing your sources and time. Outsourcing what you can’t do, don’t have time to do, or feel is a waste of your time is a great way to free up hours in the day. Use those hours, then, to complete the work you DO want to do or that’s beneficial to your business.

Spend Quality Time With Those Who Matter

Everything you do as an entrepreneur is ultimately for the benefit of you and those you love. Be that as it may, if you’re always working, it leaves little time to spend with your family. This can cause emotional problems for your entire household. So, don’t overlook the importance of making room for quality time. Take off a few hours (or the whole day) and hang out with your kids, plan weekly date nights with your significant other, and attend family gatherings. 

Final Thoughts

If you want to be a successful business owner while maintaining a happy and healthy home life, you must find balance. Finding Balance is key to battling burnout and increasing longevity in any field of work. Entrepreneurship, especially, can be a long road; so incorporating some of these measures early on can make a huge difference in your productivity and success. Hopefully, the suggestions above will give you a great place to start.