Habits are changing but passion is something that burns inside of you.
When it comes to following your passion, it’s not for the faint hearted. This is particularly true for women as they dexterously juggle between work and family responsibilities. This post is about sharing from our experience a few of the ways that may just work for you, too.
Tips to Balance Work and Family as a Female Entrepreneur
Here are some ways in which women entrepreneurs can find work and life balance:
1. Set Clear Boundaries
First off, set clear boundaries.
Convey the same to your family and also, to the team you work with. Allocate specific time for work and set the hours for family time, too.
As you get better you could fit in time for personal wellness such as following an exercise regime, meditation, gym, a quick coffee break and so on. This practice requires diligence but once you get into following it studiously, you will never want to go back to the chaos of unstructured days.
2. Prioritize Tasks
There is no way in which one can undermine how well planners, to-do lists, or project management software work to stay organized.
It takes a sit down and a lot of thought to prioritize work. Identify your most important tasks and work on them with complete focus, and ensure you set specific timelines/ deadlines to not get carried away.
3. Delegate and Outsource
Delegation is another acquired skill.
Assign work as per the strengths of your employees or team members, to lighten your workload. It is also a good idea to outsource non-core tasks such as administrative work or some of the household chores. Distribution of work ensures quality work gets done.
4. Create a Dedicated Workspace
Always set up a designated workspace, even at home.
This distinguishes your office from the rest of the family area. Gradually, everyone in the family gets used to the idea of staying not just with your work hours but also, respecting your workspace.
5. Use Technology Wisely
Noob sounds good in random conversations but when it comes to the worksphere you really can’t afford to be one.
In this really smart, digitized world, schedule virtual meetings and use collaborative tools to stay in the loop with your team. Technology helps to streamline your work processes and improves efficiency. Use it abundantly ( no pun intended) because the more you do, the more it gets done for you.
6. Plan Family Activities
Plan just as meticulously and practice like a regimen, family activities for some quality time and more bonding.
Invest time in planning vacations you can take together, get you the necessary time off to reboot and refresh and at the same time, bring you closer to your loved ones.
7. Practice Self-Care
It’s important to take care of your physical and mental health through adequate physical exercise, relaxation and sleep.
Make time to pursue new hobbies and activities that take you away from work and let you marvel at all that you can do with your mind and your hands, which is limitless!
8. Learn to Say No
Let no one fool you with the superwoman rhetoric. Know your limits and don’t overcommit to work and social obligations.
Learn to politely say no to additional responsibilities that’d unsettle your work- life balance. By being this person, you are able to focus on your priorities and stay away from the nonsensical.
9. Build a Support System
Allow yourself the luxury of having an ecosystem of people- family, supportive friends, and mentors who can offer encouragement and advice.
Women are the biggest supporters of other women. So, seek out networks and groups of female entrepreneurs for additional support and resources. Build your tribe.
10. Set Realistic Expectations
Be the realist in a world of dreamers. Don’t stretch yourself to a point that wears you thin.
Remember, you can’t do everything perfectly, all the time. It is okay to ask for help and celebrate small wins. Never drown yourself in the whirlpool of unrealistic expectations.
11. Schedule Regular Breaks
Take short breaks throughout the day – walk to make yourself that coffee, take calls on the move, play fetch with your pet, potter about in your garden or listen to some music. These little breaks supercharge you and you are back at your work with a clearer head,
12. Communicate Openly
Speak openly about your work commitments with your family and its challenges.
Get them involved in your entrepreneurial journey. Sometimes, they may have counsel that gives you a better perspective. The whole process becomes better with understanding and support.
13. Flexible Working Hours
Being an entrepreneur gives you the advantage of flexibility in your routines. Adjust things around to fit in family time and allow yourself the very essential ‘me’ time too.
14. Plan and Organize
Always , always plan ahead. It may seem like a task, at first but once it’s a part of your routine, you’d know it for the blessing it is. You’d never miss an important call or have to reschedule stuff.
Using calendars and other scheduling tools will help you to stay organized and manage your time effectively.
15. Seek Professional Help When Needed
There is a lot of taboo around seeking professional help when you feel overwhelmed and edgy.
But talking to a professional is always helpful because it gets you a place to share your insecurities and also, get you some sound advice and fresh perspectives. They can help you with small lifestyle tweaks and even prescription drugs if need be.
Conclusion
All in all, keeping the work-life balance is like chasing a mirage.
So, don’t beat yourself on days when the balance gets tipped. There will be slip-ups but take them as learning.
Also, never forget to celebrate the little things and reward yourself, every now and then for never abandoning your hustle. Dream big, stay grounded.
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