Just like with other valuable aspects of your life, creating a balance between your work and your private life is a lengthy, sometimes exhausting, but rewarding process that will ultimately allow you to lead a fulfilled life without sacrificing your hobbies for the sake of your work, or letting your pastime activities affect your productivity.
As a woman entrepreneur working from home it can become a blessing and a burden at the same time, and as your private life slowly intertwines with your business, it becomes increasingly difficult to create boundaries, and not let both aspects affect one another negatively.
Establish physical boundaries
Even if you live in a modestly furnished small apartment, it’s possible to choose a single corner that will be reserved for business. Set aside your necessities, from your desk, computer and your stylish business essentials, and you should always make sure that none of the files and materials end up in other places of your home.
If it’s not possible to have a separate room designated only for your work, then you can use a room divider to lower the chances of various distractions and to create an environment that will inspire you to work without luring you onto the couch or to watch TV.
Create a solid schedule
Although one of the greatest perks of working from home is the flexible timetable, it’s crucial to establish a routine that will enable you to work for a limited amount of time and dedicate the rest of your day to other forms of self-improvement, your family and social life.
For example, if your working hours are set, then you will be able to monitor your progress with creative ideas, allocate time for preparing presentations and meetings, and your entire life will not revolve around finishing individual tasks that are dispersed through the day. Think of it as those room dividers, except that this time, you need them in your planner!
Unplug and disconnect
Unfortunately, it’s not possible to place physical boundaries when it comes to your digital distractions, so the best way you can help yourself limit your daily exposure to work –related content is to literally unplug your work devices, put them away and turn off your email and social media notifications.
Your mind needs the rest, according to several research papers, and your productivity will skyrocket only when you allow your brain the much-needed down time from digital overload. However, a few minute-long increments will not cut it, so you will need to make an effort and leave your gadgets for several hours at a time for the disconnecting to have a positive effect.
Devote time to your well-being
If you have a well-structured working routine, then why shouldn’t the rest of your life reflect the same level of balance and dedication? For a woman entrepreneur, we to take our work responsibilities very seriously, and we never think of them in a casual, “I just might skip working tomorrow” way.
We know all too well how exercise is crucial for our health, and yet we always prioritize our work, even if it means sitting at our computers for hours on end. Working from home should by no means be an excuse to skip your fitness routine. So either hit the gym, or to make things even more convenient, create your personal gym corner with some basic workout equipment and break a sweat at least three times a week without leaving your home. Plus, YouTube is brimming with useful tutorials, so you can always make your training interesting and challenging!
Enrich your life being a woman entrepreneur and so much more
Whether that’s ten minutes of meditation or a brisk walk in your nearest park, as a woman entrepreneur you need to learn how to transition from your working state of mind to your everyday life, and the act of leaving the office and shutting down your computer is an excellent way to achieve this. However, as you’re working from home, you need an alternative solution. Get creative, and find the best ways to enrich the non-working hours, so that you have various activities to look forward to.
There should be several focal points in your life, and each of them needs value and substance in order for you to enjoy them to the fullest. Don’t treat your daily routine as something you just have to get over with, but a valuable portion of your day. So enjoy every meal, every sip of your coffee, every movie you watch and every shower you take, because they all need to contribute to creating a versatile life.
Achieving balance is a lifelong journey, interspersed with numerous challenges. But remember that with a few clever strategies, you can enjoy your professional success and your personal life while maintaining that elusive quality we all strive for.
Thanks for Zara Lewis with High Syle Life for another great blog on our website at Empower The Dream.
Teresa Salhi
Creator, CEO and Coach
Empower The Dream’s feminine model of programs and coaching will shift and close the gap from the old paradigm to a new and powerful way to be, live, work and prosper.
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Balance between work and free time is important…and to have those moments where you dedicate yourself to things you like to do.
I work from home, and I have a dedicated office space. I try really hard not to use that room except for as my work space so that my work doesn’t invade my home. It really makes a difference. If I’m in here, that’s my work time – I shouldn’t be bothered then. Boundaries really make a difference with a home office.
All really important components for creating a balance for those of us who work at home. My biggest challenge is to do with space. I work in my dining room, mostly because I love the environment..the light, the colour and being on the ground floor of my house. I admit I don’t have a strict structure, primarily as I do work at home and can create my schedule to compliment my personal life. What a I am working on being consistent with, is turning off my computer at least several hours before I go to bed. I do not do anything on my phone, so that is not a distraction that I need to be concerned about.
I feel turning off computer at a certain is a good thing for me too…..I need to allow my brain, my body, my spirit to breathe and relax in evening. It’s my time to rejuvenate and let go.
Balance and some structure seem to be the main keys to working from home. I do set aside certain hours for working and this helps so much. I still need some discipline in turning off the online distractions
I think we have to really make ourselves turn off the distractions as they seem to now becoming a way of life and pretty soon we will just be in a distracted mode 24/7!
Wonderful tips – mastering the work-life balance is such a challenge.
Thanks Reba.
All folks working from home face these issues, don’t they. Love the tips, Teresa. Unplugging–when I finally learned to do it–saved my sanity 🙂
Unplugging is a big one for sure and requires us to make our commitment to our inner health.
Great reminder and tips. It seems there are people who cannot seem to focus and get work done at home and those who work constantly and don’t create a life. Of course there is the middle. I love working at home, but I realized that when I see clients in my home office (separate entrance) I count that as work time and forget the several hours I spend on the the computer with marketing, my website, blogging, writing books, QB, etc. I have found that balance can be tricky. Now I shut off my phone when I am off work and direct clients to me via email and not FB messenger. That helps with the balance.
I agree with you on how to direct customers to us – doing so on fb messenger demonstrates we are available 24 / 7 – what is that saying really? We must honor ourselves and create boundaries and let the relationships flourish from what is good for all.
Getting the balance right can sure be difficult. I think your tips are excellent, especially unplug and disconnect.
Yes, this unplug thing is a big one for us …but we are all seeing the need.
These are great things to consider. Working at home makes it difficult to separate tending to our business from own self care, but it is so rewarding to find that balance!
Perhaps self care can be a little more in nature and get us out of the home, away from work and into the present moment – that seems to work for much of the time.