With springtime blooming and summer just around the bend, it’s far too easy to become caught up with everyone around you winding down. But for a small business owner, especially one who might work from home, distractions can be detrimental and leave you scrambling to catch up when the next season starts.
Be aware of what your biggest derailments are and be honest about what temptations might lure you away from your important projects. If there are recreational activities you promised yourself or your family that you would not miss again this year, then make a plan and schedule the work you’ve committed to around it. Likewise, make sure the goals you have for your business and obligations to clients are met before detaching completely to have fun.
Rest is part of the work. Taking off a week or two, even just to staycation, can be like medicine for a weary soul after a year of long hours and stressful deadlines. What is the point of working all the time if you don’t take a chance to relax and revel in what you’ve built for yourself. Your family will appreciate your presence without having to look at or through a computer screen.
Once you’ve found a balance to scheduling work and play, stick to it. When others in your life have more time on their hands it’s less likely for them to understand that you may not have the same luxury. Communication is necessary to explain your need for focus and healthy boundaries may have to be set on the days your phone keeps buzzing. If you have small children, this is obviously not an appropriate approach and your schedule may need to flex according to naps, snacks, and cartoons. If you have older kids they might be drafted to help with chores, cooking, and babysitting in order for you to have the extended periods of quiet you need to produce quality work by deadline.
Just because you’ve disciplined yourself to smash your goals, and not let business slide, while life around you seems like a party, does not mean you can’t enjoy the work you do, or enjoy yourself while you’re doing it. If you can take your laptop to a park and sit in beautiful weather surrounded by nature, then plan to regularly. Extra long hours of sun can easily extend our workdays, so take extended breaks on your own watch whenever possible. Working hard does not mean overworking. If you work smart, and find a good balance between accomplishing and rejuvenating, you’ll be on track for accelerated success the entire year, and still be able to say you had a great summer.
