3 Business Hacks to Reduce Stress for Better Work-Life Balance

Ekwani Consulting

A common thread in entrepreneurship is the idea that a healthy work-life balance can be difficult to achieve. And we get it! 

 

There are so many moving parts when you’re an entrepreneur, and sometimes it feels like pieces of your work are constantly spilling over into your personal life. However, from our experience, we’ve learned that there are ways to manage it all with less stress and more harmony.

 

These are three of our favorite business hacks to help dial down the stress so you can enjoy more of your life and business.

 

Stress Reducer #1: Prioritize what you can do and delegate the rest. 

 

As entrepreneurs, we tend to want to tackle everything on our own. Being independent is a quality we have, which is why we’ve built businesses in the first place! 

 

Sometimes, we feel like we’re failing if we reach out for help. We should be able to do it on our own, right? Other times, our brains move too quickly, and we don’t realize we need help until it’s too late!

 

Instead of falling into the trap of “too much to do” and then not getting it done, start prioritizing your tasks so you can determine what you have the capacity for. 

 

Then, delegate the rest so you can take solace in knowing that everything is getting done. 

 

Here are a few ways you can begin to outsource stress-inducing tasks: 

 

  • Hire a Social Media Manager to help with marketing
  • Hire a Virtual Assistant to help with administrative tasks
  • Hire a house or office cleaner
  • Subscribe to a meal prep service
  • Automate your customer experience systems with cloud software such as Oracle NetSuite.

 

Stress reducer #2: Quit the comparison game.

 

When you see business owners in your network who are “doing it all,” I want you to stop and take a moment to remember this. 

 

It is highly likely that you’re not seeing the entire story. 

 

Similar to the way that social media only shows you highlight reels or you only see the big house your neighbor has but don’t have a picture of their financial situation, the success of other business owners isn’t always transparent. 

 

While you may be seeing their major wins, like reaching the next income level or singing a high-profile client, you’re not getting a full look at what went on behind the scenes to get there.

 

Chances are, they’ve been navigating obstacles and roadblocks similar to the ones you’ve experienced (if not worse).

 

If you’ve been buckling with the pressure of feeling like you need to work around the clock to achieve the same level of success as your competitors, take this as your permission to dial it down. Working yourself until the point of burnout because you think it’s going to help you achieve what others are achieving isn’t the answer. 

 

The comparison game only results in anxiety and stress, which can trickle down to affect your professional AND personal life!

 

Stress reducer #3: Do more of what you love in your personal life. 

 

If it’s been months since you’ve picked up that tennis racket - or whatever hobby you have, that brings you true joy - this is your sign to start again! 

 

So many times, entrepreneurs fall into the deep hole of a monotonous routine that looks something like this: 

 

  • Wake up and get the kids off to school (if applicable)
  • Rush off to the office and work a full day
  • Come home, cook dinner, and get the kids to bed
  • Unwind for a bit before going to bed 
  • Wake up and do it all again

If this sounds familiar, then you know that it can feel like an endless loop that leads to less motivation and more going through the motions. 

 

However, when you bring more joy into your personal life in the form of hobbies, your entire schedule is going to feel so much better! You’ll begin to look forward to your daily schedule when you have pockets of time that are spent doing what you love. And when that happens, you’ll feel much more motivated to do other productive things in both your professional and home life. 

 

We know that a healthy work-life balance is possible. Try implementing these three tips over the course of the next few weeks, and watch as your stress begins to melt away! 

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