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Sanity Saving Tips for New Business Owners
By Atalanta Lloyd-haynes
New business owner? How’s your life / business balance? So you have a new gig starting up business for yourself. You can maintain a healthy work / life balance. In fact, it is essential...it’s one of the reasons you started your own business, right? If you are tearing out your hair, feeling overworked and stressed, and spending no time with your loved ones or doing the things you enjoy, these are signs that you might not have your balance right Here are my top sanity saving tips for new business owners and entrepreneurs to assist you in keeping your balance: 1) What is your idea of a healthy work/life balance? This is something to define early in the startup process. Decide how much time you want to set aside for pursuits outside of the business (this does not include include attending social networking functions - that is building your business)? In your personal life, what is most worth protecting? Are you willing to ignore your iphone / BlackBerry during your personal time? I leave mine in the car when I am at the park or the beach with the kids, and turn it off when I am hanging out with friends or relaxing - that is what voicemail is for. 2) Let that definition be your guide as you design your business and marketing plan, and build your business, not the other way round. So I have small children that still need a fair bit of my attention. My business is structured around being the primary parent of my children, which means my work hours are during school hours, and between 8 and 10pm. This works really well for me. What works for you? 3) What is your definition of success, is it more than just the “bottom line”? If your profitability isn’t matched by a sense of fulfillment overall, it is actually worth very little. 4) Are you comfortable taking risks? What about making difficult decisions? If the answer is no, a startup venture may be too stressful. 5) Forget about realistic goals, set ambitious ones, then break them down into smaller, manageable (realistic) steps to achieve them. Take each of the steps you need to achieve the goal, and don’t be diverted by “shiny things”. 6) Keep moving the goal posts. When you reach a set goal, ensure that you acknowledge and celebrate it even if that is just saying “Excellent”, or popping a bottle of bubbly. Then move on and set a new goal. This keeps you fresh and stops stagnation. I set a goal late last year to become a certified coach, I did it in January. I celebrated, and set a new goal of building my business and continuing my professional development. 7) Outsource whatever you don’t need to be doing personally as soon as you can so you can spend your time doing those things that are what you do best. Don’t be afraid of asking for help. One of the first things I did was get someone to mow my lawn. Next on my list was a cleaner. 8) Can you say “no”? Keep control of your diary and don’t overcommit yourself. Particularly if integrity is one of your core values. As a health practitioner and coach, I am committed to meeting my obligations to my clients every time, so I had to learn very quickly when and how to say “no” in order to maintain the quality of my service. 9) Do you have an agreement with friends and family that they will alert you if you are over-working? My father can tell just by the tone of my voice when I am working too hard and reminds me to slow down. 10) How do you keep your stress levels low? Consider getting a membership for you and any staff at a relaxation centre (massage / spa / sauna / yoga). Being in the wellbeing industry, I arrange swaps with other practitioners - this way we are all operating at our best, and I book swimming laps and / or yoga classes into my schedule. 11) Have you set aside time for yourself that honours your definition of a healthy life / work balance? Its a good idea to set regular time with your family to keep those relationships strong. See point 3. 12) Are you the boss of you? Manage your clients or customers, not the other way around. It is reasonable for people to change their mind, be unable to attend appointments etc, however it will help you, if you have a strong policy in place around cancellations or returns that is known by your clients or customers, and that you stick to. Last word, have fun with it.
Atalanta Lloyd-Haynes is a mother who in her spare time (snort) works as a Certified MEM™ Practitioner, business consultant and coach based in Bellingen, Australia. Atalanta recently contributed to “One Page Wisdom - Book One”, and is researching and writing a book on effective and simple spiritual practice for everyday life.
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PLEASE VISIT THE CONTRIBUTOR'S WEBSITE
Spines & Spirit
We remove emotional splinters using MEM.
spinesandspirit.com
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Some very valuable pointers there, thanks for the informative contribution. Well done!
Above all - to thine own self be true! Whatever business you decide to start, the basic necessity is that you take action, review progress and take more action. When reviewing your progress, consider the joy you get from your business and the effects upon those who rely upon you. It is so easy to let enthusiasm get in your eyes and blind you to reality that you really need an independent reviewer who can see all sides of the equation.
Thank you for this intel. Having been there, done that and now an almost retiree, I know that what you say is true. Relationships are very important including the relationship with yourself. As is often said, no one in their deathbed wished they had spent more time at the office.
Thanks Atalanta. This was something that I lad to learn myself. In fact, I'm STILL learning (sometimes kicking and screaming)...
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
I am still learning it too - writing it out helps me to remember it mostly...x
The "Last word, have fun with it", could well be the first word. If it isn't a labor of LOVE then the road may be very long and tiring.
Thank you for this well written intel, Atalanta.
Best to you.
Frederick
Very good advice! Some of it applies even if you don't have your own business, like #1 turn off your cellphone! I used to commute and on my hour long train ride home it was appalled at how many people, having obviously just finished work and were on their way home taking calls on their cellphones about work! There are some professions where you get paid extra for being on call - but I really doubt all these people fell into that category. What a way to get burned out or have huge regrets later on for not having had time for themselves. And the rest of us on the train who were trying to relax and have time for ourselves, reading, sleeping, playing sudoku, or whatever - had to endure this shouting, pressured, frantic work-life barrage just because these people were too weak to say 'no' and turn off their phone. Then there were places where the cellphone coverage cut out, and that was really pleasant 
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