Whether you’re self-employed or a small business owner, you may notice a common issue: poor work-life balance. Personality strengths like kindness, helpfulness, conscientiousness, enthusiasm, or a strong sense of responsibility can be double-edged swords. While they contribute positively to your business, they might also hinder your ability to ‘switch off’ from work and ‘switch on’ to your own personal life.
Perfectionism is another trait that can have mixed effects. It’s valuable in tasks requiring high accuracy and attention to detail, but it can also lead to unnecessary time spent on routine tasks, potentially extending work hours, causing delays, and fostering anxiety. But how to go about changing this can be challenging, ensuring you embrace the concept that ‘good enough’ is ‘good enough,’ and apply this new perspective.
If you’re struggling with your work-life balance, the first step is to prioritise your own needs, enhancing your overall effectiveness and becoming an inspiration to those around you. Our circumstances may vary, but common signs of poor balance include being consistently overbooked, feeling perpetually short on time, maintaining a poor diet, and feeling disconnected from personal relationships. Other indicators are a disorganised living or working space and poor sleep due to work-related worries.
5 Tips to Improve Your Work-Life Balance
1. Make One Small Change: Start with something manageable. Swap passive activities like watching TV for a walk, or plan a healthy menu to avoid impulse buying. Reflect on the changes, how do they affect your mood and productivity?
2. Limit Social Media and Work Communication: Turn off social media for a day or even a weekend, and avoid checking work emails during your downtime. Notice how this affects your stress levels and overall relaxation.
3. Assess Your Strengths and Weaknesses: With the help of a friend, coach, or self-help resources, evaluate what you do best and identify areas for improvement. Use your strengths more effectively and learn to say ‘no’ to tasks that aren’t a good fit.
4. Slow Down: Focus on what’s truly important. Prioritise tasks and learn that by doing less, you can actually achieve more – effectively and with better quality.
5. Celebrate Your Achievements: Regularly acknowledge your successes. Recognising your accomplishments can boost your morale and encourage a healthier, more productive approach to work and life.
The Role of a Business & Executive Coach in Achieving Work-Life Balance
Engaging with a business coach can significantly impact your ability to manage work-life balance effectively. A business coach provides objective insights, helping you identify and implement strategies tailored to your specific needs. They can guide you in streamlining operations, delegating appropriately and setting boundaries that protect your time and energy. With their support, you can enhance your productivity while also ensuring that your personal life remains a priority, leading to sustained professional success and personal fulfilment.
About Jason Cornes
Jason Cornes brings four decades of entrepreneurial experience to his role as a business and executive coach. With a career marked by self-made success, Jason combines deep-seated business acumen with a background in counselling, giving him a unique perspective on both the analytical and human aspects of business. His qualifications include a Diploma in Management Studies (DMS) and an MBA, which enhance his deep understanding of management and business.
Jason is deeply committed to helping entrepreneurs, business and practice owners navigate the complex path to growth and success. His strategic insights and empathetic counselling skills enable him to deliver personalised coaching that addresses both the strategic and the psychological aspects of running a business, helping his clients achieve a balanced and successful professional life.
By investing in business coaching, you’re not just improving your business operations, you’re also setting the stage for a happier, more balanced life.
“At the age of 50 and having reached a high level in my chosen field I knew that I needed to look at what I was doing and how it fitted with my work/life balance. I wanted the opportunity to work in a more flexible manner and to have time to explore and succeed in other projects. Jason helped me to analyse where I am now and where I want to be, but much more importantly, he helped me find the path to my future. From starting with a whole lot of unanswered questions I ended up with clear answers and achievable goals. Jason’s questioning was clear and challenging and his advice sound and logical. He spent time making me think and understand and he helped me to see clearly through a whole lot of different ideas. I was very pleased that by the time we came to the end of our sessions he had pointed and guided me in such a way that I know what I need to do and how to do it. I would recommend Jason to anyone who is looking to move their career forward or just needs some guidance to help them make changes.”
Daniel Brookbank. Chief Executive Officer.
Read what Jason’s clients say about working with him here: testimonials
