Entrepreneurs aren’t usually known for slowing down. Your schedule is fast-paced and full of responsibilities, to put it mildly. You’re busy managing most, if not all, aspects of your business. Building an empire might mean long days and keeping up with breathtaking demands. But it doesn’t mean you have to let it take the wind out of your sails.
Caring for your needs and implementing mechanisms to support your hard work are equally important. You wouldn’t expect your employees to juggle tasks without built-in breaks and other tools to help maintain work-life balance. So, it doesn’t make sense to have those expectations of yourself. Whether you want to improve self-care inside or outside the office, here are four ways to support your busy schedule.
1. Catch Your Z’s
Sleeping sounds counterproductive to accomplishing what’s on your plate. How can you get everything done if you’re snoozing? The harsh reality is you won’t be able to do much if you don’t get consistent, quality sleep.
The effects of poor and limited sleep such as irritability and poor concentration are well-documented. Daytime drowsiness can also stop you in your tracks. Sure, you can pour another cup of coffee or try a sugar rush to put the pep back in your step. But you’re more likely to come crashing down and disrupt your sleep cycle even more.
Sticking to a set bedtime and making your environment hospitable to quality sleep goes a long way. Nonetheless, people with busy schedules and racing thoughts might need extra help. Supplements like Numo’s non-melatonin Deep Sleep gummies contain magnesium, probiotics, and stress-reducing amino acids to support quality rest without leaving you groggy in the morning. These ingredients work together to calm the nervous system, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep, so you wake up refreshed and ready to tackle the day’s challenges.
2. Try Time-Blocking Techniques
Do you feel like you’re being torn in several different directions? You’ve got client meetings, product launch reviews, strategy sessions, and networking events. Plus, that’s not counting phone calls, project contributions, and employee talks you must pencil in. The list is endless.
When you’re constantly jumping from one task to another, you might not feel as effective. It doesn’t seem as if you’re crossing anything off the list. And when you do complete something, it’s not as thorough as you’d like it to be. These can be some of the effects of trying to do multiple tasks with precision simultaneously.
To be honest, multitasking is not the solution most people think it is. While 93% of people believe they’re good at multitasking, it actually impairs the ability to monitor your performance. Simply put, you can’t catch your mistakes. It’s why you tend to make more of them when you multitask. Instead, try time-blocking techniques with online calendar tools like Monday or Google Calendar.
With time blocking, you dedicate certain days and blocks of time to specific tasks. Mondays might be for strategy sessions. Tuesday mornings could consist of client meetings while the afternoons are for product reviews. Wednesdays and Thursdays are for face time with employees or industry peers. Fridays are wrap-up days where you focus on administrative responsibilities and downtime.
3. Delegate Effectively
There’s delegation and then there’s effective delegation. You might wonder why it’s critical to understand the difference. After all, you’re the CEO of your company. Isn’t delegation tasking others with to-do items you don’t have time to do?
Well, yes and no. You want to move items down the pike, but you don’t want to hand off tasks just to move them off your plate. Instead, approach delegation like you would any other corporate strategy. Think about your employees’ strengths, what needs to be done, and competing deadlines.
Would your marketing director be the best person to head up a remodel of your retail stores? On the surface, this might not make sense. Nevertheless, it could be the most effective route if the director has the background and your facilities staff is short on experience. Likewise, it might not be as effective to place full responsibility for a website revamp into the hands of your marketing team. While the team is needed, you want equal oversight from the IT side.
If you’re unsure where to start, you can use tools like the Eisenhower Matrix to determine which tasks to delegate. The matrix separates items by urgency and importance. Important but less urgent tasks are ideal for delegation. These tasks must get done, but you’ll have time to train or determine the best-qualified person.
4. Take Regular Breaks
Similar to sleep, scheduling regular breaks sounds counterintuitive. If you’re not working, how are you being productive? Those familiar with the creative process know walking away for short periods is productive. It’s known as incubation, and it’s when some of the best ideas come to the surface.
Sometimes when you give your brain a break, the solution becomes obvious. You’ve heard of having eureka moments while taking a walk in the park. Or, you’re driving into the office listening to the radio and suddenly have a brilliant flash of insight. Just because you’re taking a break, it doesn’t mean your brain isn’t still working in the background. However, you’re giving yourself permission to rest and rejuvenate.
Scheduling blocks in your schedule for breaks helps you get into the habit. If you don’t want to use Monday or Google Calendar, Notion is another tool that can be incredibly helpful in organizing your day-to-day tasks. It allows you to easily schedule and track breaks alongside your responsibilities.
You will likely need to experiment to see what works, such as breaking for 15-30 minutes after focusing on tasks for two hours. Some days you might need to mix it up, which is OK. Don’t expect yourself to work nonstop.
Juggling Entrepreneurship
If owning a business was simple, everyone would do it. You’ve taken on the challenge because you’re driven. But sometimes that drive can become detrimental to your well-being, especially if you don’t find ways to manage the stress and busy schedule. Prioritizing quality rest, time-blocking techniques, effective delegation, and taking regular breaks are some of the tools you can use. Once you do, your busy schedule won’t seem like an overwhelming chore.
