The Balance of RYOB

Running Your Own Business is an adventure - exciting, rewarding, frustrating, exhausting...

Entrepreneurship doesn’t come with set hours or guaranteed downtime. You didn't sign up for this job because of the PTO, but rather because you have a vision and the drive to accomplish it. You are juggling responsibilities, making decisions, and troubleshooting on a daily basis, and all with the hope that it's all pushing you toward that vision!

Unfortunately, we all experience burnout at some point. The trick is to find a work/personal balance that allows you the downtime to recharge when you need it. And I'm not talking about putting a couch in your office!

The Hustle Is Real

Being an entrepreneur means working way beyond the typical 40-hour workweek. You're not just the leader, but also the salesperson, the service professional, the marketer, the accountant, the customer service rep, and the first call when there's a problem. The pressure to keep things running smoothly can be overwhelming, and it's easy to fall into a cycle of nonstop work that leaves you drained.

I can already hear the replies about how there aren't enough hours in the day and the work is never complete. While there’s a grain of truth in those statements, I promise that if you turn off your computer at night, that work will still be there when you turn it back on the next morning. All of those things that need to get done aren't going to pass you by, and repeatedly working into the night will negatively impact your entire life.

But most importantly? We're not here to talk about working less! We are here to talk about working smarter.

Why It Matters

Don't get me wrong, it's practically a job requirement to work more than others during entrepreneurship - which seems doubly true in the service industry. I've slept in my car at the office and driven through the night to meet a customer plenty of times, and you should expect to do those things too. If you want to attain that vision you'll need to make investments.

But...do you have kids? A significant other? Friends? Maybe even a hobby? There also aren't enough hours in the day to spend with them. In the last three years alone, I think I have lost count of the number of business owners who have told me that "work is my hobby;" that they've grown apart from friends; that their significant other hates how much they work; or that they missed an important event in their children's lives because "the work has to get done." There's a time and a place for that: You must absolutely rise to the occasion when it's necessary for your vision, but please don't make the mistake of thinking everything on your to-do list requires that kind of investment.

If that isn't enough reason to evaluate your work/life balance, then let's look at the facts. Studies have shown that taking breaks and stepping away from work will boost your productivity, creativity, and overall effectiveness. Some research even suggests that three-day vacations improve mental health for weeks after returning. Why only some studies? That's because the return was far less when the entrepreneur didn't truly unplug.

Simply put, downtime isn't a luxury, but rather an important part of the formula for long-term success. In the next post we’ll discuss real strategies you can implement to avoid burnout.

P.S. – I have a couch in my office...

-Mark Davidson