Smartphones, working from home and being constantly available often make it difficult for us to draw clear boundaries between our private and professional lives. Even at home, our thoughts often wander to work - no wonder, because we read emails and Slack messages and receive notifications from apps.
However, for our mental health and our interpersonal relationships, it is important to switch off at a certain time each day and simply say no to all business matters.
A good strategy is to have fixed, regular working hours - whenever they are. This way you can adjust your working hours without compromising on productivity. And after work you can enjoy time with your loved ones.
In an interview with Australian newspaper Financial Review, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella had something interesting to say about a healthy work-life balance.
So when we spend time with family and friends, we should make sure that we are not only physically present, but also mentally. Then we can really enjoy these moments and the valuable time we spend together.
Tip 3: Delegate tasks
When you run an SME or startup, it's all too tempting to want to do everything yourself - whether for cost reasons or quality concerns. However, if you want to grow your business and gain more time for strategic work and more free time, you need to learn to delegate tasks to others.
Your employees can and will make mistakes, but that's still better than doing everything yourself. In the long run, investing time in training employees and gradually building a competent team - even if there's only one other team member besides you - will pay off. This will help your business grow.
If you prefer a leaner business model and don't want to hire full-time employees, outsourcing is a good idea. Hand over repetitive or routine tasks to freelancers so you can focus on more important matters.
Tip 4: Create time through automation
Automation and artificial intelligence are your best friends when running a business. Knowing how to set up automated systems and optimize your processes with AI can save you hundreds of hours of work without incurring additional overhead costs.
For example, you can completely automate your customer service using chatbots, email automation, and an integrated CRM and marketing automation system like Act!. Likewise, there are ways to simplify lead generation, lead nurturing, and lead conversion with a series of automated emails.
If you do these things manually, you'll have to invest thousands of dollars in hiring, training, and retaining staff. Automated systems, on the other hand, can handle cambodia telegram mobile phone number list these tasks perfectly - and at a fraction of the cost, which in turn will have a positive impact on your bottom line.
Tip 5: Take regular breaks and time out
No matter how passionate we are about something, we need to take regular breaks to recharge our batteries and find new concentration and motivation.
Make sure you regularly take time out from your work routine, for example by going for a walk, listening to a podcast or having a quick, informal chat with team members, customers or suppliers. You should also consciously treat yourself to a longer break every few months. How about a family vacation or fun leisure activities with your team?
Several scientific studies show that short breaks and time outs improve our ability to concentrate and efficiency and reduce stress.