Can business leaders achieve work life balance?
While business leaders are often highly attuned to the care of their employees’ wellbeing, many overlook their own physical and mental health. There can be a certain acceptance among those who helm the ship that their jobs are inherently stressful, that managing work and life is a constant juggling act for anyone in their position.
Indeed, research from mental health charity Mind shows that one in five adults did not seek wellbeing support during the pandemic because they didn’t think their problem was serious enough.
Of course, the life of an entrepreneur – or even a solopreneur – is not easy. But, leaders can achieve work/life balance, confidence, and a sense of control if they are equipped with the right tools.
Know your stressors
An important step in managing your stress levels is knowing exactly where stress is coming from. Are you concerned about looming deadlines, lack of support or personal time? What adjustments can you make to help reduce these concerns and thereby alleviate stress?
Once you’ve identified what is causing you to feel stressed, you can take steps to manage those feelings. Writing things down can be helpful, both as a way to vent frustrations and to create reminders or a to-do list. Physically ticking off tasks can provide you with a boost.
Scheduling in time to destress is also important. Whether you prefer to sweat it out in the gym or settle down with the latest Netflix release (why not both?) make sure you make time to take time. View these activities with the same level of importance as any other more arduous tasks – the benefits you get from stress-relief are worth it.
Delegate
“If you want to do a few small things right, do them yourself. If you want to do great things and make a big impact, learn to delegate.” These are the words of John C. Maxwell, author of Developing the Leaders Around You, and while it might seem like something pulled directly from a motivational poster, there is evidence to show that delegation is beneficial to business growth.
A 2015 Gallup study showed that companies run by executives who effectively delegate authority grow faster, generate more revenue and create more jobs.
If you’re working on your own, or managing a small team, it can sometimes feel like there is no one to delegate to, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Start by considering the tasks you don’t want to do – for now, don’t worry about who is going to take them on, just think about everything professionally and personally that you wish someone else could take care of.
Run through that list and make sure all of the items are really necessary and then think about how you can grow your team. This doesn’t have to be a member of staff, it could be a virtual assistant or an outsourced marketer. There are lots of different ways to get a helping hand.
Don’t be isolated
Starting or running a business can be a lonely role. There are certain things that you cannot communicate with employees, and sharing too much with someone in your personal life can take its toll.
Try to find likeminded individuals and fellow entrepreneurs who will understand your painpoints and your successes. This could be via a shared working space, networking group or simply your own professional network.
Events, such as those managed by Jersey Business, can help business leaders to feel a sense of community – after all a problem shared is a problem halved. Talking to others in similar situations can not only help to reduce feelings of isolation but also provide you with good advice and counsel when needed.
More tools for self maintenance
Our upcoming workshop with Charles Taymour is the perfect event for those wanting to better manage their work/life balance. Following two successful workshops last year, Coach Charles Taymour will be back again at Jersey Business to help business owners develop successful techniques for managing stress and anxiety in the least amount of time.
Find out more about this event and book your place today.
The workshop took place in October 2022. Keep checking our events page for more events and programmes.