If you own a small business you’re likely to have some type of scheduling system to keep track of appointments, client meetings, phone calls, and other important tasks to help things run smoothly. But did you know that sticking to a schedule can actually help you stay healthy?
Do You Have a Healthy Work/Life Balance?
For small business owners, the work is never really done. There always seems to be more to do than there are hours in the day, and it is often really easy to sacrifice personal time and self-care in favor of business tasks. By using your schedule effectively, you can actually create the work/life balance you crave and stay on top of your health goals. Here are a few tips you can implement immediately:
1. Schedule a time to return phone calls and emails.
Depending on your business, you may want to schedule this time for first thing in the morning, after lunch, later in the afternoon, or even twice a day if you have a high volume of calls and emails. Knowing that you have time set aside each day to respond to clients can make you more productive on other tasks throughout the day, effectively allowing you to cross things off your to-do list!
2. Prioritize tasks and schedule them based on priority level.
When possible, complete the higher priority items earlier in the day and work your way through lower priority levels. The idea here is that as you come to the end of your day, you can save any unfinished lower priority tasks for another day, which leads to the next tip…
3. Set a hard stop time.
There will be days where things come up and you end up working later than expected, but scheduling a time that you will end work every day is necessary for the work/life balance.
4. Plan your healthy habits.
- Are you more likely to work out in the morning, afternoon, or evening?
- Is there a yoga or CrossFit class you want to attend?
- Are you into meal prepping or cooking your meals daily?
- When will you go to the grocery store to stock up on healthy foods?
Adding these to your schedule can help keep you on track because if it’s on the schedule, you’re more likely to do it. When prioritizing tasks, make sure these things are on the higher priority list!
5. Schedule downtime to stay healthy.
For some people it can be really hard to make time to spend with loved ones or on self-care. If you fall into this category, put it on the schedule.
6. Share your schedule.
As with anything, you are more likely to stick to something if you have someone who is willing to hold you accountable. Sharing your schedule with a loved one can help you stick to it.