This might be hard to hear for some people but…
when you become a business owner, one thing becomes clear fast. You’ll never get all the work done. Ever. Never ever.
Let’s repeat that again for the people in the back. There is no possible way as a business owner that you’ll ever be done with the work that needs to be done. Because of this, you need to go into your business with your eyes wide open and with your boundaries intact.
Create a Dedicated Workspace
It really doesn’t matter if it’s your kitchen table or a full-fledged office, it’s important that when you go to work other people know that’s what you’re doing and know not to bother you. Since you’re also focused on spending time with your family and friends when you’re not working, this shouldn’t be too difficult.
Schedule Your Work Around Your Life
Instead of having “work hours,” you’ll want to schedule your life around your work, but you need to know which things can be moved and what cannot be moved. For example, you may want to make a rule for yourself that you never miss your child’s games for work-related issues.
Know Your Limits
Knowing what’s important to you is important. If you are clear about your own morals and values and the lifestyle you want to live and emulate, it’ll make it easier for you to make good choices.
If you know you need 8 hours of sleep a night, you are not going to want to try to stay up late or get up earlier to work more because this won’t work for your needs.
Don’t Be Too Available
Working at home, even when you have a designated workspace, can be challenging. I often get questions asked and if I say I am working I get “… but you’re sitting right there and it will only take a minute.”
You have to stop the word yes from escaping your lips or keyboard without thinking or you end up being interrupted all the time. You don’t want to be too available to everyone that you need to be around. That includes family, friends, and business associates.
Everyone will get used to asking you a question and waiting for the answer until you check your schedule and determine if it’s something you want to do or not.
Get Help![]()
The biggest assistance to boundary setting so that work doesn’t take over your life is to get help. You need a team surrounding you to help you build the lifestyle business you want. A business that lets you make enough money to live the lifestyle you desire is at your fingertips if you only understand the importance of not doing it all alone.
As you can see, you can work 365 days a year 24/7 and never run out of work to do in your own business. Accepting that is going to be a huge benefit to you because you can’t work all the time. Therefore, you should not work any more than it takes to generate the income and lifestyle you desire. If something really needs to be done, you can automate it, outsource it, and delegate it for the most part while you continue living your life.
