Being an entrepreneur can be hard, lonely, and frustrating work. We consulted with some successful business people to learn their tips on how to stay healthy (and productive).
“Google calendars are really amazing. We block hours to free ourselves and give us the time we need to think. From “Wednesday nights with no plans” to a daily meal plan and specific work blocks, we use the organization to keep the balance. Did you also know that Slack has a snooze function? Highly recommended between midnight and 6 a.m.! – Jordana Kier, co-founder of Lola.
2. Announce it
“I tell the people who work for me that I need a break to recharge my batteries. I only break up when I’ve given the rest of my team context, so this is never unexpected. I take time to be with my family, to eat, to watch movies and not to talk about work. When 99 percent of my conversations are about work, it gives me a lot of perspective when I don’t talk about it. “- Matt Scanlan, Co-Founder and CEO of Naadam.
3. Don’t do it!
“When you’re an entrepreneur and you’re doing what you want, there is no work-life balance. Rather, it is an integration between work and life. Before this sounds sad to you, sociologists have done some research and found that people who have an integration between work and personal life are happier because it means they love what they do. I’m lucky enough to be working on something so satisfying and I enjoy doing it all the time. It’s part of who I am. “- Sophie Kahn, co-founder of Aurate.
4. Ask about it
“My husband and I travel a lot, both for business and pleasure. On a recent trip to Tulum, we asked our team to give us a day with no questions asked. I turned off my email notifications and didn’t check all damn day. It was amazing. No wonder our team survived without us. “- Candi Ramirez, Founder and CEO of Chillhouse.
5. Invest
“I firmly believe that we all deserve to live full and exciting lives. But the question is how? And the answer is inspired adventure. Find a version of this by choosing something that interests you, that you can get lost in, be it mapping, climbing, gardening. Find a passion that will allow you to escape your work mentality. “- Tim Sharp, CEO of Best Made Co.
6. Share it
“As part of a husband and wife founding team, I’m not going to say it’s easy. At first we tried to find breaks by saying, “On Friday night we will take off our founders’ hats and put on the hats of husband and wife.” That never worked. We had to learn to accept that we would always wear both hats at the same time, and we love what we do. So why not discuss our passion over dinner? It has helped us find better rest and space in a more holistic way. “- Dave Cho, Co-Founder and CEO of Soko Glam.
Connected:
What should you do if the team members are not doing their best?
“Missionary” or Mercenary? The question that characterizes your type of success
Resilience in companies: the 5 necessary pillars for crisis management
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This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com
