Overworked and Underpaid – How to Have a Life as an Entrepreneur
I’m just finishing up one of the busiest and most emotional three-month periods of my entire business career.
It began with the huge success of Money 2.0 on June 6-8th – my signature 3-day event. I’m still receiving testimonials and comments on how attendees are using the content and having more success in their businesses.
A week later, my mom passed away on June 13th. Between July and August, I spoke at three events, hosted three of my own events and went on a one-week vacation. With each experience, I’ve taken a leap forward in my learning, my ability to coach my own clients and my ability to delegate much of the work to my team.
And the overriding emotion for me has been one of pure and ultimate gratitude. I wake up most mornings and thank the universe for my family, my friends, my clients, my mentor, my partner, and everything in between (then I hit the snooze button a few more times :)).
The overriding question I get from most of my clients is: “how do I fit my life into my busy schedule?”
The answer is that so much of it depends on you. I’ve had the good fortune of being raised by a successful entrepreneur and going to the Kellogg School of Management. Both of these have allowed me to hang with some very successful folks and get their opinions on how they create the time to have a life.
Here is some of what they have shared with me:
1. Get Clear on Why You Might be Hiding:
Upon being asked, “how do you create work/life balance?” the head of consumer affairs at Victoria’s Secret responded: “Well you have to HAVE and WANT a life first.”
I love that answer. What I see over and over again is that in some ways it’s easier to just put all of your focus and energy into your business. It’s predictable, safe and doesn’t hurt your feelings. It’s a great way to hide from your life.
It is easy to hide in your business in order to avoid what is most painful for you in your life such as hard relationships, loneliness, lost friendships, family battles, awkwardness, fear of relationships etc. I had one client who admitted she was hiding behind 12-hour workdays because she didn’t feel like a good parent.
Ask yourself, what are you gaining by not having more of a personal life? There is always a reason. Now might be the time to deal with that reason.
Remember that if on a subconscious level you don’t want a life – chances are you won’t ever make time to have one.
2. Make Life Commitments:
Most of us are committed to business meetings and priorities. Yet, we don’t have take the time to make commitments to our personal life.
Try this.
Enroll in an art class that starts at 6:30. Now you must get there.
Commit to doing a weekly dinner with a friend at 7:30. Now you’ve got to start working.
The more you create a life, the more you’ll have one.
3. Watch the Clock:
I tell my students that other than writing a sales page – no task should take longer than one hour. That means that if you are spending hours on something – you are wasting your own precious time.
Start watching the clock. When do you begin a task? When do you end it? How long are you spending on each task?
Then if you determine you are spending too long on a task, get some help to make it shorter.
Having a great life along with a great business requires honesty, strong priorities and effort. I hope these tips help you see what it takes to create more time for yourself. Leave me a comment and let me know what you do to have time for a great life.
