“All work and no play.”
“Work hard play hard.”
You know the cliches, but do you know why they’re cliches? Because they’re true.
Business owners tend to be type A personalities, and you’ll often find them hard at work around the clock. Unfortunately, this all work and no play attitude can lead to a whole host of problems. We’re talking about burnout, stress, fatigue, mental and physical health issues – not to mention boredom. It’s time to add a little fun in your life. Here’s how to find time for fun in your busy schedule.
- Plan time for fun weekly. Not monthly, not annually – weekly. Also, plan time for fun monthly, quarterly and annually. You’re an entrepreneur so that you can have freedom and control over your schedule right? Would you choose to work 24/7? Of course not, so plan fun into your life just like you plan work.
- Live/work in the moment. This makes working hard and playing hard easier to do. When you’re working, focus on work. Be there, in the moment without thinking about what you could or should be doing. You’re doing it. When it’s time to play, play. Don’t think about work or what you could or should be doing. You’re doing it. Living in the moment is something that takes practice; however, the rewards are well worth it. Your time will be much more rewarding, productive and enjoyable whether you’re working or playing.
- Reward yourself. Give yourself more than just a pat on the back for a job well done. Reward yourself. Do the things you enjoy doing. If you love dancing, go dancing. If you love hiking in the woods, go hiking in the woods. List the things you like/want to do that are fun, and do them. Just like you’d make a task list and check things off as you accomplish them, make a list of the fun things you like and want to do and check them off as you do them. This embraces that type A personality you have and still lets you have fun.
Experts from around the world and the most successful people you’ve ever met do take time to have fun. Make a schedule for fun. Plan it into your day, your week, your month and your year. You’re a business owner and that gives you the freedom to take vacations when you want to, to take a day off when you want to and to have a little bit of fun right smack dab in the middle of the day, without risking your job or angering your boss. You work hard, right? Play hard too. Your family, friends and your sanity will thank you for it.