The Art of Finding Balance

Do you find yourself constantly dealing with burnout? Studies show that 48% of female founders often struggle with the huge responsibility of running their own business and that they are more likely to experience burnout than men. Burnout typically looks like decreased productivity, stress, frustration, and feelings of guilt for feeling “lazy”. Even though you are aware of what you need to get done, you are too drained and tired to execute with eagerness as you would like to. 

When we lack balance, our bodies and emotions have a way of letting us know, like warning signals. Although achieving the art of balance can be difficult, it’s important for founders to master in order to maintain their physical, mental, and emotional health. Before you can pour into your business, you must first take care of yourself. Here are 4 ways you can incorporate balance into your busy lifestyles:

Determine your priorities

The life of a founder is a hectic one with tight schedules and little to no free time, so it is important to be mindful of where you are putting your time and energy into. Make a list of your priorities, assess your goals, and create a daily routine that aligns with your values and what you aim to achieve. Doing so avoids us from feeling like we are in a hamster wheel doing so much and lacking fulfillment. Whenever you feel stuck in that cycle; pause, reflect on what you love, and do more of that.

Develop a healthy self-esteem

Your entire identity isn’t your profession, you are far more than what you do. Set some time to intentionally get to know yourself. Knowing and owning who you are will not only be your superpower, but it will also bring you peace. Balance comes from within when you sit in stillness with yourself and you embrace that despite how chaotic things may be, being a balanced being will help you navigate through the chaos without internalizing it.

Set healthy boundaries with yourself 

Sometimes we don’t know when to stop working and relax. It’s important to set boundaries so you can maintain a healthy work-life balance and practice self discipline. Self discipline is rooted in self love. We aren’t perfect and we may be sabotaging ourselves without realizing it. Also, learning to say “No” to others will prevent you from overcommitting and feeling burnt out. Saying “No” doesn’t make you a bad person, it makes you someone who is aware of their value and committed to loving and respecting themselves.

Disconnect and have some fun

Social media makes comparison awfully easy. When we see others constantly working and achieving great things, it can make us feel as if we aren’t doing enough! Everyone is in their own lane. and remember it’s a marathon not a race. It is not about how fast we achieve our goals, it’s about impact and longevity. To yield desired results, we must embrace the art of finding balance, we won’t always get it right but trying is more than enough.

How do you incorporate balance into your lifestyle?