Americans observe National Workaholics Day on the fifth of July. The day is dedicated to the men and women who slave away for long hours to attain their business goals. Workaholics often possess a drive that can propel their business to the heights of success.
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While the persistence and determination of workaholics may be laudable, there are downsides, too. Workaholic tendencies may play out at the expense of work-life balance and relationships. It’s important to work hard, but it’s also important to work smart.
If you are an entrepreneur, you may feel the weight of your responsibilities pulling you into an endless cycle of stress and obligations, but here are a few ideas for working in all the right ways:
- Use tools – There is an abundance of resources to streamline work processes. Everyone knows that there are tools for automating social media. But what about automating other work processes? For example, stop wasting time scheduling meetings. Streamline that process with a solution like Acuity Scheduling. Time saving solutions like this can help business leaders become more efficient, freeing up time for other non-work pursuits.
- Block distractions and interruptions – Entrepreneurs may allow themselves to get sucked into random issues all day long if they don’t set up ground rules for interruptions. Entrepreneurs should make clear when they need to be left alone. This includes limiting yourself. For example, block distracting websites by using a browser app like LeechBlock.
- Delegate – Workaholics have the tendency to do everything themselves without leaning on people who are also qualified to do the work. This practice may leave entrepreneurs feeling overwhelmed as a mountain of obligations stack up. A better approach is to break down daily tasks and assign anything that can be delegated to other competent people in the organization.
To be successful, entrepreneurs do not have to be workaholics. With a few simple lifestyle adjustments, they can maximize their time and divide their days smartly between work, personal time, and loved ones.
