3030 N. Rocky Point Drive W., #150 Tampa, FL 33607
Today, stress in business has become quite a common thing. Especially with our expanded reach with unlimited technologies. Smart phones, laptops and tablets allow us to work anywhere and anytime. Working longer and longer hours is not uncommon. For this reason, many people are unable to give much time to other aspects of their lives. In other words, they’re unable to balance their personal life and their work life. This is why, as a virtual business owner, setting office hours and sticking to them is paramount for the right balance.
Whether you want to work 20 hours, 30 hours or 40 hours a week, it’s critical that you set those hours on the calendar and stick to them. Otherwise you will find yourself working too many hours and often into exhaustion. If you decided your work day is over at 6 p.m. then you have to give yourself permission to STOP! Just because you finished a project and have another one waiting doesn’t mean you should start the next.
It may feel difficult at first, but you will feel better sticking to a set schedule. People work best with routines and having it in your mind that you have set hours will help you stay on task while you are in the middle of work time. It will also be easier for your clients to know when they can expect to hear from you and when it’s okay to contact you. You’ll have the ability to know when you can schedule other activities because you have a set starting and stopping time each day as well. 
Some entrepreneurs struggle with this because they feel guilty not working every possible hour. The problem with this way of thinking is that it often leads to burnout and/or resentment towards the business they own. It’s okay for you to have both a life and a business! And you need to have both to work at your optimal levels.
We love the new Chick-fil-A Cell Phone Challenge! It closely matches our ideas surrounding work-life balance. When you are out of the office and enjoying family, friends or life’s interests, put your phone away and enjoy the moments to their fullest.
The reason you became a virtual business owner in the first place was to have freedom. Working all the time and never seeing your children or doing anything fun is not freedom. It’s simply trading overworking at a day job for the shackles of overworking at your own business. You must stop working at a set time daily and focus on other activities. The work will still be there tomorrow, we promise.
What tips and tricks do you have to share regarding setting office hors that help you achieve a healthy work-life balance? We would love to hear from you. Drop us a tip in the comments below, or email us a note!
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Contact us today to discover more about our suite of virtual office services and to explore our beautiful office space in Tampa.