Why maintaining a healthy work-life balance is important for business owners

Lets Get Started

Why maintaining a healthy work-life balance is important for business owners

AUTHOR:

The following blog was adapted from Heather Mason’s video “Why maintaining a healthy work-life balance is important for business owners”.

Without our health, our productivity in business and in life is limited. I was faced with this reality in 2019. When my physical health limited my work productivity, I was forced to take a step back from my workload and focus on my health. Because of this, I had feelings of guilt and fear. I felt like I was letting my clients and the team down.  But in the end, it forced me to open up and share my feelings, which led me to learn that not only am I  not alone but that many others shared similar fears and struggles.

This is why maintaining a healthy work-life balance is important for business owners.

Watch Heather’s video as she talks about her health struggles and how achieving a healthy work-life balance allowed her to work more productively and lead a happier life:

Have you taken the time to check in with yourself lately?  

  • Are you thinking of work when you are not there? 
  • Are you neglecting your physical and mental health? 
  • Are you missing important events with friends and family?  
  • Does it feel like you are on a never-ending treadmill? 

I get it, running a business can be all-consuming. It’s our passion, it’s what we do. But trust me when I tell you that it is so important to take a step back and look at the bigger picture.  

Often this lesson is learned the hard way (as you can see above).  When I say that I get it, I really do.  Let me share some insight into my personal journey and the lessons I learned. 

Fresh Perspective

Being forced to physically stop provided the opportunity for me to step back and reassess habits and behaviors that did not serve my best physical and mental wellbeing. Self-care, sleep, and downtime are not options.  Routine and structure are key for both my business/work and my downtime/personal life.  Sacrificing my downtime and burning the midnight oil resulted in both a lack of productivity and physical burnout. 

Work-Life Balance

This is a must.  We do not live to work. We work to live. I believe it’s important to lead by example. To show our amazing clients that taking care of ourselves actually helps to support our business, not hinder it. I will also now speak up if I see our business clients who may be out of balance and we are committed to allowing ourselves the same grace. 

Focus on Strengths

As a small business ourselves, Mason Miller recognizes that there are times that we must assume many different roles, wear many different hats.  I cannot emphasize enough the importance of identifying processes and the value of outsourcing.  At Mason Miller Accounting & Taxation we love helping our clients by doing what we do well.  We know the immense sense of relief that our clients feel when we assume our roles.  We also feel a tremendous sense of relief when we outsource the tasks that are outside of our strengths and passions.

Non-Judgmental Reflection

We know that it is as important to be kind to ourselves as it is to others.  We are often the hardest on ourselves and treat ourselves in ways that we would never consider treating anyone else.  On this journey, I learned (I’m still learning!) that I need to practice self-compassion.  Self-care is not optional. 

 

“I think that I felt worse about it than anybody else once I started sharing.  And I realized then that so many of us struggle with the same types of issues.  It’s really important to take care of your physical health so that you can work at your best capacity and be healthy.”

 

While 2019 was my learning curve, I’m grateful for the lessons it taught me. I’m grateful to have experienced this in the pre-COVID era, instead of now!  I hope that this inspires you to take a step back and assess your balance.   

To book a consultation contact us today by calling 705-417-1588 or info@masonmiller.ca.

 

-
COPYRIGHT © 2018. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.