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CEOs feel the weight of every decision they make, not to mention every dire prediction about their business. It’s important to discern when it’s time to help with the heavy lifting and when you need to step back and reflect. Executives can balance the scales by using these three key strategies to achieve balance, while increasing productivity in their company and for themselves.
1. Know when to give up
How many times have you tried to solve one problem only to discover a dozen other problems arising from the first? Or has a decision you made turned out to be more harmful than helpful? Those are the moments when most people push hard, determined to achieve victory. It is important to consider the cost when maintaining this relentless attitude. What is sacrificed? Have you analyzed all the factors and possible breaking points, or are you the type of person who wants to achieve the goal at any cost?
Surrender is an art, but it is a vital tool that you can use at any time when you see that the use of force in a situation will lead to collateral damage. I have to hit the “give up button” a lot. I am legally blind. I rely on my team members as the eyes, ears, legs and hands of the company. As a result, I use my brain all day: my imagination is on fire anticipating problems, responding to needs, memorizing, making decisions, and collaborating. Sometimes the working day is long. But no matter how tempting it is to get everything on your list done, you need to know when to back off.
A moment of surrender might be ending your day, going to bed early, and waking up at 4 the next morning to read emails or prepare for a meeting. You might find podcasts or audiobooks to relax with, or take 10 minutes to meditate or calm your thoughts with music. These are small, quick moments where you may put off important decisions, meetings, or tasks, knowing that you won’t be giving it your all.
Just when people ask you to solve a problem immediately, you take five minutes to step back and reflect. Surrendering in the right moment of frustration can often bring a creative solution to the surface of your mind; in fact, giving in to the obstacle instead of trying to force the situation can often save you time.
Related: Self-care isn’t selfish—it’s essential to maintaining high performance. Here’s how to avoid burnout.
2. Get yourself in control
Have you often felt like the ups and downs of business have overwhelmed you to the point of exhaustion? Maybe you feel like you don’t have time to strategize or contemplate your direction because the simple constant decisions on the fly and swirl of problems seem overwhelming. It’s easy to tell yourself that you need to change your work-life balance, but many business leaders find this type of revolution difficult to achieve.
If you are constantly driving and pushing, that’s when fatigue can lead to multiple negative outcomes, including a feeling of hopelessness that leads to poor decisions. Not only is this harmful to your health and well-being, but it can also trigger other negative outcomes for your business. Building balance and putting yourself in control is vital. It starts by asking tough questions and answering them honestly. Are you unbalanced in life? Are you too ambitious? Do you need to recharge? How can you do this best? It’s easy to say “no” to spontaneous invitations to vent: there’s always a lot of work to do.
One way to ensure your work and personal life are balanced is to have an accountability partner. This person should know your strategies for creating space for relaxation, quiet, and a little fun. At the same time, you can start planning commitments to recharge your batteries: put everything on the calendar, both personal and work, including scheduled breaks, attending a school play, working out, getting a massage, going for a walk or simply having dinner. alone with your phone off at a restaurant you like. You can also plan a night out with friends, a morning coffee date, or a karaoke party. You should then share the plan with your accountability partner – they should call or text you regularly, asking if you’ve fulfilled your commitment to bringing more balance into your life.
3. Find and set boundaries
It’s good to know your boundaries so you can reflect, study, and manage yourself in a crisis. However, no matter how your business is organized, you also deal with other people: employees, colleagues and customers. Negotiating with others’ schedules and managing workflow will require patience. You will have to learn when to put your foot on the pedal and when to release it.
Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of your team members is very important here. What are their peak business hours? Are they morning people or do they stay up late and work late into the night? You will need praise, encouragement, and even celebration to honor their time, talents, and dedication.
Even if you only employ one or two other people, you will need to be aware of personal difficulties, triggers, tragic events – such as the loss of a family member – or divergent abilities that they may be reluctant to reveal to you. Fostering an atmosphere of acceptance and understanding can go a long way in helping people feel comfortable sharing valuable information about their lives with you. You may discover healthy ways to push employees beyond their limits or fears. On the other hand, you may find that simply being a source of comfort and strength to individual team members is all you can do – and you may have to step back at times, giving those facing extreme challenges time to grieve or heal .
There are times when a partnership or working relationship has reached its end. In those moments, you will have to learn to accept change as part of the cycle of life and be respectful of your need to let go if a loyal employee or colleague makes a change. In those moments, you will have the opportunity to take the high road, wish them well, thank them, and leave them with heartfelt wishes for their future. At the same time, you can’t wait to meet the next teammate along the way.
Related: 5 Strategies to Thrive as a Solo Entrepreneur, Without Burning Out
Final thoughts
Learning when to apply the pressure and when to take a step back is equally vital to your team’s success, your company’s original vision, and a healthier, happier you. When you build structure throughout your life – surrender, balance, and boundaries – you will find the peace you need to overcome all obstacles and restore the joy of being an entrepreneur.