As time went on business grew but so did the stress and anxiety. I was in a constant cycle of work, eat, work and sleep; no free time and no fun. The thing about me is when I want something, I completely dedicate myself to achieving it. Still, my life was unbalanced and my anxiety was through the roof.  I didn’t realize this till one day, Boom! I had an anxiety attack. I didn’t know what was going on at first and was rushed to the emergency room. The doctor told me it was anxiety and that my stress triggered the attack. This totally  caught me by surprise and changed my entire perspective on the work, work, work mentality.

I was caught up, as many of us get. We want our business to be successful, we want our goals to be achieved and we want to always be there for our clients but truth be told, we need to take time each day and disconnect.

Here are a few tips I have learned on my journey as an entrepreneur which I hope will help you:

1. Set a work schedule and stick to it. – Make a work schedule for yourself and follow it daily. Many entrepreneurs work non-stop and lack a daily routine. I’m unorganized by nature but have learned that sticking to a daily schedule is important to achieving your goals. Don’t forget to include breaks in this routine, small breaks help relax and refocus your mind.

2. Do something you enjoy everyday. – I actually learned this tip from my grandpa. He told me, “I don’t care if its playing tennis or playing video games, just take time out everyday and enjoy yourself.” Its true, if you don’t take time out each day you’ll soon find yourself over stressed and on the verge of a breakdown. Even if its for only a fifteen minute walk, DO IT!

3. Don’t spread yourself to thin. – There is going to come a time in business where your incoming work will surpass your output. There are two options here: 1) Expand or 2) be selective with your projects. Don’t ever spread yourself to thin because it looks bad on you when you can’t meet a deadline or when you rush your work and the quality is only decent. Remember, “QUALITY over QUANTITY!” Your customers will appreciate you for this and will keep coming back.

4. Disconnect every night. – When I say, “disconnect,” I’m referring to disconnecting yourself from your business. Once work is done for the day, WORK IS DONE. Many entrepreneurs have the tendency to bring home work with them or work non stop. If your business headquarters is your home, set a place aside solely for work purposes. When your work day is over, leave that place. Don’t over work yourself, turn off (or mute)your cell phone at night and let your mind relax.

5. Get your REST! – I know we have so many things these days occupying our mind but rest is really essential to both our health and our mental state. You work hard and owe it to yourself to get adequate rest for your next business day. I know you hear about getting a good night’s sleep from everyone like doctors, the news, research papers but it’s true, your mind needs to rest. Start a sleep schedule and stick to it . Don’t be a zombie, this will only hurt your productivity and all around product quality.

That was a short list of tips that I apply daily to balance my work and personal life. I encourage you to utilize them and I hope they help bring a better balance to your life. Also, if you have any tips to add on or any suggestions, please leave them in the comments section below.