If you’re a busy entrepreneur, you might feel like you’re always in the office, slaving away at work to maximize your income and get the job done. But the truth is, entrepreneurship can be tough, and there’s a fine line between working hard and working too much. Though you are always going to put in more hours than if you were employed, knowing when to take a break is important. Below, we’ve rounded up some tips on how to spend less time at work.
Know when to say no
Perhaps one of the most important things to consider is that you don’t have to work every hour in the day. You should balance your time carefully and know when to say no to a new project or client, as there’s only so much you can do before your productivity and motivation will suffer. Set yourself a clear limit on how many clients, projects, or tasks you can take on in a single month, and add in a buffer should something run over or a last-minute emergency comes in, and then create a waiting list so clients can be alerted when you’re ready for them.
Outsource non-essential tasks
Next up, we recommend outsourcing non-essential tasks to someone else. If you spend six hours a week working on payroll for your staff, for example, you should think about hiring an accountant and having them do that for you. Your company newsletter, for example, doesn’t need a foreword written by you – hand it over to someone else in the office and give them a chance to shine. Also, think about taking on a PA if you’re too busy to manage the everyday running of your business alone. They’ll be able to keep your working day in good order.
Change your company structure
Next up, consider whether you’re currently operating under the correct company structure. If you are self-employed, for example, you might be spending too much time completing your Self Assessment and bookkeeping, when you could hand it over to an umbrella contracting company instead. Assess every option and find the most tax-efficient and time-efficient path.
Book holidays and activities
Finally, schedule holidays and activities in advance so that you’re forced to take time off of work. It’s very easy to promise your partner a week off together or a romantic meal at your favourite restaurant, but when things run behind at work, personal things have to fall to the wayside. Make the commitment, put it in your diary, and you’ll be forced to relax and unwind.
There you have it – some of our top tips for taking some time off of work as an entrepreneur. Follow these steps and you’ll soon be sitting at the beach with a cocktail in your hand. Bliss!