The Hustle is Real, But So is Balance: Strategies for a Thriving Business and a Fulfilling Life
Life & Productivity
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Life & Productivity 〰️
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The entrepreneurial journey is exhilarating. You're passionate about your idea, driven to succeed, and constantly hustling to make your vision a reality. But let's face it, the "hustle" can be all-consuming. The lines between work and life blur, and burnout becomes a looming threat.
After a while, you realize that the pace you’re moving at might be unsustainable. You’re losing sleep, passion, and focus on your work and your relationships and enjoyment in life suffer because of it.
As an entrepreneur who started the Good Today Co. while working a full-time job, raising a kid with my amazing wife, and having friends and family that I wanted to spend time with. I quickly realized that in order to build a business while also maintaining the quality of life I wanted for myself and those I cared about, would require some serious intentionality.
If you’ve ever tried to create a side-hustle, start a business, or manage multiple, significant life changes at the same time, this article is for you. I’ve compiled 5 tips I’ve learned that have helped me along the way, and hopefully they’ll help you too.
1. Define Your "Why" and Prioritize ruthlessly:
The first thing I felt as I got off to the “hustle” was the weight of the potential tasks that I could spend my time working on. I wanted to start a blog that created content to help people maximize their time doing what they loved the most.
Okay, got it. An obvious first step was to create a website. But first you have to create a catchy name, buy a domain, write the copy for the site, take pictures…
The tasks seemed to multiply immediately.
After the site is up and running, you have a million other potential tasks that you may or may not need to invest into.
Do I make Youtube videos? That means I need to buy equipment, learn video editing, research how to make thumbnails…
Do I focus on Social Media for advertising? Which ones do I need to prioritize? What do I want my accounts to look like? When is the best time to post?
And this blog… what do I even write about?
If you’re not careful and intentional about the steps you take as an entrepreneur, you can destroy yourself with the burden of doing everything “okay” instead of doing what you need to do with excellence.
Clarity is key:
After a few weeks of scrambling around putting out fires and wearing myself out, I realized that, in order for me to be successful, I’d need to really focus on the vision of my business. I needed clarity.
I paused and evaluated where I was at.
Facebook and Instagram: Not really any traction + not the best platform to promote a blog unless you’re making short-form video content. At the time, I didn’t have the time to do that and it simply didn’t seem like the best use of the time I did have, so I put this on pause.
Youtube: My favorite social media is Youtube for a lot of reasons. I think it’s the best combination of creative content and the context for creators to really connect with their audience. I’ve been subscribed to some Youtubers for over a decade, and it’s been very cool to see how they’ve honed their craft and grown over the years. WITH THAT BEING SAID, Youtube videos take time to do well, and when I was first starting the GTC, there were other priorities to focus on, so I put this on pause.
Pinterest: I’ve been a long-time Pinterest user. My wife and I have used it a million times for food recipes, house project ideas, and gift inspiration. I felt like I had a good understanding on how the Pinterest game operated, and it seemed like a great context for what we were trying to create. As a new company really trying to get out there and in front of viewers, it seemed like, if we were limited in time, this would be the outlet that would “bear the most fruit” for our blossoming company.
What I had to do was realize that I couldn’t do it all, so I could either scrape along and kill myself trying to make it all happen, or take a step back, evaluate where I wanted to move my business in the future, and hone in on the best strategy to make it work.
So application, have you ever really stopped and asked, “What am I trying to accomplish with [fill in the blank]?” If not, try to spend some time clarifying what you’re doing, and then cut out as much of the distractions that you face and use your available time as effectively as possible by prioritizing ruthlessly.
2. Design Your Ideal Work Schedule:
Okay, so you’ve figured out the “meat and potatoes” of what you’re trying to accomplish. You know where you want to start investing your time and energy towards so that you get the best bang-for-buck out of your efforts.
Now you have to really figure out how and when you’re going to do these things. Realistically, if you’re working full-time, this will mean that you’re doing your “hustle-work” outside of the regular 9-5 time slot. Just because you’re working at unconventional times DOES NOT MEAN you don’t need organization and structure as you do it. I think this can be a major pitfall for people as they’re starting out. So here are three quick tips to get you moving in the right direction.
Experiment and find your flow: Are you a morning person or a night owl? Design your hustle-work times around your peak productivity hours. I’m a morning person and I try to keep evenings available so I can spend time with my wife, one-year old, and friends. This means I need to really prioritize the few hours I have each morning to get things done.
Batch similar tasks: Group similar tasks together to minimize context switching and boost efficiency. For example, One Monday a month, I create around 25 graphics I can share to Pinterest. I crank out as many as I can because I’m in the “Graphic-making zone” and don’t worry about any other tasks while I’m doing it. This increases my productive output and keeps my time focused. Then the next day, I write 25 posts and schedule them for the next month. Two days worth of work (4-6 hours), has now created a month’s worth of content. Batching tasks works.
Embrace the power of "No": This is similar to the last point, but is crucial as you’re starting out. You can’t do everything. So must you do? And if something else pops up that might distract you from being as effective, learn to say “no” early instead of waiting until it comes back to bite you.
3. Create Boundaries
Ultimately, you have to learn how to stop working. People aren’t wired to work constantly without breaks. If you’re working 50 or 60+ hours a week indefinitely, it’s going to harm you. It will affect your relationships. It’ll affect your well-being. That’s why I think that setting designated work hours and “off-limits” times to disconnect and recharge. Not only will this help you feel better and get your energy back, you’d be surprised by how disconnecting from the grind can really help you think creatively and strategically about new ideas and potential projects.
For me, this looks like having 5-9 each weekday blocked off for non-work. I put my phone down, close the laptop, and live in the moment. I go on a walk with my kid. I watch a movie with my wife. I hang out with friends. It’s turned into a habit I love and it only exists because of discipline.
If this is a hard concept for you, I encourage you to talk to someone who knows you well and ask for input. Ask questions like, “Am I currently working too much?” “If I were to set a non-work routine, would you hold me to it?” “What are some ideas you have to help me prioritize life outside of work?”
4. Prioritize Your Well-being:
As a new parent, I’ve lived the past year with months of very little sleep, some confusing stress about how to put diapers on the right way, and teaching my son not to try to stick his finger into power outlets. It’s a whirlwind of experience! With that happening, I felt myself feeling fatigued and drained. I wasn’t able to come up with new ideas. I was losing momentum in the work I was already doing.
I think for the first time in my life, I realized that my physical well-being really affected my ability to work. In college, I could pull all-nighters like a champ when I needed to. I could study for hours and stay focused. But… now I’m getting a little older, and realizing that my brain and my body just can’t keep up the way it used to. So here’s a few ideas if you’re feeling drained:
Don't underestimate the power of sleep: Aim for a consistent sleep schedule to optimize cognitive function and overall well-being.
Create habits that serve you: go for a walk each morning. Hit the gym. Eat healthier. Your mind will function better if you’re living in ways that increase your energy and productivity, instead of draining it.
Delegate and outsource: Don't be afraid to delegate tasks or outsource when possible. Freeing up your time allows you to focus on high-impact activities.
5. Celebrate Your Wins (Big and Small):
At the end of the day, what you’re striving towards is admirable. You’re hustling for a purpose. Maybe it’s to make more money to provide for your family. Maybe it’s to pay off debt or buy a new car so you can get to work without worrying if you’ll make it.
Take time to recognize that you’re trying to do something that matters to you, and if we’re only focused on where we want to be, we won’t recognize the good things that are happening to us in the moment.
Acknowledge your progress: Take time to celebrate milestones, both big and small. Recognizing your achievements fuels motivation and keeps you going.
Recognize that, even failure, is an opportunity for growth: You work hard on something and it sucked. That’s okay! Now you’ve learned how not to do that thing next time.
Find a support system: Surround yourself with positive and supportive people who celebrate your wins and offer encouragement.
Remember, balance is a journey, not a destination. There will be days that tip towards work, and others towards personal life. The key is to be intentional about your time, prioritize ruthlessly, and create systems that support both your business and your well-being. By implementing these strategies, you can be a thriving entrepreneur and live a fulfilling life – you deserve both!
