1. Breathe better

Deep breathing helps you manage stress, boosts your immune system, and increases energy levels — all amazing benefits for busy, tired people. The best thing about deep breathing is that you can do it in the shower, during your commute, while you’re falling asleep, or while you’re reading an article online. By physically and mentally calming yourself through deep breaths, you’re better able to handle stress so you have more energy for every part of your life.

2. Schedule time to be active

A new study from the Center for Creative Leadership found that business leaders who exercise regularly are the most effective. And we’ve all read about the stress-reducing and mood-boosting effects exercise offers, which benefit you and your loved ones. Put workout time into your work calendar, and it’s much less likely to be trampled.

3. Plan ahead

It’s exhausting to make important decisions. When your daily schedule involves solving crisis after crisis, you’ll burn out fast and have little energy for anything outside your work. Avoid this burnout by planning your time — determine what you want to achieve this year, and work backwards until you have monthly, weekly, and daily goals. Check in every month or so to see if you’re on target or if you need to make adjustments.

4. Make a budget

It’s easy to spend every cent you have on your business, but doing that can leave you feeling deprived and resentful — and it can seriously hurt your social life or family’s wellbeing. Set a budget for your business just as you would for your personal finances, and stick to it. Set a budget for “fun,” too, so you can indulge yourself guilt-free.

5. Schedule your perfect day

Draw up a schedule of your perfect day and hang it where you’ll see it often. As you work, ask yourself whether what you’re doing is helping you get closer to that perfect day. If it’s not, it’s time to shift gears and reevaluate.

6. Encourage flexible employee schedules

When the people around you have balanced lives, it’s more likely that you will, too. Tell your team about your commitment to a work-life balance and ask them what they need to achieve balance in their lives.

7. Broadcast your commitment to balance

Don’t fall into the mindset trap that you have to be available 24 hours a day to serve clients well. These days, lots of people feel they lack work-life balance. Position yourself as a values-based business that values off time, and communicate this with your customers. Research shows that people buy more from businesses that share their values, so being clear about limited hours for the purposes of keeping work-life balance can actually have a positive impact on your bottom line.

(Courtesy of BizJournals.com)