You started your business for freedom. But somewhere along the way, you ended up working more than you ever did before.
At some point, it stops feeling like freedom. It starts feeling like a job you created for yourself.
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. In this post, I’m sharing how I created time management and work life balance as an entrepreneur. And how you can start creating it too.
Why Work Life Balance Feels So Hard as an Entrepreneur
When you’re first starting your business, it’s normal to be busy. You’re still learning how to do everything. And I mean everything, from scratch.
The problem starts when that busy season becomes your normal life. You’re always doing, doing, doing. If you don’t decide what you want your life to look like, your business will slowly take over.
For a long time, I thought working more meant growing faster. For me, it led to burnout and overwhelm. Working more doesn’t grow your business faster, but working intentionally does.
If your business needs you all day to function, that’s not freedom. It’s dependency. And that’s not why we started a business.
Work Life Balance Starts With the Life You Want
A lot of us start a business without deciding how we actually want to live. I know I did.
I started my business because it’s what I wanted to do. It wasn’t until I got sick that I started thinking about what kind of life I wanted.
It wasn’t just about money or freedom. It was about how I wanted to spend my days. What did I want to do outside my business? How many hours did I want to work?
I knew I didn’t want to work 24/7. If you don’t define the life you want, your business will fill all the space you give it.
If you need help getting clear on this, watch my video [How to Figure Out Your Dream Life].
How Knowing Your Number Helps You Balance Life and Work
If you’d asked me a few years ago how much money I wanted, I would’ve said $1 million. It was a random number. I was thinking about how everybody else wanted to live.
So I sat down and calculated what my dream life would actually cost. I want to live on an acre of land someday. I’ve thought about raising chickens, having kids, getting more pets, and doing lots of hobbies.
I researched real house prices and the cost of caring for chickens. I found out what it takes to raise a child to 18. I even checked how much college costs right now.
Once I knew my number, I realized I didn’t need $1 million a year. I needed less. That meant I didn’t have to work as much, and that was such a relief.
Your number will look different from mine, and that’s the point. It should be based on your life, not someone else’s. From there, I made five changes to how I work.
5 Time Management Changes That Helped My Work Life Balance
Time Management Change #01: Stop Doing Everything
When you’re trying to grow, it’s easy to believe you need to be everywhere. I thought that too.
So I went into Google Analytics to see where my audience was actually coming from. For me, it was Pinterest and YouTube.
I was also posting on Facebook and Twitter, which is X now. Neither one sent much traffic to my website. I was spending time creating posts for platforms that weren’t working.
Now I focus on the things that actually grow my business. I still use Instagram, mostly for direct messages, because that’s where people reach out.
You don’t need to do everything. You only need to do the things that work.
Time Management Change #02: Set an End Time for Your Workday
If your workday has no end, your work won’t either. That’s what happened to me.
I used to work all day. Now, I don’t have a start time because it depends on my day. But I always have an end time, and it’s 3 p.m.
I spend about 10 to 12 hours a week on my own business work, like content creation and marketing. Coaching clients can fall outside those hours. But my coaching time still ends at 3 p.m., no matter what.
Honestly, that deadline makes me work faster. When you know your time is limited, you focus and finish.
Time Management Change #03: Check Emails and Messages Twice a Day
If you check your inbox first thing every morning, you’re not alone. That used to be me too.
Now I only check emails and messages twice a day: right before lunch and right before my end time.
After years in business, I realized none of my emails were urgent. Not even client emails. Constantly checking kept pulling me away from things like creating content.
It helps that my clients already have what they need. They get a welcome packet, and their homework comes with step-by-step videos. Fewer interruptions mean more focus, and more focus means you finish sooner.
Time Management Change #04: Stop Saying Yes to Everything
When you’re new, it’s natural to say yes to everything. I did, because I was focused on making money.
Now I’ve tried enough to know what’s worth it. I’ve said no to podcasts. I’ve said no to guest posts on my blog.
I still say yes when something is easy, quick, and valuable. I’ve written guest posts for others and joined summits I liked.
I was also in a big giveaway once. It grew my email list, but most people weren’t my audience. It was disorganized, and I spent a lot of time answering confused subscribers.
I’d do a giveaway again, just a smaller one with about five relevant businesses. Now I pass on anything that goes against my business, my audience, my values, or my goals.
Every yes costs you time and energy. So choose your yeses carefully.
Time Management Change #05: Stop Treating Everything Like It’s Urgent
When you’re first starting out, everything feels important. It feels like every task could make or break your business.
I used to feel anxious about every client project. I’d stay up until 4 a.m. finishing work, even though I was already ahead of schedule.
At the end of each project, my clients loved what I did. But I’d wonder why I was so worried. I could’ve finished the next day and still met my deadline.
Now I have systems and processes for everything, including how I prepare for client calls. Because I know the next step, I don’t have to be anxious. I trust myself more.
Nothing in my business is life or death. As long as I stay consistent, the work gets done. If you’re losing sleep over a project, ask yourself: is this truly urgent?
What Work Life Balance Looks Like for Me Now
These five changes gave me more time for myself. I’m calmer and not as anxious. I can live a soft life.
Well, a softer life.
On my lunch break, I can go for a walk. After 3 p.m., I prepare dinner, wind down, and make time for hobbies.
Health is a priority for me too. If I’m not healthy, how am I supposed to grow my business and accomplish my goals?
Time management and work life balance don’t just happen. You have to be intentional and create them for yourself.
How to Balance Life and Work When You’re Just Starting Out
You might not be able to make all five changes yet. I’m not in the beginning phase of my business anymore. That phase takes a lot of work, testing, and experimenting.
But you can still start. Begin creating systems and processes for the tasks you do often. Or just pick one change, like setting an end time. A deadline helps you focus and finish faster. And it reminds you that your freedom is coming.
You Can Build a Business and Still Have a Life
If your business is starting to take over your life, you’re not alone. A lot of us start a business for freedom, then accidentally build something harder than the job we left.
But you don’t have to keep doing it that way. You can build a business and still have a life. You just have to be intentional about how you work.
What’s one thing in your business that’s taking up too much of your time and energy? Let me know in the comments.