As a small business owner it can be tempting to fall into the habit of thinking that you need to work all the time in order for your business to be profitable. Although there is probably a kernel of truth there - it is definitely not all work and no play! 

The truth to the statement is that when you're just getting off the ground you will need to put in more hours, likely more irregular hours than anything. But, this doesn't mean that you can't have a day off and give yourself time to recharge. 

It is important to set rest days. This doesn't have to be the typical Saturday / Sunday, it just has to work for you and your business. Also don't schedule yourself so much that you're rushing all the time. Do that too often and not only will you burn out but you will quickly lose the love for your business; the love that prompted you to start your business in the first place. 

You need to give yourself a break. Not only did you earn it, but it is MANDATORY. 

Tips for Giving Yourself Rest Days

1. If you're still considering your business idea or are still in the early days of your business, be strict with yourself.  Look at your existing commitments. What are your family days? Are there any appointments that you must keep, any non-negotiable activities? Once you've nutted them out then look at the days they fall on. Try to schedule a day for sanity and a day for family. It's super important that you look after you. If you're not 100% then your business isn't 100%. 
2. Do you provide a service? If you have a website, look at a scheduling app. Acuity scheduling is great for service based businesses that don't have too much need for an online shopfront. Acuity for 'Emereging Entrepreneurs' is AUD$10 a month and will allow you to sync your normal calendar (apple, gmail our outlook) with the program. Clients can book a service and you can automate the whole process and even get paid if you're using paypal as a payment method. It's a great little add on at a really affordable price! Acuity Scheduling will allow your clients and customers to book with you online and even send the follow up emails. To top it off, clients are able to change or cancel their own appointments, syncing regularly with your own calendar. This handy little app will take a few hours of tweaking and personalising but the benefits are HUGE. The one app alone saves the solo or small business owners multiple hours over a week, whilst potentially adding to your workflow.
3. Outsource! Sure you're a small business, but your business will thank you if you stick to your special skill and don't keep trying to put all fingers in all pies. Virtually Virtual specialises in providing cost effective options for small business owners to assist in managing and maintaining your business. It sounds silly to spend money when you're only just starting to make money, but it is important that these boundaries are set early on. Take it all on yourself in the early stages and you are setting a pattern that will be harder and more costly to change later.
4. Have policies and procedures. Write them down and store them in an easily accessible folder. Even if you're solo, having these written down will help you be and stay accountable. Review your business plan every 6 months or so to keep you on track and adjust as things change. A business plan is NEVER complete. It is ALWAYS a work in progress.
5. Schedule reasonably. Don't pack too much into a day if you can help it. If not and you know there is several crazy days coming up, make sure you allocate a day where the workload is significantly less. Even though it's not a rest day, you brain will still recharge. Unwinding is a MUST for everyone, especially SME owners. Be kind to yourself. The work will still be there in the morning. What is the difference between getting it done at 2am or getting it done at 9am? Sleep, rest and recovery. 

As an indication we take Fridays and Sundays off. Fridays because my kids are in Daycare so that is my day to relax (no housework and all computers off) and Sundays  family day. My hubby works shift work so our schedules don't always match, but because I always take those days our of my business, it means we can plan in advance. Sometimes he has Fridays off too, so we do date afternoon. Others he works the Sunday so I plan something with our kids and spend the day with them. Either way, these were days that I decided early on would be non negotiable. My business was secondary to my family and I. I own the business, the business does not own me. 

Using the tips above I have managed to have a reasonably stable work / life balance. Do you have any tips you would like to add? Comment below!