Finding work & life balance is difficult for all of us - whether you are running your own biz, working at a start-up, or crushing it at a corporate entity; there is always an endless list of things to accomplish, and half as much time to get it all done.

I want to share with you a few of my tricks at finding balance, setting boundaries, and cutting myself some slack. 

I used to dream of working for myself, as I sat in my windowless office staring at spreadsheets and praying no one would assign me another project I didn't have motivation or time to complete. I fantasized about the flexibility, the freedom, the ability to shamelessly take time off to recharge, and how I would get to just do my thing without someone tracking me down on my "off" days for help. 

Now that I am living that dream, I am realizing the struggle for balance is just as difficult - granted, it is a different struggle, but still a struggle all the same. Instead of a supervisor approving my time-off, I do that for myself.  Only, it turns out my brain is a real hard-ass about time off; bosses! amiright?  

Say hello to what I call, solopreneaur's guilt. That feeling that you should be doing something, anything, at all times, to help your business.

Below are just a few of the ways I break through the guilt, and set myself up for success both in my business and personal life.

Letting go of the guilt I feel if I am not working straight through 9AM - 5PM has been very hard for me. This 9AM - 5PM hangover is a leftover frame of mind from working in a corporate office for the last 5 years, it is hard to feel productive if I haven't been grinding it out all day.  Re-calibrating my mindset, reminding myself that I can work any hours if needed, pushes me back to reality. I am no less legitimate if I take a few hours in the afternoon to hike, play frisbee with my dogs, or spend some time at the beach. Scheduling my time around my energy ebb and flow, makes me infinitely more productive than when I am forcing myself to work when I don't feel motivated.

I keep this terrible painting of lemons next to my computer - this is the first painting I ever completed in college. It is sad, and a bit embarrassing, but it reminds me to keep perspective. Yes, I am a business owner, but I am first and foremost a Painter, I don't ever want to lose sight of that.

So tell me, how do you keep it real, and get some rest while hustling? I am always looking for new and awesome ways to keep my work/life balance in check. Tell me in the comments!

Until next time, I will be tracking the hell out of my time, and sneaking off the to beach whenever the crazy yo-yo New England spring sends me a little sun.