Undoubtedly, being a field service business owner or manager requires lots of hard work, but it can be easy to confuse hard work with productivity. You may believe that to build or manage a successful company, you must put your job first and work long hours at maximum capacity every day.
There are times when work has to take priority, and overtime is unavoidable, but when work is your primary focus round-the-clock, it can become unhealthy in more ways than one.
Our world is more connected than ever, making the need for work-life balance even more critical. Technology has simplified life but blurs the lines between work and play. Access to emails and work groups on your phone makes it easy to be distracted by your to-do list during your downtime. You may be tempted to say no to rest, socialising and spending time with family to catch up on work.
But successful field service leaders know that when they're overstretched and overwhelmed, they're anything but productive. Instead of allowing themselves to burn out, they strive to find a balance between business and life. They prioritise work-life balance because they know it will enable them to be the best version of themselves, helping them be better leaders in the workplace.
Here are some of the ways a balanced work-life can help you be a better field service business owner or manager.
Reduces stress
- Stress is inevitable, but it's not always a bad thing. It can motivate you to work hard and meet your deadlines. But too much stress can lead to a lack of focus and poor productivity. When you're consumed by stress, you may struggle to concentrate, and in the end, you'll get less work done.
- Giving yourself time to enjoy activities outside of work gives you something to look forward to daily, which can decrease stress levels. Learning to create boundaries and find time for rest gives you more control over your time, making you feel less overwhelmed and, therefore, less stressed.
Supports your mental and physical health
- Finding a balance between work and life is not just about finding time to rest. A healthy balance gives you time to focus on every aspect of your well-being. You can find time to eat healthy meals, exercise, and get enough sleep, all of which are crucial for your mental and physical health.
- Your mental and physical health is essential because it affects your ability to work. Stress and anxiety can lead to negative thoughts, making it difficult to focus and think creatively to solve problems. When you're physically ill, you can't work, and your productivity will likely be low if you choose to work when you're sick.
Increases your engagement at work
- When you're healthy and happy and feel fulfilled outside of work, it's easier to be committed and focused when it's time to work. This is because you're in a better state of mind when you're happy than when you're stressed. Being more engaged at work can increase efficiency and enhance your problem-solving capabilities, helping you produce quality work in less time.
Improves your productivity
- More time spent at work doesn't necessarily lead to increased productivity. Working long hours can leave you tired and overwhelmed, affecting your ability to focus and get to all your tasks. With better time management, you can prioritise your to-do list and finish your work quickly, giving you the chance to take a break.
Encourages your team to do the same
- Successful field service leaders know that work-life balance is the key to creating a productive workforce, so they lead by example. They strive to balance work and play and encourage their workers to do the same. The benefits of a healthy work-life balance go beyond productivity. It can help you create a team of fulfilled and happy workers who enjoy coming to work, helping to increase your employee retention rate. A company with satisfied employees is more attractive and can help you attract skilled technicians to grow your business.
3 steps to improving your work-life balance
- Improving your work-life balance can be challenging, and you may not know how to do it or where to begin.
- To help you get started, we've put together a list of actionable steps you can take to find the balance between business and life.
1. Manage your time
- Effective time management allows you to get through your to-do list so you can take breaks or step away from work without worrying that you'll fall behind or not finish work on time.
- Prioritising your tasks is essential if you want to improve time management, but before you do this, focus on eliminating time-wasting jobs that are mentally draining so you can focus on your urgent tasks. One efficient way to do this is to use Service Management Software to streamline job management.
- With tools like live mobile and vehicle tracking, route optimisation, job scheduling, quoting and invoicing, you can manage and monitor all business operations from one place. It lets you automate everyday tasks to focus on meaningful work and saves you time by reducing your paperwork. Because the software is cloud-based, everyone in your team can access all the job cards and project information they need on-site via their mobile devices, and they can continue working even when you're taking a break, or you're not in the office.
2. Get support from your team
- You don't always have to rely on yourself to get the job done. With support from your team, you can strike a good work-life balance, and in turn, you can support your workers to help them find a healthy work-life balance.
- The key to finding balance is delegating where possible, and prioritisation can help you determine which tasks you can assign to your workers and which you need to do. With fewer responsibilities, you can successfully make time for rest and leisure.
3. Take time to unplug and recharge
- With good time management and support from your team, you can confidently find time for your job and life. It's important to know that there's no perfect work-life balance, so do your best to ensure your happiness and health at work and home.
- As you try to find your perfect balance, remember to take regular breaks when you're tired, find time to do something that inspires or excites you outside of work, and rest.
Make work-life balance a priority by investing in tools to save time and simplify your daily schedule. Try our Service Management Software for free with a 14-day trial, or speak to a team member to learn more about our software.
