Are you an entrepreneur, contract worker, or part-time remote employee? If you’re anything like me, the no-pants, no-alarm lifestyle can start to get the better of you. As good as it feels to sleep in and take advantage of not having a boss or coworkers expecting you to look somewhat presentable, the lack of routine can start to take a toll on your productivity and overall mood.

On the other hand, working from home means that it’s tough to create any tangible boundaries between “work time” and “personal time”. In the same way that a lack of structure can prevent you from being your most productive, a lack of separation between your personal and work life can leave you wanting to cocoon up in a blanket and park yourself on the couch with your favourite book forevermore.

The following tips are a pretty casual round-up of what I do (or wish I did) to keep myself sane and on-track while tapping away at the keys on a daily basis. I’m going to keep this short n’ sweet, because you’ve probably consumed plenty of these tips and tricks in some fashion throughout your journey in a self-employed internet hole.

• Get up at the same time every day. This tip is first, mostly because it’s the practice I need to work on most. Like, now.
• Eat breakfast! Your mind, your tummy, and clients will thank you.
• Get ready in the morning. No, really. Prepping yourself for your day can help you get in the right state of mind to conquer tasks and put your best food forward. Pants, hair, and all.
• Move yo’ bod. Whether it’s 30 minutes of walking, a quick YouTube yoga sesh (I love Yoga With Adriene‘s content), or a little dance party to celebrate a job well-done, moving around helps get those feel-good hormones flowing.
• Set dedicated work hours. Work is important, but not as important as spending time with the ones you love. I know those “but I only need to work for one more hour and I’ll be done” feels, but your loved ones and your mental well-being depend on a healthy work-life balance.
• Make space to chase your curiosities. What’re you into this week? A new book? A podcast dedicated to creative storytelling? People watching at your local library and writing about it (that may just be me)? No matter where your intuition leads you, find what makes you feel good and pursue it relentlessly.
• Set non-work related goals. If there’s a big trip you want to plan, do it. If you want to run a marathon next spring, lace up those shoes, girl. You don’t want to look back in 20 years and realize you didn’t accomplish the things you truly wanted.
• Feel it all, because guess what: YOUR EMOTIONS MATTER. If you’re sad, be sad. If you’re in loooOooOve, show it. Your emotional well-being is vital, both in and out of the workplace. Make space to feel all the feels, and when you find an imbalance of emotions, sit with yourself and try to figure out the root cause.
• Get outside. I live in a city that embraces all four seasons; as in we actually make our river into a several kilometer-long ice trail in the winter, and still manage to get outside and move (love you, Winnipeg). Try and get outside and talk to the birdies and squirrels for at least an hour a day. You’ll feel like a million bucks (and maybe Snow White) afterward; I guarantee it.
• Find a side-project that makes you feel alive. As entrepreneurs, our businesses are like our babies. It’s hard not to spend every waking moment daydreaming about growth and new engagement tricks. However, don’t forget to spend time on other projects and goals you may have. Whether it’s finishing the novel you’ve been sitting on for months, or finally submitting your latest art project to a professional show, work towards seeing other dreams come to fruition.
• Act and converse with good intentions. This may seem like a “duh” tip, but it’s so, so important for a well-rounded life of benefit. When you choose to listen, be positive, and try to find the best in any situation, you’ll not only feel better, but are more inclined to act with good intentions on the reg’.

Do you have any other healthy work-life balance tips that keep you from becoming a 24/7 stress ball? If so, let me know in the comments below! I love hearing from you.