What is important to you?
Warning, calendar quote: "You don't have time, you take it." Meaning: More time doesn't appear by magic. It emerges through prioritisation.
Just like with the topic of profit, it's first about creating clarity: What should grow – and what may become less? Ask yourself, for example:
- Which people do you want to spend time with regularly?
- What gives you energy – and what constantly drains your strength?
- Which moments do you no longer want to "postpone"?
What isn't planned rarely happens.
Closeness doesn't require great effort – but reliability. Time with friends and family is just as important as work appointments. So schedule it in.
Helpful are:
- recurring fixed time slots for private meetings
- clear boundaries between work and free time → When does your working day end?
- conscious breaks instead of "leftover time"
Less Work ≠ less Success
Many self-employed people believe they must be constantly available. But permanent overload doesn't lead to better results, but to exhaustion. The rule is:
- Focus beats overwork
- Not every task is equally important, clear out your to-dos again
💡 Prompt:
Ask yourself regularly: Which tasks really bring impact and which do I only do out of habit?
Delegate, simplify, decide
You also have more time for people when you simplify or hand off work. Not everything has to come from you and not everything has to happen immediately.
Possible actions are:
- bundle or automate recurring tasks
- reduce unimportant activities
- consciously say no in order to be able to say yes
- if your money allows: outsource tasks
💡 Reduction:
Identify one task that you don't have to do yourself this week.
Stay on it – without guilt
Closeness isn't a luxury, but a foundation for long-term self-employment. You mustn't only enjoy your life when everything is "finished" (spoiler: everything is never finished…)
Instead you should rather:
- pursue small, realistic changes
- regularly pause and check in whether you currently feel comfortable with your social relationships
- have compassion for yourself
Summary
Spending more time with family and friends isn't a question of discipline. It's a question of clarity, structure and conscious decisions – and that can be approached step by step, even if it sometimes requires patience and a bit of courage. The people who matter to you are worth the investment.