Ryan Rock, Ankeny Business Owner, Describes How to Improve Your Work-Life Balance as a Young Entrepreneur

New entrepreneurs have to adjust to a particular lifestyle that can often be overtaken by work if not cautious. Such entrepreneurs often struggle to find the perfect balance between their work life and their personal life.

Ryan Rock, Ankeny native, successfully maintains a proactive work, family, and life balance. During his college career, Rock balanced multiple activities, which also forced him to categorize his priorities. Rock’s time-management and prioritizing skills allow his company, Empire AG, LLC, to take up multiple projects and deliver quality work. After narrowing down his years of acquired knowledge, Rock highlights three simple solutions to the common problem of balancing work and personal life. 

Draw the Line

What is the one tip entrepreneurs recommend when boiling down work-life balance? Schedule everything and work efficiently during those blocked times. However, it is also crucial for any business owner to create boundaries after setting a fixed schedule. An example of a drawn line might be not allowing yourself to check your email after dinner or before breakfast. Every barrier and plan is unique to the person creating it and the way of life that best works for him or her. Setting those dividing lines between being on and off work is essential to strengthening a lifestyle balance. 

Use Proactive Technology

During scheduled times of work, strive for further efficiency by using time-saving technologies. Technology that cuts your workload down any size helps you utilize your time to its maximum potential. Store all your documents on a cloud that is accessible from any location, or skip the lunch date and plan a more focused topic meeting over video chat avenues such as Zoom. 

Make Time for You

Maintaining good health and balance requires taking time away from work and other obligations to make time for you. Anxiety can often follow an entrepreneur, even during times of relaxation. To help rid additional stresses during times of peace, consider researching the phrase ‘fear of failure.’ Many business owners suffer from this fright to the point that they feel as if they have to work nonstop to reach success continually. Do yourself a favor and let go of fear. You’ll find your times of relaxation more rewarding and your work periods more meaningfully productive. 

When setting aside personal time, it is beneficial to leave behind your mobile phone or turn it off. This action will give way for a deeper level of recovery time and a more leisurely journey accessing it. Not feeling the need to check your phone will aid in a more present mindset, as well. 

Exercise the Word ‘No’

As a young entrepreneur, you might find yourself overwhelmed with business opportunities, potential client meetings, social and network invitations, or travel opportunities. If you want to feel overwhelmed, sure, say yes to everything. But you will thank yourself by utilizing the word ‘no.’ Save time by staying selective with your choices. Learning to say no is not only a healthy habit but can maintain your work-balance life, too. 

About Ryan Rock

Ryan Rock, Ankeny local, holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Iowa State University. His passion for his work ethic, quality, and completion reflects through his past leadership positions and work-life balancing success. Rock joined the Iowa Army National Guard at age 17 while attending Iowa State University balanced school, Army training, dorm house presidency, and his job as a Resident Assistant.