⚡ Get All Content for 20% Off ⚡

The Secret to Getting It All Done at Work and Still Having a Personal Life For most entrepreneurs, business crowds out time for anything else. So make a life to-list and actually put it on the calendar.

By Yanik Silver

entrepreneur daily

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

The Secret to Getting It All Done at Work and Still Having a Personal Life

In his book "Maverick Startup," serial entrepreneur Yanik Silver lays out his strategies for turning your big idea into a profitable business, without taking on debt, partners or even a business plan. In the following excerpt, Silver focuses on what's often an entrepreneur's last consideration: their personal life.

I know for many entrepreneurs, including me, the default mode is work. There are always too many projects and too many to-dos left undone. That's why I believe you need to have something else scheduled and on the calendar.

Related: 8 Tips for Focus and Nixing Distractions

Think back to when you were a kid and what activities or interests got you really jazzed and excited. As adults, many of us have lost that sense of fun and inspiration. Put fun activities, rewarding experiences and exceptional adventures on your calendar and protect them like you would any "real" appointment.

I've always been a fan of lists and I know many other successful people share this notion. What better list can you create than a list for your most memorable and exciting life?

This is pretty easy and encompasses everything I want to do, have or become before I die. The hard part is sitting down and just jotting down the list. Most of my list is centered around "do:" Fly my own plane, donate $10 million to charities in my lifetime, visit Russia, where I was born, and participate in the Olympics.

Your list is unique to you. In one afternoon you could get at least 25 to 50 items on your own list. The first few are easy, but then you really have to dig into what would make you happy. What excited you as a kid? What have you always wanted to do? What have you always wanted to be?

Don't get bogged down in what other people will think. Don't put something on your list that doesn't excite you or put it there because you think you're supposed to. Hey, if you don't want to save the whales, don't put it on your list.

Related: 5 Myths About Being an Entrepreneur

Think without putting conditions or restrictions on your list. It doesn't matter if you think it's dumb, or couldn't really happen or think others will laugh at you. So what? Go with your heart and just get it down. There's no harm in writing it down even if it doesn't happen.

Do I really think I'll be in the Olympics? Probably not -- but there's a tiny shot. My publicist is a friend of the former publicist for the U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation. I don't know how many people are waiting in line to go 80 mph headfirst down an icy track, so who knows if I'd get a tryout? But if I didn't throw it out there to the universe and write it down, I know I wouldn't hear the faint knocking of opportunity.

How do you get your life list completed? Write it down. If you do nothing but write 50 to 100 items in your list, you'll be surprised at how many get done in a year without your ever looking at them again.

Schedule it. This is where a lot of people fall down, but unless you schedule your fun, it won't happen, because you can always do one more work item and your inbox will never be empty. Think about your vacation: it's scheduled and it happens precisely because it is scheduled. The more fun you schedule into your life, the more you'll get.

When I hear people say they don't have time for something, it really means that item is not a priority for them. The excuse of "I don't have time" is commonly accepted, but we all have the same 24 hours in a day. It's up to you to decide what your priorities are. And if a priority is living a full, rich life with incredible experiences and adventures, then you'll create the time and schedule items from your list.

A close cousin to not having enough time is believing you can't get away from your business long enough to do any of the fun items on your list. Freedom is the operative word for entrepreneurs, and unless we exercise it by stepping away from the office, we become nothing more than servants to our businesses. You might believe you're indispensable, but nearly everyone, including you, is replaceable. It's important to step back and see if you are truly operating on activities in your business that are core competencies and unique abilities where you excel.

You've probably heard of the 80/20 rule: 20 percent of your activities produce 80 percent of the results. Conversely, 80 percent of your activities create 20 percent of the results. So if you focus on the critical few activities that produce 80 percent of the results, that will free up your time to do even more outside of work.

Related: How to Stop Working 24/7

Yanik Silver

Entrepreneur, author, adventurer & founder Maverick1000

Yanik Silver, a serial entrepreneur based in Potomac, Md., is the author of Maverick Startup: 11 X-Factors to Bootstrap From Zero to Six Figures and Beyond from Entrepreneur Press.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

The Remote Side Hustle a 43-Year-Old Musician Works on for 1 Hour a Day Earns Nearly $3,000 a Month: 'All From the Comfort of Home'

Sam Ziegler wanted to supplement his income as a professional drummer — then his tech skills and desire to help people came together.

Leadership

Former Interrogator Shares 5 Behaviors Liars Exhibit and How to Handle Them

Five deceptive behaviors to look for and how to respond to those behaviors when you encounter them.

Business News

AI Is Impacting Jobs. Here Are the Gigs Affected the Most, According to an Analysis of 5 Million Upwork Postings

The researcher said in the report that freelance jobs were analyzed first because that market will likely see AI's immediate impact.

Marketing

Ever Wonder Why Certain Websites Rank Higher Than Yours? This SEO Expert Reveals The Secret to Dominating Search Results

It's often the smart use of SEO, now supercharged with AI, particularly in keyword optimization.

Business Ideas

55 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.