5 Ways Busy Entrepreneurs Can Keep the Passion Alive in Their Relationships What's a business owner to do when they can feel their emotional revenue dwindling in their relationship?
By Jordan Gray Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
There never seems to be enough time in the day. Your business and your intimate relationship are both pressing issues that need constant attention and maintenance.
Sure, your business might be doing five or six figures a month in revenue, but what's an entrepreneur to do when they can feel their emotional revenue dwindling in their relationship?
Here are five efficient ways that entrepreneurs can make their love lives a priority.
1. Put them in your calendar.
Show me your calendar and I'll show you your priorities.
Related: Great Entrepreneur, Lousy Lover?
If the events in your calendar are 100 percent business focused then it's no wonder that your relationship is suffering.
Set aside 10 to 20 percent of your weekly calendar for non-negotiable connection time with your significant other. Whether you're putting in dates, important conversations you need to have, dedicated time for sex or reminders that your partner is getting their hair cut (so you can comment on it), by intentionally carving out time in your calendar and making them a priority your relationship will flourish.
2. Share praise and appreciation.
Just like you give your staff positive reinforcement for a job well done, your partner likely responds well to being appreciated.
Regularly make a point of letting your partner know how much you love them, what you love about them and what they bring to your life.
And regardless of whether you deliver the praise via text message, email, hidden love note or spoken word, a little bit goes a long way.
3. Outsource the mundane.
If both you and your partner are employed (especially if you're both self-employed) then it can be beneficial to outsource some of the mundane tasks in life. It's not much fun coming home from a long day at the office and feeling like your home is just another pile of tasks to be addressed.
Instead of addressing them yourself, why not delegate them? Hire a cleaning service, errand runners or a food preparation company to take some of the tasks off of your and your partner's plate so that you have more time to reconnect as a couple.
Related: A Web Entrepreneur's 3 Tips for Matching the Love of Family With the Love of Work
4. Disconnect to reconnect.
Do you feel guilty plugging in your phone when its battery is nearly empty? Of course not. So why do you feel guilty when it comes to letting yourself recharge?
When you come home from work, do your absolute best to fully unplug. Shut your phone off. Keep your laptop closed. Set boundaries with your staff, business partners and/or colleagues that your time at home is sacred.
If you can't do the above then at least make your bedroom a technology-free safe zone. Your relationship, sex life and sanity will thank you for it.
5. Have regular sex.
Sex is one of the best stress-busting activities available to you.
If you do the above four tips and have more free time, you're making the relationship a priority, and your partner always knows what you love about them, then the opportunities for sexual connection should be free flowing.
Enjoy a sweaty, endorphin-flooding romp with your lover and start hacking away at the low-level chronic stress that so often accompanies entrepreneurship.
Is it really that easy?
Just like the first time that you realized what your key performance indicators were in your business and you started focusing on them to great effect, when you hear what high leverage activities you can do in your relationship it can seem almost too easy.
You might be thinking, "All I have to do is give my relationship a small percentage of my focus and tend to it every now and then and the quality of it will start skyrocketing like my revenue once did once I knew what to focus on?" You've got it! It's as simple as that.
Here's to a thriving bottom line, and fantastic emotional return on investment at home.
Related: When Married to an Entrepreneur Negotiation Is Healthier Than Compromising
