小企业老板：5个小方法工作生活巧平衡

 　　Small business owners are known to have busy schedules, many different responsibilities, and a steady flow of important decisions to make. Despite the fact that we may want to get it all done, all the time, the simple truth is that there are only so many hours in a day, and so many things you can do at once. Many times, our personal life suffers and we find ourselves becoming a slave to the business, which often results in burnout.

　　小型企业的老板们总是行程满满，肩负各种责任，还需要为大量的事情作出决策。我们无法逃过完成所有任务的事实，除此之外，还有一个很简单的道理：一天就只有那么多个小时，你同时能够兼顾的事情却总是那么多。许多时候，我们的私人生活就会因此受到影响，还会发现自己已经逐渐成为生意的奴隶，最终筋疲力尽。

　　To remain successful long-term, small business owners must find a balance between their business and their personal life. Here are five ways to create a work-life balance.

　　为了能够在生意上持续创造佳绩，小型企业的老板们需要在生意和私人生活之间找到一个平衡点。以下便是创造工作生活平衡的5个方法。

　　1. Set Boundaries

　　1. 设定界限

　　The most important step for creating a balance is setting boundaries with customers, employees, and vendors¹. Your boundaries don’t have to be completely rigid², but you do need a clear idea of how you want your business relationships to be structured so you can create habits that enforce that vision.

　　维持工作与生活平衡的最重要一步便是与客户，员工以及供应商之间设定一些界限。你所设定的界限不必完全是死板的，但是你的头脑里要有一个清晰的概念，你希望你的商业关系的架构是怎样的，这样你就能养成习惯，实施构想。

　　Think through the areas where you feel you need to create more structure, and be clear on how you want to communicate and interact with your business contacts. Then you need to share those policies so you can create boundaries that honor your time.

　　彻底想清楚有哪些方面是需要重新架构的，以及清楚你希望与商业联系人之间的沟通和互动的透明度如何。然后你就需要跟他们分享这些措施，这样就能设定界限，时间也因此过得有价值。

　　2. Create Rules for Yourself

　　2. 给自己设定规则

　　Just as you need to set rules that manage your contact with others, you also need to set ground rules for yourself. It is way too easy to take that late-night call "just this once," or give out your personal cell phone number to a trusted client.

　　正如你需要设定一些规则来处理与他人的联系一样，你也需要给自己设定一些基本原则。接听半夜来电，你说“只听这一次”，或者向一位信任的客户透露自己的私人电话号码，其实都是很容易触碰的底线。

　　Make a list of unacceptable personal actions that contradict your boundaries. Keep the list in a visible place, and check it often to make sure you are respecting your own boundaries.

　　把那些与自己的底线相抵触的私人行为列成清单，把它放在显眼的地方，多拿来看看，确保你一直坚守着自己的底线。

　　3. Develop an Emergency Test

　　3. 制定应急检测表

　　Things happen in business that may cause you to have to bend your own rules from time to time; that's the nature of business.

　　在生意上出现的状况有时候可能使你不得不改变自己的规则，这就是生意场的本质。

　　But in the heat of chaos³, it can be difficult to remain objective about what qualifies as an emergency.

　　但在混乱发生得最激烈的时候，也许很难在紧急状况之中保持客观。

　　Create a checklist that outlines what factors should exist before a situation is classified as an emergency. Make it clear when and how your boundaries should be bent⁴, as well as what you should do after the situation is resolved to restore the limits.

　　创建一份检查清单，把曾经出现过引发紧急状况的因素列出来。明确在何时、以何种方式改变自己的界限规则，还有在状况处理后你应该采取的措施从而恢复界限。

　　4. Consistent

　　4. 坚持不懈

　　Setting boundaries is all about creating habits, and the best way to create a positive habit is by doing something consistently. If you give in once, or let something slide, you’re going to have to work twice as hard to respect your own ground rules next time.

　　设置界限其实就是养成习惯，而养成良好习惯的最佳方法就是一直坚持做某件事情。如果你妥协了一次，或者轻易放过某个环节，下一次你就不得不加倍工作才能对得起你的基本原则了。

　　5. Allow Yourself to Take Breaks

　　5. 允许自己休息透透气

　　Work-life balance requires that you dedicate time to focus on all aspects of your life; you can’t give your personal life focus without investing time into it. So if you are usually overscheduled with work, there won’t be much of a chance you will be able to take a break or do anything non-work related without shuffling⁵ your time and causing more stress.

　　工作生活平衡的状态需要你投入时间全心专注生活的方方面面，你不能关注了生活却不舍得投入时间去照料。所以如果你的行程总是被工作排满了，那么你休息的时间或者做一些工作以外的事情的机会就很少了，无法重新调整时间，还会造成更多的压力。

　　One way to make sure you take time out for your personal life is by scheduling in the time as if it were another work responsibility. Over time, this will become second nature to you and will be one of the most valuable slots of time during your day.

　　有一个确保你可以腾出一些私人生活时间的方法，就是把时间安排视为另一项工作职责。久而久之，这样就会成为你的第二天性，还会成为你日常生活中最宝贵的休闲时光。

1 vendors   

n.摊贩( vendor的名词复数 )；小贩；（房屋等的）卖主；卖方

参考例句：

• The vendors were gazundered at the last minute. 卖主在最后一刻被要求降低房价。
• At the same time, interface standards also benefIt'software vendors. 同时，界面标准也有利于软件开发商。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

2 rigid   

adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的

参考例句：

• She became as rigid as adamant.她变得如顽石般的固执。
• The examination was so rigid that nearly all aspirants were ruled out.考试很严，几乎所有的考生都被淘汰了。

3 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

4 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

5 shuffling   

adj. 慢慢移动的, 滑移的 动词shuffle的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• Don't go shuffling along as if you were dead. 别像个死人似地拖着脚走。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Some one was shuffling by on the sidewalk. 外面的人行道上有人拖着脚走过。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹