Achieving a work-life balance starts with you.

Stay informed and join our daily newsletter now!

May15, 20214 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Youve received the standard advice about setting boundaries with the hours you work if youre now (or have always) worked from home.Youve read that you should focus on tasks more intentionally by using software that blocks social media and email notifications.You may have even experienced work-life balance for a while.

However, whats missing from the conversation about work-life balance is the need for self-prioritization in goal setting, work, productivity and the desire to optimize ones life. Here are three reasons why making yourself a priority is the key and foundation to achieving work-life balance.

Related:The Secret Cause of Burnout and How Entrepreneurs Can Avoid It

Do you wake up, look at your to-do listand verbally cringe? Chances are, most of what you do each day is the same, and the routine is draining you mentally, and by extension, physically.

When you spend day in and day out grinding with no time allotted for fun and all the personal goals youd like to accomplish it leads to frustration, bitterness and burnout. You arent excited to work, which diminishes your energy and motivation. The resulting burnout decreases productivity and amplifies excuses.

Work-life balance has to be about balance. But more than figuring out a schedule that works for you, youll need to incorporate plenty of "youtime." Your schedule should include moments when you work on hobbies, do fun things and focus on personal optimization.

If youre feeling stressed and mentally exhausted when you think about work and your goals, its time to take a step back and ask yourself when was the last time you did somethingjust for you?Youll be more productive and develop the ability to work more intentionally when your life doesnt feel like a burden.

Related:Building a Business Shouldn't Require You Stop Having a Life

When youre good at what you do, it can be easy to let that become part of your identity. Its not uncommon for someone whos been the boss at a job or business to have readjustment challenges to changes in their work situation millions of Americansexperienced just that over the past year.

If you tie your identity to your work, youll lose balance when life circumstances becomeunpredictable. Work-life balance starts with you being secure in your non-work priorities and unattachment to circumstances you cant control.

There are so many experiences of life and moments to be lived beyond work. Work helps you build the financial freedom to experience life, but dont let it overtake the balance and tie your beliefs about yourself to circumstances that dont have to define you.

Whether you realize it or not, you are the most significant project you will ever pursue. When you make your optimization a priority, you will be more productive. When youre excited about life and the opportunity to work, youll reduce stress and burnout.

Start with making yourself the priority. Family, friends, coworkers, clients, and anyone else that demands your time and energy should see and respect your boundaries.

Spend time each day with one task, goalor fun experience thats just for you. If you can do that at the start of your day, youll train your mind to understand that youre the main priority. Do this over time, and youll wake up excited for what the day will hold.

As you build the self-prioritization muscle and develop healthy self-care habits, youll achieve a work-life balance more sustainably.

Related:Teach Others How to Treat Your Business

Read more:

What's Missing From the Conversation About Work-Life Balance - Entrepreneur