As entrepreneurs, we have the amazing opportunity to design our own professional lives. You run the show and make the decisions that will create and maintain the lifestyle you want.

One of the most important aspects of the entrepreneurial lifestyle—one we often overlook—is how you support yourself. As you succeed in your professional life, you also want to make sure you are maintaining you—the person behind the scenes who has wants, needs and responsibilities outside of your business.

Here are four tips—things I’ve learned from my own experience that I’d like to pass on to you. My hope is that these tips will help you maintain balance and harmony as you run your business, just as they’ve helped me.

1. Give Yourself Room to Breathe

   Believe me, I know a little something about being overly ambitious! It’s great to be enthusiastic about your business, but be careful not to take on too many projects at once. Before committing to anything, take a step back and a deep breath. Ask yourself if a) it’s something that will further your business in the precise direction you want to be heading in and b) it’s something you need to do right now, or if it can wait and will still benefit you if you take it on at a later date.Remember, you’re in control—you don’t need to spread yourself too thin! Be sure to give yourself some time between projects to handle any problems that may come up and keep your cool in the process.

   “People tend to overestimate what they can do in a year,
   but underestimate what they can do in 3-5 years.” —Tony Robbins

2. Track Your Progress

   Sometimes we don’t realize how much work we’ve gotten done and how far we’ve actually come toward achieving our goals. It’s important to keep track of this by recording the milestones you hit along your journey.I would recommend putting together a simple system to track your progress. This could be a Word doc or Excel spreadsheet on your computer (or that you share with your team on Google Drive), an online planning tool like WeekPlan.net, project management software (i.e. Wrike.com), or a giant poster that you fill in by hand—whatever works best for you. Whichever method you choose, it should a) be easy for you to use and b) make you excited to track your progress. The best system is the one you’ll actually use, so the more simple, the better.

   Once a month, sit down and review the progress you’ve made and the successes you’ve had thus far. I guarantee that you’ll feel pumped up and inspired to keep going!

3. Celebrate!
   When you work for yourself—and sometimes by yourself—it can be hard to remember to pat yourself on the back when you do something right. What many of us don’t realize is that this is an essential step to maintaining a positive attitude about your business.

   Stephen R. Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, wrote that next to physical survival, “the greatest need of a human being is psychological survival, to be understood, to be affirmed, to be validated, to be appreciated.” Since you are working for yourself, it’s your responsibility to validate your own progress and celebrate every success you have.

   Every time you set a goal for yourself, also determine the reward you’ll get once you achieve that goal. This can be anything—a fun trip, a massage, a dinner out—whatever will make you feel a sense of completion and acknowledgment for your hard work.

4. Find Support in Your Peers
   Don’t let yourself become an island—population: you. Connecting with other entrepreneurs not only expands your professional network, it also helps you form a support system for yourself. There are so many others out there who are experiencing the same successes and challenges that you are—why not be there for each other? A peer network can help you stay inspired, refresh your mindset, and push you harder toward your professional goals.
   

   You can also take this a step further and find a peer mentor—a fellow entrepreneur who makes sure you stay motivated and on track. A peer mentor is like a personal trainer for the workplace, cheering you on and providing support as you work toward your goals. Doing this for someone else is also a fantastic boost for your own morale. Giving support to someone else in this way and focusing on their business instead of yours will help pull you out of your world for a moment and put things in perspective.

   To connect with a growing community of entrepreneurs like you (myself included!), consider going to a live event. Along with internet marketing mastermind Mike Koenigs, I’ll be hosting a live, 3-day business training event, Make Market Launch IT LIVE, in San Diego. Not only will you learn the proven models and formulas we’ve perfected to build, launch, and run your own business successfully, it’s also a fantastic opportunity to network with like-minded business people and product creators. I hope to see you there! You can reserve your seats here.

When you make a decision to maintain your own well-being, you’ll feel more fulfilled, balanced, and happier overall. It will also help you maintain your enthusiasm and amp up your energy to pursue the goals you’ve set for your business with even more verve.

What other methods do you use to maintain balance in your professional life? Let me know in the comments below!