Life as a small business owner or freelancer is about making the most of every day with limited resources. This means that perhaps without even realising it, you spend more and more time at work while neglecting other aspects of your life. Fortunately, there are small business apps that can give you a work-life balance.

Many entrepreneurs are aware of digital solutions built exclusively for their professional life. These include project management apps and top accounting apps. While these are among the best apps for managing a small business in the UK, there are others designed specifically to help deliver a greater work-life balance.

To help you out, here’s our list of seven small business apps for a well-balanced life.

7 small business apps for work-life balance

Toggl

What you want is to work better and not work more. Toggl will help you do that through project and team planning. You’ll also be able to track how you spend your time. If you’ve ever wondered how to be productive without becoming stressed out, you should give this a try.

Serene

The secret to success isn’t spending time on several projects. It’s being deeply engaged in a project without getting distracted. Serene enables you to do deep work based on one goal for every day. As an entrepreneur or freelancer, if you want disciplined focus, Serene can help you out.

Offtime

Setting boundaries is key to devoting time to your family and friends. If it doesn’t come naturally to you, Offtime will make it easy. It will let you be wherever you are, without getting distracted. If you constantly feel rushed without being wholly present anywhere, here’s your answer.

Forest

Here’s a creative and environment-friendly way to stay focused on your important tasks. With Forest, you’ll plant a tree and as long as you’re focusing on your job, it will grow. When you leave the app without finishing the task, it will start to wither away.

Space

This small business app is designed to break your addiction to your smartphone. Trusted by millions, Space stops you from getting distracted and encourages you to focus on what you’ve got to do. It will block unnecessary notifications, reduce your screen time and help you to prioritise tasks.

Sleep Cycle

Unless you’re well-rested, you won’t be able to be at your best. Sleep Cycle analyses your sleep to figure out how well you sleep at night and how often it gets interrupted. By analysing your sleeping patterns, the app will wake you up when you’re sleeping at your lightest.

Chalkboard

With this second-line app, you won’t have to repeatedly check your phone when you’re with your family or friends. Any business associate or customer calling you will get an auto-reply text without you getting interrupted.

How to achieve work-life balance when you run your own business

Set boundaries: Know when you should switch off from work. Mute your notifications or keep your phone on silent mode.
Take frequent breaks: After each session of deep work, take a short break. Don’t spend it on your smartphone though!
Go out: Nature is the antidote to all the stress of modern business life. Go out for an unhurried walk where nothing comes between you and nature.
Pursue a hobby: It could be reading, music lessons or a DIY project. Try to choose something that will help to keep either your mind or body active.

In summary

Life happens when you’re busy doing other things. With these small business apps, you will hopefully find time for all the important moments outside of work that make life meaningful and enriching.