Let’s say your child isn’t doing well in his math classes. He’s having a hard time understanding the material and difficulty grasping what can be some fairly abstract concepts. One route you could go is to spend more time working with him on his math homework (or hire a math tutor) thinking that the more he is exposed to the material, the more likely it is that he’ll understand it. While this may help, if you really want to help him do better in math, you may want to consider enrolling him in music classes.

Studies have shown that students who learn an instrument do better in school and in life. The reason for this is twofold. One, students involved in a variety of disciplines are less likely to get burned out. It gives them a chance to use different parts of their brain and focus their mind on different topics. Two, there is crossover. The parts of the brain exercised by painting, singing, or dancing are closely connected with the parts of the brain involved in more academic pursuits.

Why do I bring all this up? Because even though you may be out of high school, it’s important to have balance in your life – a little bit because of reason one (burnout) but more because of reason two (crossover).

A lot of people will tell you it’s important to take time to relax, to take a break, or to go on vacation. Let’s be clear; they’re absolutely right. You don’t want to work yourself to death. However, some of us have a hard time just sitting around, watching TV, or reading a trashy novel, when there’s stuff to be done.

Success requires balance. So even though you’re working 50 or 60 (or more) hours each week, you cannot neglect your other responsibilities – family, friends, hygiene. But perhaps even more importantly, you should not neglect other potential avenues for growth.

You first need to figure out what demands already exist on your time. Talk with your spouse, family, girlfriend or boyfriend, friends, and neighbors to see how much time you should be spending with them – running errands, chores around the house, spending quality time together. Then figure out how many hours you need to work each week in order to maintain and grow your business. (And then be sure to factor in sleep.) If your total is less than 168 – the number of hours in a week – then you have to decide what to do with that extra time.

There’s nothing automatically wrong with using it to relax – watch the game or go for a walk – but you may want to use it to learn a musical instrument or another language, study art from a certain time period, take up pottery, or anything else. If you’ve already booked your 168 hours, you may want to consider including these extracurricular pursuits (art, music, etc.) as part of your work schedule. Doing so will make the hours you spend working more efficient. You’ll be able to look at problems with a new perspective and bring an added element to what you do.

These are the sorts of things that make a difference. Your business is important, but you are more important. Take time to continually learn and grow, not just regarding business but also culture, life, society, and the world around you. By expanding you, your business is sure to follow.