The Forbes.com article “6 Rules for Being a Good Boss (to Yourself)” provides a good excuse to be just a little bit selfish for once! Being your own boss has its advantages but also means that you often have to put the needs of your business and your employees before your own personal needs. Follow these rules to help you improve your personal satisfaction and your business management at the same time.

1. Define Your Job. Of course being an entrepreneur requires you to take on a variety of roles, but you still need to have direction, focus and purpose in order to maximize productivity. Take the time to define your primary functions and responsibilities so you can focus your energy where it’s needed most.
2. Highlight Priorities. “Treating every detail as if it were completely urgent only puts you in a reactionary mode and forces you to neglect what’s truly important,” the author writes. Choose a few priorities at a given time and work your schedule around those tasks.
3. Set Goals. It’s important to have goals by which to measure your own performance and success. But how do you go about setting goals that are achievable but still challenging? “The key is using as much data as you can,” the author writes. “Look at your past performance, examine the market, read what the experts have to say, and most importantly, ask your peers what is fair to expect.”
4. Review Your Performance. You most likely perform regular performance reviews of employees – don’t forget to do the same for yourself! Schedule a time for some reflection and set some goals to meet by that time. Think about areas in which you’ve excelled, the skills that you’ve strengthened, and how you can improve and better utilize your talents. Then use these ideas to create or adjust your business goals.
5. Invest in Professional Development. Don’t be afraid to enlist the help of a colleague or coach to help you determine areas for improvement. Once you’ve got that down, consider using resources like books, classes, conferences or private coaching to help you make these improvements.
6. Give yourself a Break. Don’t let lofty expectations, long hours and setbacks result in burnout. Cut yourself some slack. Set reasonable hours, take vacations and even allow yourself napping privileges if it’s helpful. “You’re probably in this for the long haul,” the author writes. “So like any other boss that’s concerned with retention, your own level of stress and satisfaction should be of utmost importance.”

Click here to read the entire article from Forbes.com.