s entrepreneurs, it’s easy for us to become completely immersed in our work. We believe in it. We’re passionate about it. And, let’s face it, taking an idea from inception to success takes a lot of effort. When we add in the time dedicated to our families, communities, and life’s other obligations, we can find ourselves in the middle of a chaotic rat race.

Five years ago, my husband and I had unintentionally turned our life into that rat race. We were stressed out and running ourselves ragged, trying to balance a technology and consulting business with the needs of our three daughters, our home and our community commitments. Back then, after some soul-searching and financial planning, our family made the rather drastic decision to depart from the chaos for a while. In 2014, we sold almost everything we owned, pulled our daughters out of school and took a trip around the world for the next eighteen months.

Granted, world travel on this scale isn’t for everyone. However, during that journey I learned some valuable lessons that I think are worth sharing. By taking the time to establish a few new habits, I’ve created a more balanced and intentional life for myself since returning home from our world journey.

Habit #1 — Tally Up Your Quality Time

As we take on more obligations, we often spend less time on the things that are truly important to us. An easy tip for keeping tabs on those quality moments before they start slipping away is to simply do the math. On a regular basis I open my calculator app and add up the minutes I’ve spent on activities I love with the people I love the most. I force myself to be honest. Chatting with my daughters while I’m driving them to sports practice doesn’t count. This is about true, quality time. When we find that our family is coming up short on our moments of bliss, we look for ways to balance life out again. It might mean giving up some activities or declining some social events, but we never regret those changes in the long run.

Habit #2 — Let Go of Others’ Opinions

In order to develop Habit #1, I had to master Habit #2. And this was a doozy for me. I once believed that I didn’t care what other people thought of me, but when I got really honest with myself, I had to admit that letting go of other people’s opinions was a very hard thing to do. Humans are social creatures, so our behavior is easily driven by the expectations of friends, colleagues and neighbors. This was especially true for me throughout most of my life.

We have to be strong to let go of others’ expectations and focus on what we know is right for us. I’ve developed the habit of questioning my actions when I’m considering taking on a new obligation. As simple as this may sound, it has changed my life. When making a decision, I start by asking myself what the impact will be on our family and my own personal well-being. Here are some exploratory questions that often come up for me:

1. Who is going to benefit from this and how?
2. What is the worst case scenario if I don’t do this?
3. Who is going to judge me and why do I care about their opinion?
4. What stress could this add to my life?

As I started gaining more self-awareness around my decision-making, I was surprised at how often I was really just trying to please other people. Shifting the focus back to the expectations I have for myself has given me a peaceful confidence in the way I’m shaping my life.

Habit #3 — Sit in Silence

I won’t use the word “meditate” because that can feel a little daunting, but simply sitting motionless with my eyes closed has had dramatic effects on my health and emotional well-being. We often get so caught up in doing that we forget how important it is to just be.

On a daily basis I pull out my stopwatch app and set it for at least 15 minutes. I don’t move until it goes off. If my brain starts revving up during this quiet time (which it often does), I have a few tricks for calming it down.

• I listen carefully for all the sounds I can hear around me
• I focus on a specific body part (e.g., my left hand) and see if I can start to feel a sensation in it, like a
  mild tingling
• I recreate a pleasant memory in my mind, trying to remember as many details of the event as possible

Since making this commitment to sit in silence every day, I clearly see the benefits, both in my own outlook and in the way I interact with others.

For me, these three life-changing habits have had significant meaning: tallying up my quality time, letting go of pleasing others, and sitting in silence on a daily basis. While seemingly small in scope, their impact has been immeasurable. I hope they can be game-changers for you as well.

The key to establishing one or more of these habits will be your initial commitment and accountability. You may want to use your calendar to create reminders for those daily silence sessions. A monthly appointment with yourself where you spend a few minutes tallying up your quality time can be helpful, too. When it comes to letting go of others’ opinions, an accountability partner can be a tremendous support. Pick someone you trust to help you talk through that urge to please others and give your time away.

Use the tools that are right for you to bring these self-care habits into your life. I promise you will see a change in your outlook on the world and your place in it.