I, like many other business owners, travel a lot, which often makes it hard to find quality time for the people in my life. I have found that maintaining meaningful relationships with such a hectic lifestyle is difficult to manage.

This is especially the case with my recent marriage. While I would love to spend as much time with my new spouse and other people in my life as possible, we all have work to do and busy schedules. Prioritizing people in my life has been an important focus in growing my business, and I knew I had to manage my time differently to make both work. Here are some of the things I do to make time for the people I care about:

1. Keep communication lines open. Whether it’s with my spouse, business partner or friends, keeping open lines of communication is key to maintaining a more meaningful relationship. Be available through text, Skype, the phone and social as much as possible. Even if it’s having to call people as you walk to your gate at the airport or commenting on a status update while in the taxi cab, find time to prioritize the people in your life.
2. Celebrate every success. In the last few years, we have made it a point to celebrate everything that has led to our success. Share even your small successes with friends, and encourage them to do the same. This will help your relationship grow on a much more personal level.
3. Schedule time together. It may sound formal and lack much emotion, but it helps to schedule time and get it on the calendar. There’s no “penciling in” possible lunch meetings or dinners. It has to go on the calendar and stay there just like a work meeting would (the ones with my spouse and friends just happen to be a lot more enjoyable!). While things do come up, I do what I can to make sure that I don’t cancel on these important people in my life. And if I have to travel unexpectedly, I do everything in my power to make it up to them, including sending a special note or in my wife’s case, flowers.
4. Delegate. It helps to manage my life and work schedules when I have a great team that works like a well-oiled machine. Trust your team to take charge of time-consuming tasks so you can carve out more quality time for your personal relationships. I’m learning that it’s better to divide the work rather than try to control everything if it means I can reduce the amount of time I’m away from home.
5. Travel with your significant other. Being on the road can get lonely and tedious, so it can be nice to have someone riding shotgun with you. Plus, it gives you more time together where you can bounce ideas off each other or just enjoy each other’s company. My wife joins me at many events, including conferences or speaking engagements. It’s also nice to have her there to provide feedback. Even if it might be a little biased, she’s honest about what I could have done better. I like having her in the audience because it reminds me that we’re in this together. I also try to plan work trips as much as I possibly can around our personal plans or tie a quick getaway into the work destination so we and I can sneak in some fun exploration time in a new country or city.
6. Stay healthy. In order to be present and attentive to your friends, you have to take care of your health. Exercising, eating right and getting good sleep go a long way to being in a good mood and helping to maintain a healthy relationship. It may sound like you’re just looking after yourself, but in reality, it’s also for the benefit of your relationships. Personally, doing this gives me the energy and emotion that builds my relationships no matter how hectic my travel for work becomes.

My relationships require as much effort to be successful as my companies do. You’ll find that the more you practice these habits, the more meaningful all your relationships will become. Knowing this will keep you balanced in work and life, providing a good foundation in every aspect of your life.