I am sure most business owners (at one stage or another) struggle with the work/life balance. Generally you have your own business so you have the freedom to work your own hours, but in reality you work more hours than you would like.
This is one area I really struggle with. Particularly as I work from home my business is always ‘there’ and I don’t really switch off. This has very much been the case over the past 6 months as my business has grown the whole “switching off” idea just doesn’t work.
I have my laptop and my iPhone and it is too easy for me to check my emails and make sure I am not missing anything on Facebook and Twitter. Even if my laptop is off my iPhone is there. Sometimes I find myself responding to emails at 11pm on a Friday night and I have even been accused (although not proven) of checking my phone at 3am when I wake up through the night (ok ok I am obsessed!).
I am also a mother to a very energetic two year old so the balancing act between being a mother, wife and business owner is difficult. Generally my routine is all based around my son. I cram as much work in when he is asleep and once again as soon as he is asleep at night. I do this so I can get everything done. And not even that, I love my business and it is what I love to do so I don’t really find it work.
But the question is “when do I get ‘me’ time? Or when can I spend some time with my partner?”
Quite simply – I don’t!! And I can’t stand that. As I said I love my business and it is the reason I do what I do. But I do hate that I feel completely exhausted all the time and that I don’t have time to spend with just my husband.
So this is something I am going to work on. I am making it my mission to stop (not every night let’s not get ahead of myself here) but at least two nights during the week to ensure I get ‘me’ time and also to make time for my husband. So that means no checking emails, no social networks and no checking my iPhone at ridiculous hours of the night. It is going to be difficult but I am going to do it!
I would love to hear your thoughts at how you manage the whole work/life balance.
This post was originally posted on the Central Coast Biz website on the 31st January 2010. Click here to see the original post.