You must be confident and committed to your vision of running your own business. If you’re not in it in the long run, it may not be the right career move for you. In this article we discuss Balancing Work and Home Life as an Entrepreneur.
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Conflicts of Interest
Personal sacrifice is at the top of the list when it comes to running your own business. Quite a lot of the time you’ll have to make decisions where business’ demands have to take priority over other plans you have already set with family or your friends.
Unless they really understand what you’re going through, they’ll feel miserable and will have a hard time letting go of you, and may even give you a tough time for putting your business first over them.
You’ll obviously feel worse if you cancel at the last minute, but you’ll know how important it is not to let your business down when you’ve personally sacrificed so much to get to a stage your currently at.
It’s a choice you’ll have to make over and over again to retain a successful business.
Swings and Roundabouts
When you’re your own boss, you have a lot of freedom and flexibility to work the way that works best for you (in theory at least).
Of course, you will inevitably be working longer hours in the evenings and on weekends, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to sacrifice your personal life, and you will never see friends and family again outside of work.
When you are in control of your time, your work-life balance will be more intertwined; You will no longer need fixed working hours.
As a result, I was able to participate more in my children’s school plays, sports days, and parent evenings, which is much more than I could participate in when I was employed.
It’s much easier to set aside a few hours a day and then make up the time when you need it.
I often choose to work from home, so I can see my kids leave in the morning and catch up with them when they come home from school. It is these moments in family life that compensate for when you are not always present at more usual hours.
Tips on How to Keep Going
Sometimes success can feel like thousands of miles away, and that can make you feel down and depressed. I call those days ‘Dips in the road’.
You will have them too, it’s hard if not impossible to avoid them, we all get them, and you need to be ready to embrace them.
Also, working long hours without getting the recognition or success you hoped for can affect your mental state and overall wellbeing.
At first, my initial reaction was to work harder, longer, try to do more, and reach my goals sooner. You can do this for a while, but it will harm you; your burnout will get worse leading to reduced productivity and more of “dips in the road days”.
It’s a constant downward spiral that no amount of coffee and energy-boosting drinks can help (and in the end, it just makes the situation worse).
Just bear in mind that your physical and mental health will suffer if you continue down this path.
Follow These Steps:
- It’s better to take a step back and take regular breaks, you’ll come back refreshed and feeling more productive.
- A good diet and regular strenuous exercise also play a role in all this. Exercise is a natural stimulant of the hormones that the body feels good about: serotonin and dopamine. They will help improve your mood and restore the positive attitude you need to succeed.
- Keep in regular contact with your friends and family. Perhaps through social media, interactions like this will refresh you and avoid feelings of isolation. Be sure to reschedule the dates you have to cancel due to work to maintain your social life.
- Keep your partner, family and friends regularly informed about the latest business developments. This helps them understand your current state of mind and makes it easier for them to understand what you’re going through, and when you need their support.
- It is important to discuss ideas and strategies with people who are not directly involved in the business. I have a good friend who serves as a mentor, and he gives an objective view of the plans and decisions I am making.
Becoming your own boss is a choice you made. Remember, you are the one who chose this path, it’s your journey to follow so don’t let it get you down. Also remember that no one is on their own, you need friends and family to support you.
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