Every business owner faces many challenges. Cash flow pressures, finding and managing staff, sales, marketing, getting paid. It’s a long list and now we can throw Covid-19 into the mix.
Amongst all these challenges, it is very easy to put your own life, your health, your interests, family & friends to the side.
The technical term is “work-life balance”. For me it’s simply being able to say “I have a life”.
That balance will differ for every one of us, as our needs and wants will not be the same. But let me ask you, right now, where do you rank yourself? Honestly, on a scale of one to ten?
1 = I don’t have a life outside work; to 10 = I’m very happy with my work-life balance.
Ask Yourself:
- Do I regularly have a good night’s sleep?
- Do I see the kids each day?
- When I’m on holidays/weekend do I worry about work?
- Do I have quality time with my partner?
- Can I enjoy my hobbies?
- How often do I eat on the run?
If I look back over my time as a business owner, I will say in the beginning I was 2-3, but now I would happily say I rank at 8. And from my experience, I cannot stress the importance of getting this under control. It’s important we have a life. A work-life balance.
It’s important on so many fronts, but to list a few:
- Your general health is better
- You have a better perspective on life, which flows on to your business
- You’re more focused because you have down time, time to reflect and re-energise
- You are more motivated, and as a result you identify opportunities that you may have missed in the past
- You’re probably more enjoyable to be around, so those that work with you will be happier
- When you do face challenges, whether they are in business or everyday life, you can deal with them in a more efficient and purposeful manner.
I realised early on in my business career that things weren’t sitting right. I wasn’t happy, was always stressed and it was affecting my personal life. There had to be a better way.
Looking at the big picture and defining my direction helped me move forward.
- Why do I do what I do? What do I enjoy? What’s my purpose?
- What are my personal goals? Do they align with my purpose?
- What are my business goals? Do they align with personal goals?
- Write a business plan which pulls all the above together.
It is important to note that the personal part comes first, and I think a large part of the problem is that so many do it the other way around. Work-life balance cannot be achieved when you build your business plans and then try and work in your personal life. It just doesn’t work.
And the reflection doesn’t stop as soon as you have clarity on your goals and your future direction. Goal setting and business planning are continually evolving and need to be reassessed regularly, annually at the very least. You need to check in, make sure you are on the right path and adjust if necessary.
The old saying, “we work to live, not live to work’ rings true to me. I love my work; I love my business and what I do. But it’s only one part of my life and everything needs to balance.
MBC can be part of this journey with you. Our aim is to understand you, your goals and your business objectives, and to be instrumental in helping you achieve these.
Don’t take this the wrong way, but….. get a life!!
