Success in Sweatpants

One of the most common reasons that people choose the solo business ownership route is that they want to spend more time with family. Often, though, once work begins to build up, solo business owners can find themselves facing exactly the same work/family dilemma they wrestled with as salaried employees!

There is one big difference: You now have the ability to resolve the dilemma in your way.  As an employee you did not have the freedom to restructure your hours or your duties, but now that you’re the boss you can create a tailor-made solution! 

To be completely frank, it does take time to learn how to balance life when you have your own business. It is also a challenge that you will inevitably address more than once.  It is all too easy to become absorbed in a project or take on more than you can finish, and before you realize it, you have worked three weekends in a row, you’ve missed six social events with your family, and the dogs are so hungry they growl at you when you finally stumble out of your office.

Running a solo home business successfully requires creating a structure with clear boundaries. Determine how many hours a day you are able to dedicate to your business, when those hours will occur, and what you will accomplish during that timeframe. If you’re like me, your actual task schedule will vary from day to day so your best bet will be to sit down every night (or every morning) and write out a detailed schedule of what you plan to accomplish in your work time frame and how much of that time frame you will spend on each project. If you are the only adult at home during the day and have small children, for example, you might choose to complete your projects during naptime or in the evening hours when your spouse can take care of the kids. Or, if you have the house to yourself during the day, you can utilize this time to your advantage.

Creating a structure for your business time will make a big difference and help you create that work-life balance you seek. Yes, there will be times that you need to be flexible—a client may need your assistance urgently at times outside your set hours—but you won’t slip in to a 24/7 work mindset.

Bottom line: Always remember, of course, that although you have made commitments to your business and clients that your life also has to be a priority.   Determine your priorities and responsibilities so you have a well laid out plan and your days and weeks are organized.