In most jobs, you leave the work behind you when you go home to your loved ones. You can enjoy your family, friends, and hobbies. When you’re a full-time entrepreneur, the workload is intense, especially during the first days. You barely have time to spend with your family. There’s always something more that you need to do, such as research new markets or write press releases. All this eats away precious time that you could devote to your spouse and children. Work is a never-ending process.
You should place a great deal of focus and priority on family. Your connection to your loved ones provides you the ability to prosper as an entrepreneur. Don’t choose between being an entrepreneur and being a family person. You can be both. In this article, we’ll share a few tips on how you can balance your business, family, and everything else.
Prepare your family for entrepreneurship
Your loved ones aren’t prepared for the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. This is why it’s necessary to prepare them for what’s about to come. Your spouse and kids have to be engaged in the process from the very beginning. Planning and communication can reduce the impact your business has on the family dynamic. Fully prepare your loved ones for the good and the bad. Don’t hold out on things that could happen in the near future. It may sound counter-intuitive, but it’s the smart thing to do.
Here’s a checklist to follow:
- Get your family to say yes – if your spouse and children have your back during difficult times, it’ll be easier for you to face the demands of the corporate world. You need a lot of emotional support to succeed. The stresses that come with building a successful company can’t be solved with money.
- Tell your loved ones that change is coming – explain to your family that certain changes will take place, especially in the startup period. They should handle things in a professional manner from the very get-go. what’s more, encourage family members to become involved in your business.
- Don’t try wearing too many hats – you can’t be all things to all people. So, don’t try to wear too many hats in your family life. You can’t undertake yard maintenance or be the health consultant for the family.
Being an entrepreneur and family person is anything but easy. Make sure that your family is prepared for the journey that they’re on the point of embarking on.
Schedule your time for work and do the same for family
Working 100 hours a week isn’t recommended. You need to strike a balance between work and family. Surprising as it may seem, you have time for your business and your family. So, how are you going to make quality time? Well, have a schedule.
Get The Interior Design Right
Effective interior design of your retail or work space has multiple benefits. This is especially key when working on a family business. If a family runs a retail space, the interior design may be used to show the sense of tradition, longevity and the dedication of the family to the business. The well designed retail space in addition to celebrating the legacy of the space as well as your business, will help spending time inside of your store an enjoyable experience, both for your customers and your family. Today’s family run businesses have a hard task in front of them. While offering good service, they need to think of their space as a destination as well. The easiest example is the definition of a family run restaurant. Where hospitality is they key, but when it comes to success the interior is to offer a familiar and comfortable environment.
How to create a work schedule
As an entrepreneur, you’re required to juggle a million things at a time. Every day, you have to find answers to a dozen things and it’s your responsibility to manage your time effectively. Make sure you get it right. In order to do this, you must understand what you can realistically do with the time you have and ensure you have enough time for important tasks. Keep these things in mind when establishing your schedule:
- Find time for your work.
- Schedule high-priority activities.
- Analyze your activities.
The business no doubt means a lot to you, but it shouldn’t come first.
Have a lot of quality time with your family
It’s important to set clear boundaries for yourself. Even the Queen of the United Kingdom makes time to have breakfast with his wife and kids. Running a family can be a full-time job. This is what you need to do to keep your loved ones happy:
Wake up before anyone else
Even if you’re not an early bird, try to wake up before the other family members in the morning. Force yourself to get up early not to go to the office, but to spend some time with your spouse and children. Prepare a healthy breakfast and find ways to engage with your kids. This will give you a sense of accomplishment that can help you achieve goals in other areas of your life.
Make sure your family lives under the same roof
How many times did you have to cancel a trip to your relatives because something more important came up? Chances are that this has happened a lot. When you run a business, you barely have time for your spouse and kids, let alone visit relatives. This is why it’s a good idea to bring the entire family under one roof. If you have elder parents, build a granny annexe.
This way, your parents won’t have to stay in a nursing home. If you check out various services and their prices, you’ll see that it’s not necessary to make a significant investment. It’s an investment worth making, regardless of the cost. You’ll create strong ties with your loved ones, while the new resident has confidence that they haven’t been abandoned. It’s a win-win situation. Build an accessory dwelling that meets your parents’ needs.
Accept help from others and delegate tasks
You need the support of others to survive and thrive. Even if you don’t particularly like asking for help, you must do it. Surround yourself with people who make you stronger and better. Don’t wait until you’re overwhelmed to delegate tasks. Understand that the workload is getting too big and take measures to address the situation. Get someone to take on a section of your work. This will win you more time with your loved ones.
Find yourself a professional mentor
Last but not least, it’s recommended to find a professional mentor. In other words, find someone who can share their knowledge, skills, and experiences. Homepreneurs are pretty good at balancing work and family life. Women are more capable than others to run families and businesses. Anyway, you don’t need a person to cheer you along the way. What you need is someone who’s brutally honest. This is the kind of support that you need.
