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

There is a big difference: now you have the ability to solve the dilemma in your own way. As an employee, you didn’t have the freedom to restructure your hours or duties, but now that you’re the boss, you can create a solution that’s just right for you!

To be completely frank, it takes time to learn how to balance life when you have your own business. It is also a challenge that you will inevitably tackle more than once. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in a project or take on more than you can finish, and before you know it, you’ve worked three weekends in a row, missed six social events with your family, and the dogs are so hungry they growl at you when you finally leave your office.

Running a successful home-only business requires creating a structure with clear boundaries. Determine how many hours a day you can dedicate to your business, when those hours will occur, and what you will accomplish during that time period. If you’re like me, your actual task schedule will vary from day to day, so your best bet is 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. worked. and how much of that time period you will spend on each project. If you are the only adult home during the day and have small children, for example, you may choose to complete your projects during naptime or in the evening hours when your spouse can watch the children. However, if you have the house to yourself during the day, you can use this time to your advantage.

Creating a structure for your business time will make a world of difference and help you create the work/life balance you seek. Yes, there will be times when you need to be flexible (a client may urgently need your help at times outside of your set hours), but you won’t fall into a 24/7 work mentality.

Bottom line: always remember, of course, that even though you’ve committed to your business and your customers, your life has to be a priority too. Determine your priorities and responsibilities so that you have a well-designed plan and your days and weeks are organized.

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