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Balance for small business owners

Written by: Tara S. Dickherber, M.Ed, CPC

Article Overview: A brief discussion on creating balance for the life of a small business owner.

Balance for small business owners

Balance for life when you own your own business is crucial because your business can become your entire life. I have owned my own business for 5 years now. Marketing and billing, at times, can become an obsession. My husband and I can spend every night talking about the business. The business is our bread and butter. I have a philosophy though that I work to live I do not live to work. Therefore I have learned along the way that creating a balance between business owner and life enjoyment is a must. The first thing I had to realize was what was most important to me, that is myself and my life. Therefore I set my schedule around those two key points. My husband and I agree that the bedroom is not the place to talk about work, business or anything like that. We schedule business affairs, like patient appreciation days, around family and sweetheart dates. Each of us, at times, has paperwork that we just can’t get done at the office. We inform each other of what we need to do, how long it will take, and the other gives space for that time. When it’s done we celebrate and enjoy life. I do a lot of marketing via social media. So I allow myself time, Monday through Friday to complete some marketing. I set an intention when I turn on my computer for how long I will be on and try to keep to that set time. With a toddler in the house it’s pretty easy to get off the computer. When she goes to bed though I have to be very strict with myself. Social media can get you lost in cyberspace quickly and all of a sudden your loved ones are all in bed and your alone with your computer mistress. I have also hired a marketing guru and it’s been a wonderful way to navigate my marketing to make myself more efficient, effective, and gives me more time with my family. Having a Life Coach is also helping me keep the motivation and energy up to keep this ship I call my business afloat. I schedule those appointments around family time and around business time as well. As for vacations we start planning those a year in advance, holidays months in advance to insure we have time for our families but our clients needs are met as well. That means somedays we work very long hours, in the end it pays off. Since we both work in the health fields it not only keeps us happy an away from that dreaded burnout it sets an example for our clients on creating happiness and balance for life.

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Article Tags: appointments, appreciation days, bread and butter, business affairs, business owner, business time, family time, guru, intention, life coach, life enjoyment, mistress, monday through friday, obsession, own business, paperwork, sweetheart, talking about the business, wonderful way, work business



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