Recently, I was on the panel at a business conference where I was reminded that the ’work-life’ balance dilemma means something quite different in reality to a family man running his own business and advancing his career to a woman in similar situation.

The panel was asked ‘how do you balance time with your family and the priorities of work and driving you business forward?’ My male co-expert, who runs a very successful financial services business, explained that he prioritised his family in terms of what time he returns home from work, ensuring weekends are family time and that he has chosen not to work away from home during the week.  All the while he was speaking, I was thinking about the three hours a morning 3 days a week I have while my son is at nursery and the work I need to cram in. When I had the opportunity to answer, I could only state – what all the women in the room knew – that the majority of women still have the lion’s share of domestic responsibility and childcare.  For women, it is all the more important to focus, prioritise, become an expert multi-tasker and not to sweat the small stuff – including the ironing!  I also admitted for me it is hard work, but worth it for the choice I made for a flexible lifestyle and being my own boss.

In the same week, I answered the following question in the latest issue of Start Your Business on concerns around creating a work-life balance when running your own business.

“I am a mother of 2 and am looking to start my own jewellery Business but don’t think I will have enough time to juggle the two. How do I ensure I can run the business without having to put my family”

Be aware of the You factor. The issue is not the goal (i.e. business-family life balance) – the issue to consider firstly, is YOU.  Your goal can only be as great as you, your view of yourself and your business and how you respond to the current situation.  Is your business aligned to your values? How do you feel about you and your potential to succeed? What you are capable and worthy of? Believe you are worthy of your success and of achieving your goal.

Oliver Wendall Holmes said,

“ What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us” - The You factor

Visualise the goal and YOU achieving that goal then ask yourself the miracle question, “If you woke tomorrow morning and you have your successful jewellery business and happy family life – what would it look like?” What will it feel like?  What will you be doing?

Now visualise more – that is, visualise your journey to that destination – the actions that got you there, the resources you used, your skills, instincts and talents, your advisors, and others who helped you along your way.  This will spark creativity, new thinking and new ideas to get there and keep your vision alive.  Stephen Covey, in his book, “7 Habits of Highly Effective People’ refers to this as ‘beginning with the end in mind’.  It means to know where you are going so you better understand where you are now so that the steps you take lead you in the right direction.

Having considered the YOU factor and beginning with the end in mind, here are ten practical ways to help you to achieve your ‘ ‘business – family life balance’:

1. Act and be motivated. Motivation comes from action and that motivation keeps you passionate about what you do. “Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.” (Stephen A. Brennan)
2. Create a ‘production’ week. Depending on the ages of your children, have a set schedule for family and work, setting firm boundaries.  Make sure you include family and relaxation time as part of this ‘production’ week and having set the boundaries, keep to them.  You want to have fun too and to create wonderful childhood memories for your children – choose painting time over that tweet, then tweet about the painting! Whether you work two days a week or five mornings a week or mix – use your work time with the 80/20 principle. Get yourself a ‘production’ notebook or use your iphone – for your top actions, thinking and ideas.
3. Think 80/20.  The 80/20 Rule (or The Pareto principle) states that 80% of our results tend to come from 20% of our effort.  Identify this 20% time and use it well, eliminate activities and ‘stuff’ that produces little result. This is about managing actions not the hours in the day. This mindset and technique is a way forward in finding the changes that will give you the biggest benefits and results – particularly when many responsibilities, business activities and possible courses of action are competing for your attention.
4. Make use of every spare second. Be clear on what you need to do now (the important activities – not emails for email sake) identifying your three- five top actions for each day.  These are the activities that produce results and contribute to your mission and top goals. When you are en route to a meeting spend time doing strategic planning and thinking…then record in your production book and act upon it.  Think beyond  9 – 5 and be flexible in when you work. I find often my best thinking time and eureka moments have come between 11pm – 3am! Good for cross-Atlantic clients!
5. Childcare. Without a doubt women still have the lion’s share of domestic responsibilities and it is a challenge to run a business with the demands and pull of raising children.  Be realistic and optimistic about what you can achieve – celebrate what activities you’ve managed each day rather that focusing what you haven’t done -whether that be the ironing, updating your blog or talking to your accountant.  If you decide to have childcare you will need to be creative and explore your options – both formal and informal – so you can invest enough time in the business, especially in the early days. Be realistic about what help you will need with childcare – there is often more help than you expect from your personal network.
6. Become an expert multi-tasker. You don’t have to do one thing at a time, think simultaneously rather than sequentially. Become a multi-tasking expert and make the best of you time and create a brilliant work life balance.
7. Network at every opportunity. See the school playground as some sort of networking and political lobbying ground.  And of course, there are a variety of networking opportunities you can utilise including social networks.  For example, Linked In and ecademy are excellent means for your create your business network on line.  Why not, review the article by Penny Power on the benefits of social media for your business: ‘How Social Media can lead to business – so long as you remember to connect!
8. Paperwork. Keep on top of invoices and other paperwork as soon as it comes in – include a paperwork time slot in your production week. Do the ‘Big Ugly Frog” job first – the important one you don’t really want to do. Reconsider when you do your administration – rise early before the children are up and/or set a particular evening to get the paperwork out of the way.  You will need to create a system that works for you. For perfectionists prone to procrastination, remember ‘good is good enough’ and it will help to set yourself deadlines and to ask for deadlines.
9. Lists. Keeping a list works for many.  Remember to cross out all the things you have done so you feel some sense of achievement and momentum.  Nothing is more frustrating than feeling you are not getting anywhere.  Celebrate what you have achieved.  Look at one day at a time on a calendar.  Mark on the calendar events that need longer term planning, e.g., holidays, business development ‘blue sky’ days, allowing several weeks margin before longer term planning becomes emergency planning!
10. Energise. You need to be healthy and have the energy to achieve your goals – the adrenalin and excitement of starting a new business only goes so far.  It requires hard work, determination and perseverance.   So get enough sleep – the recommendation by experts is 6 -8 hours.  Ensure you exercise to raise and maintain your energy levels – again recommendation is 3 – 4 times a week.  You simply need to look after yourself.

“I still need more healthy rest in order to work at my best. My health is the main capital I have and I want to administer it intelligently. “ (Ernest Hemingway)

Tags: Balance, childcare, family, Pareto Principle, Time;, work-life

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