What kind of business do you have? 

 

Right now, my business and job are taking more time and priority than I would like.  I feel like I have a good balance though.  My internet bookstore is young, but growing.  I still haven't made the transition totally out of dentistry.  I work about 35  set hours a week in dentistry, and about 10 flexible hours a week on my internet store.  I worked 60-70 hours a week during summers when I was in college years ago.  At that time, I didn't have any people that were dependent on me, but now, there's a little girl in a pink tutu that wants and needs my time.  My time spent with her is very valuable, but I need to make sure that there's quality of life.  In the future, I would love to be at home shen she gets off the school bus and spend the summers going on adventures with her which is the reason for my own business. 

 

It sounds like you are trying to find a balance for your quality of life--sleeping, spending more time doing things you like, and/or spending time with others.

 

The demands of your business determine your hours--to a certain exent.  If you are busy enough to keep hours from 10AM to 3 AM, you need to hire help.  The help can free up your time to live your life.  Yes, employees are expensive, but not getting a break or good night's rest is more expensive--it can affect your health and stress relationships. ( I do want to emphasize the importance of having good employees that you trust because my dad had many sleepless nights over poor employees.)  If you already have employees, are you at work because you need to be there to keep them honest/working?  These are not employees you want to keep.  You should be able to feel confident that your business will not fall just because you aren't around.

 

If you are really busy from 12AM to 2 PM and then again from 8 PM to 1 AM, then try to adjust your hours.  Depending on your type of business, this is not able to happen.  If you have a business that people just walk-in for a service, like taxes, counseling, etc. then make the office open for appointments and the appointments can be made by calling #555-5555. 

 

Another thing maybe to bring on a partner.  You can sell him a portion and put some cash in your pocket and split responsibilities/profits.  This is not easy though.  Make sure to get legal advice. 

 

Internet businesses are nice because they are open 24 hours a day and people can shop while a person is sleeping.  You can work them from anywhere.  The hours are flexible and you can have customers from all over. 

 

I hope find the balance.  It may take some time, but write down your goals and work towards them.  Hopefully, you will get some time off to enjoy your holidays.

 

I would try to set up hours for when you can help most people.  There are people that need help when you aren't working, but they find a solution--whether it's waiting or figuring it out.  I think it's good that you are hiring people so you can spend time with Cinderella--the clock will strike midnight before you know it and that magic will disappear.  She will never be this age again.  Take time to paint her room pink and purple with her.  (Make sure you cover everything.)  Take time to have a tea party with her.  Even though you may be busy, take moments to do something special once in a while.  Do things she likes to do--not make her do the things that you like to do.  She will remember these and they will stand out.  She will be grateful for the magic that you put in her life.  There's a saying that I like that goes "Life is not measured by the breaths that we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

Edgar,

Yes..I am always committed to my work. I feel as if I have no other choice and to be honest i enjoy it too. It is what I think about alot of the time. I need to get from a to b and then z and with only a handful of staff, I have to fill in the holes. I definatlet think I could start prioritizing, planning so that i can delegate more and have more time with family. Halla is still not in school and was going to dayschool for years but I recently pulled her out since we are moving and I only have so much time before she starts kidnergarden. She likes to go to work with me and she actually can build a decent website...with a little help of course and alot of wysiswg. My husband ..if I am honest gets sick of it alot. Says that my work comes first...and that is not true. I am just at a point where I must devote alot of time to my busines to ensure succes..in the future that won't change..time into it that is..but i will have others to help, more than I have now. I am in a tight spot in my business and have to work mornings, days, nights and weekends to make things happen. That is why i like coming here to talk to likeminded folks. It also gives me a breather from the usual focus.

Erin

It's funny... last week I JUST blogged about this very topic!  If your bored, feel free to read on.  Just a little something to let you know you are not alone Edgar.

 

" My husband and I had a little heart to heart last night.  Oh boy… here I go, airing dirty laundry again…  It’s no secret that success comes from hard work and sacrifice.  Sacrifice by definition means to forfeit or give up something in order to have something else.  Sometimes as Mompreneurs, the first thing we sacrifice is time.  As mommies we are not willing to make too large of a sacrifice with our children (Of course, as they are numbero uno in our lives), so inevitably it filters down to our loving husbands.  My husband has his own stuff going on and obviously I do too.  We had noticed that over the past few weeks, neither of us really had any idea what was going on in each others lives.  There was a feeling of distance that we both recognized and felt we needed to do something about.  After a wonderful discussion last night, we both came to the same conclusion.  We both agreed that the root of our distance was… YOU.  And by YOU I don’t mean YOU, my wonderful friends in cyberspace, but literally YOU thing that I’m pounding on right now with your black little keys and seductive white letters.  YOU with your flashy screen saver that calls to me as you sit there on the bar in the kitchen beaconing me to come “check” you, or update you or stroke your keys.  YOU portable, technological vortex that sucks every ounce of time and energy I have left in a day leaving me staring at you for hours while my husband busies himself with projects and the idiot box of a TV instead of engaging in meaningful conversation about our days and our lives.

 

You see, we have a home office upstairs where we have a big ol’computer, files, printer, fax and everything you need to run a business.  Then we have YOU.  You transportable thing that gets placed anywhere and everywhere we are.  Over the past few weeks, when I’m not making dinner, playing with the kids, running errands, or doing laundry, wherever I am, you are there and I am on you.  NO MORE!  We have decided that the laptop is not allowed “out” in the living area of the house anymore.  You laptop, are too tempting for us weak souls to ignore.  I would find that on any given night, instead of talking over a glass of Merlot, my loving husband would be in front of the TV and I would be at the bar in the kitchen feverously doing whatever it is that I do on you.  No more my convenient, enticing friend, NO MORE!!  "