So you are just about to become your own boss and you're worried about how much time will be taken away from your normal life. You’re going through the thoughts that every other business owner at one time has experienced. The truth is a lot. You will be away from your family most of the time unless you are setting up a micro-business or home business where you can work from or close to home. The first year or so will be complex, very busy and demanding. You will probably need to work 60 hours a week and this can mean you don’t have as much family time as you want. But here are some ways to balance your work and professional life as a self-boss.
The key is to communicate
Thank god that we live in this wonderful age of technology. You can communicate with your family in so many ways. If you are stuck in the office and you want to connect with your family who are at home about to sit down for dinner, set up a Zoom call! It's so easy and although it's not as good as the real thing, you can still be a part of normal family moments. It's also vital that you communicate with your children and spouse, to let them know why they are staying late. Give them the details. Tell them about an investor meeting you are having, or something went wrong today and you need to fix it before you head home, etc. the key is to not become a stranger, let your family know you are aware you spend a lot of time away.
The first long week or month
The thing that takes the most time in the very first week or month, is the actual setting up of the business. For example, you need to register the brand name, official company name, who owns it, who the board and executive team are, and how many employees you have, etc. it's a whole big thing that you need to get sorted before you are even allowed to start trading. Speaking with a company that can set your business up for you, like 1st Formations, is going to speed things massively along. They will do everything for you, such as register for a VAT, business bank and GDPR account. All of this is taken care of, depending on the package you buy.
Make days special
You should try and make at least one day out of the week or month, a special day just for the family. This way, your new work life doesn’t remove you from being a mother or father. One special day where you focus just on the kids or your spouse can break that false image of a workaholic that only cares about results and profits.
Being your own boss is an amazing achievement but don’t let it take away your family life. Work smart, see where you can save time and always communicate with your family about your work and time spent at the desk.
