When you have a home business, there is a unique balancing act going on. You have to make sure that you keep your customers happy, but you also need to make sure your family is taken care of. If you work hard at it, you can keep everyone satisfied. Here are some ways you can be a good business owner without being a terrible family member and friend!

1. Schedule time with your loved ones. This can be a very unromantic notion, but putting your family in your datebook is a smart idea. This way, you recognize time with your family as the same as anything you must do. Remember to schedule games, recitals and concerts as well. If you miss these events, your family will begin to resent you for the time you spend working.

2. Make special days that do not include work. Have no-work days whatever day of the week you decide is best for your family. Take one whole day and spend it with them, without using your cellphone, without checking your business email, and without stepping near your home office. You will find that they appreciate this, and your business contacts will be able to understand your need to get away.

3. Show your family how your home business is contributing to the household. Your family may not understand why your work is important. Buy something they want, and point out that you purchased it with money from your business. When they have a visual aid to help them remember that your work means something to them, they will be more supportive.

4. Give your family members jobs to do. If your children are old enough, have them stack papers or staple things together for you. They can also do light filing. You can also get someone to help you with proofreading or decisions about what looks better on your website. When your family feels involved in your business, they feel closer to you and your work gets done at the same time.

5. Respond to questions and problems at home when you need to. You can take separation of home and work a little bit too seriously. If you are working and someone needs to ask you something, don’t automatically send them away. Find out what they need and if you need to take care of it right away. If not, you can ask them to wait. But if you do not respond to a problem because you were working, you can set yourself up for a lot of trouble.

6. Ask your family how you are doing. A simple survey of how your family feels things are going can be a great way for you to tweak things until it is working perfectly for your family and your customers.

Your family is the most important thing to you, as it is to anyone. When you can satisfy your family and your business contacts, you are ahead of the curve. Use the tips here to help you create the perfect balance.