When you have a home business, you are likely to spend a lot of time working and feel as if you have no energy by the time you meet your family for dinner. Yet there are ways for you to have a thriving business and take care of your family as well. Here are a few tips to mix the two well.
1. Only work during normal business hours. When you have a business, it is often very easy to work as many hours as you can, often into the evening and early morning. In order to make time for your family, keep your work to business hours. Start when the kids are off to school and stop when it’s time for dinner.
2. Don’t work on weekends. Working on weekends is often damaging for families, especially if you do it often. Weekends are usually the time that families have to spend together and enjoy each other’s company, and keeping everyone at home because you have work to do will only build resentment. Taking the weekend to dedicate only to your family will be appreciated by everyone.
3. Schedule family vacations. Make plans to go on vacations with your family where they do not have to share your time. And when it is time for the vacation, don’t try to change plans or put it off. Extended time with your family will make them feel as if you value them as much as your work.
4. Surprise your family with time. Your family probably is well aware of how important your business is to you. If you are like most business owners, you talk about it a lot and you are always thinking of ways to improve. Show your family that you think about them as well. Surprise them with a trip to an amusement park; surprise your spouse or significant other with a romantic dinner.
5. Don’t miss activities. If someone in your family is getting an award, has a game, or is in a play, make time to go. If you blame work for your absence, they will stop asking you and they will resent your work. Make an effort to go to any function they need you to go to.
6. Enlist your family to help in your business. This works especially well for young children. If you make them part of your work, you will see them more often and they will feel like they are helping you.
7. Give them gifts as your business improves. This can be important to show that there is a reason that you are doing all this work. Giving small gifts shows your family that you care, and provides physical proof that all that work is for something that benefits the entire family.
When you show your family that they are as important as your business, they will be happier with you and more likely to respect your work time. Follow the tips in this article and you will be able to successfully balance both your home business and your home life.