Oct
26
Written by:
Julie Arduini
10/26/2009 11:00 PM
Successfully Growing a Family and a Business Under One Roof
Do you run a business and manage a family from your home? If so, you’re not alone. Nearly three million women currently juggle the titles of both “mom” and “entrepreneur” simultaneously. If you’re one of these women, you know it can be difficult. The following tips will help make the journey easier, both for you and your family.
Know why you are working. There’s a big difference between working to put food on the table vs. working for the “extras” such as summer camp or a vacation. Both are legitimate but it’s essential to be honest about your motivation. Knowing what drives you will help you keep your priorities in order. When my children were young, I worked for the extras. However, instead of stopping when I earned enough to help with vacation costs I kept right on going, becoming a workaholic in the process. It didn’t serve me or my family. When I recognized my error, I was able to cut back on work in order to create a healthier balance. Now that my children are school-age and I’m working to help cover orthodontia, tuition and retirement, I’ve increased my hours accordingly.
Know how much is enough. Once you understand why you are working, it’s easier to figure out how much is enough—income, that is. Early in my work at home career I was determined to make as “much as possible.” But making “as much as possible” required me to work “as much as possible.” With two young children underfoot, that meant stealing away to my office whenever I could—even at the expense of exercise, sleep, and most sadly, my marital relationship. In looking back, I realize “as much as possible” was a bottomless pit. There would always be more money to make or more work to do. By striving for “as much as possible,” I sentenced myself to a life of endless work. Though I claimed my family was important, “as much as possible” had taken over. Something had to give.
Now I set an income goal each year. Using computer software I can easily determine if I’m close to my goal. If not, I may make another phone call or two. If I’m ahead of my goal, I relax. Doing business this way is much less stressful than striving after “as much as possible.”
Arrange for regular childcare. Working with young children around is stressful, distracting, and frustrating. So why did I do it? Because I wanted to be near my children. Eventually, however, I realized that the quality of my time with them was suffering because I was always focused on when I could get to my office to work. To solve the problem, I hired neighborhood kids to come to my house for a couple of hours after school so I could have focused work time. My kids loved the attention, the sitters enjoyed the money, and I enjoyed the peace and quiet! As my children matured, there was a period when I paid them to play quietly together so I could work. Now, they are old enough to occupy themselves, but I’m still careful not to fall back into my workaholic ways.
Identify the highest and best use of your time. If you’re in direct sales, the highest and best use of your time is probably when you are setting appointments or actually selling. If you’re a tutor, you make money tutoring. If you teach piano lessons, your teaching time is most profitable. Identifying the highest and best use of your time is essential so that you know which actions create income for you—and which actions don’t. This is essential for profiting from the next tip.
Hire help when possible. Early in my work-at-home career, I asked a successful Realtor® this question, “If you had one piece of advice to give someone who works for herself, what would it be? She was so certain of her answer she didn’t even pause to think. “Never do yourself what you can pay someone else to do,” she responded.
I asked her to explain. “I’m a Realtor®,” she said. “And the best use of my time is listing and selling houses. I hire someone to do everything else I need done.” A graphic designer creates all her mailings for her, and a mailing house applies the postage and sorts the brochures according to postal regulations. An assistant sets up showings and confirms appointments. She focuses on securing listings, working with buyers, and selling properties. And that’s how she has become successful.
As my business has grown, I’ve worked hard to identify what I can outsource—and that’s not easy for someone who has trouble delegating! Since focusing on this concept, I’ve added a freelance web designer, graphic designer, marketer, and virtual assistant to my team. Using their skills, talents and abilities, I’ve been able to meet my workload, expand my business and reduce my stress level. Yes, it costs. But I remember something my father taught me: It takes money to make money. I believe I’m more effective because I’ve added these professionals to my team. Though I couldn’t do it when I first started my business, it’s a tactic to keep in mind as you grow your business.
Enjoy the journey. It’s not easy to work from home. When I start to feel overwhelmed and stressed, I choose to focus my energy on the privilege it is to do work I love with the flexibility I have. This helps reground me. I also remind myself that life is too short to be miserable. I re-pledge to continue being both “mom” and “CEO” only for as long as I enjoy it. When the joy is gone, I know it will be time to do something else. Until then, I’m committed to learning new ways to successfully grow both a family and a business under one roof.
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Mary Byers is a professional speaker and the author of Making Work at Home Work: Successfully Growing a Family and a Business Under One Roof. To learn more about starting or accelerating your own entrepreneurial journey, read Mary’s blog at www.makingworkathomework.com.