Like it or not, when you decide to run a home business it is not just about you. It becomes a part of your family.
Part of the reason is that you can’t separate it from your family as much as you can a job that you go to outside of the home. It is there in front of everyone. It is accessible. It may even affect your family, good and bad.
So you have to be very careful that your home business never becomes a replacement for time spent with family or in any way becomes more important than them. That can be very difficult since most people who work at home find themselves putting in a lot of hours.
Last week I was sitting down to work on some assignments and my 14-year-old daughter wanted to watch one of our favorite shows we record, “America’s Got Talent.” I really wanted to get my work done but I also knew it was an opportunity with my daughter I didn’t want to miss out on, especially since her social life keeps her away from home so much.
I had a choice to make in that moment. Now if I was absolutely tied to a deadline, I would have had to make the professional decision and explain this to my daughter, choosing to get my work done instead. I certainly can’t afford to lose my job. It’s no different than deciding to not show up at one work one day because I would rather take my children to the zoo.
But I didn’t have an immediate deadline. So I chose to spend time with my daughter. I love the flexibility in this but it can also become very tricky trying to maintain balance.
That is probably one of the biggest challenges to any home business, balancing between work and family. It is even harder when your family is right there, just in the other room.
Every time you have to make a decision between the two, you have to make a smart one. In that very moment what is required of you? Like I said, if you have a deadline on something and someone has paid for your services, then you must fulfill that. But if you can push it off and enjoy time with family, then choose that.
Be wise but remember…your home business is part of your family.
Related Articles:
Balancing Families with Working from Home
Challenges in Working from Home with Teenagers
Be Professional in Your Home-Based Business