Life is all about Balance

Balance ??  How do you find it??

I can tell you, when you have children, and run a small business, it is very hard to find balance in life!  When your small business takes off and you find yourself working every spare second of the day, you can wonder what on earth has happened to your life!

I've always been a 'busy' person - I like to be busy, I like to do things.  But I had no idea what busy actually meant until I tried to run a business, with a baby, and now with a toddler!  You find yourself answering messages at all hours of the night, busy planning and thinking about the business into the wee hours.  You have orders coming out your ears and because you like to get them done as quickly as you can, you spend every second you can in your studio, because you want to exceed your customers expectations. You want your business to be successful - so you keep thinking of new ideas, you keep getting busier and busier, until the no spare minute you thought you had, turns into a 'to do list' about 10 miles long.  Until all the personal things you liked to do, like run or read a book, or watch a movie - were things you now just dream of!

Dont get me wrong ...

I LOVE my business.  Handstamped jewellery, handstamping, making personalised gifts, it is all so important to me, helping people to hold their love and inspiration close.  Helping to memorialise loved ones, bringing a smile with an inspirational quote, or someones babies names ... I love it.  I don't always know the story behind your order, but the ones I do, I love to hear.  Personalised jewellery - it is just so personal.  The thing is I LOVE my children too, my family - and me!  And this year is about finding balance, and getting ME back!

My 5 step HELP programme!

So I decided, I couldn't do it all by myself.  This is what is going to happen this year ... to return balance to my life.

1.  Ask for help.  I can't run the business by myself any more.  My husband has come on board, and has been since before Christmas.  He is polishing and packaging, and doing some of the admin for me.  

2.  Outsource.  After 4 years of doing all my accounting work myself, because I can ... I now have an accountant, so I don't have to.

3.  Streamline.  After 4 years of doing all my accounting work myself - with spreadsheets ... because I could - I have now invested in an accounting package - everything automatically uploads from the bank accounts, we code it - and we are good to go!  I still love my spreadsheets - cos I'm that kind of girl - however now I don't need to use them daily, I don't have to record everything in them, because it is all there in the accounting package.  Let some things go.   We will still be streamlining further ... this is a work in progress.

4.  Read a book.  I have set a goal of one book every 2 months.  January was a fail - but I have started my first book so am still on track with that goal!  It felt so good, just to relax and read and not have to think about anything!

5.  Buy a caravan.  Now this goal might not be for everyone... but seriously - I can't help working weekends.   I don't really know what to do with myself when I'm not working.  So we bought a caravan.  At LEAST one weekend away every month.  That is one weekend off work a month.  

Will it work ?

I will have to report back to you at the end of the year ... the worst that could happen is that we get weekends away and get to explore our beautiful country !  I also intend to start running again ... at least get out more ... get more fresh air!  So if you have any tips for the small home business owner - please let me know!