As a business entrepreneur you now have two major responsibilities, and hopefully two major passions, in your life. Your marriage and your business. This is a wonderful thing, one most only dream of having, yet at the same time these two passions can come into conflict. It’s about balance, priorities, and paying attention. Here are a few steps to build a business while keeping your marriage happy.
Tip #1 Schedule and plan, plan and schedule. Sounds a bit obsessive and boring, right? Yet, the key to success is being able to live and be in the moment. You want to be thinking about your spouse when you’re spending time with them, not thinking about all the things on your todo list, and vice versa.
When you’re working on your business, you want to be 100% focused. Focus also means more productivity and efficiency. So how do you accomplish this “living in the moment”? Plan your day, week and month. Schedule time to work and time to be with your spouse or partner.
A good time management system and a solid business plan will help you stay on task and plan your day. Yes surprises will come up, however they’ll be significantly reduced if you’re on top of your goals and the steps you need to achieve them.
Tim #2 Create special time just for you and your spouse every day. Quality time is important. It doesn’t need to be a romantic candle lit dinner for two, but when you’re with your partner, be only with them. This means setting aside all other thoughts and worries and focusing on the single most important person in your life. But do take time every once in a while for a romantic candle lit dinner for two as well. ;)
Tip #3 Communicate. One of the biggest hurdles when you’re starting and growing your own business is that your spouse may wonder what you’re up to. They want to hear about your successes, your concerns, your winning moments and the problems in your day. Talk about what’s going on with you and your business. Just be sure to remember to talk about other things too and listen to your spouse talk about their day too.
A concern that often comes up is that the business owner doesn’t think the spouse understands what they’re talking about, so they decide to not talk about it at all. BIG mistake. Your spouse likely doesn’t understand everything, but the desire to understand is most likely there. Don’t ever assume that they don’t care or understand.
Tip #4 Find an outlet that isn’t your spouse. If you’re building a work from home business, you can feel cut off from the rest of the world. The moment your spouse walks in the door – whoosh! You’re suddenly connected to a real, live human being. You can begin to feel needy for that connection. Make sure to make connections with other real live people during your day so you’re balanced.
Tip #5 Know when to say no. It’s easy to take on too much when you’re building a business. Remember there are people out there to help you. Whether you turn to friends and family to help, you turn down some opportunities that don’t work 100% for you or you outsource some tasks, it’s important to not overload.
It is possible to have your cake and eat it too. You can have a happy marriage and a successful business. Set priorities, balance your time, and learn to be in the moment.