a: Are You Ready for Work/Life Balance?

Nobody needs to tell a sole proprietor or busy individual that they don’t have enough time to accomplish their daily “to do list.” One would then wonder why 32 percent of these same people would spend freed up time thinking of new ways to generate new business or other things to do? According to Visa USA and SCORE “Councilors to Small Business” this is exactly what sole proprietors and other busy individuals do.

So, what happened to this work/life balance thing that everybody is talking about? People are supposed to want to spend more time with the family, get more exercise or just sit and think. Are we missing something here?

Supposing that work/life balance is what sole proprietors want. They’re in charge, they can make the decisions. It’s simple, hirer a few people to do what appears to be taking up all that time during the day. This would open time to “build the business” or just take a walk on the beach and think.

Controlling Issues

As it turns out, these folks have already figured out where they need the help. It’s just that they aren’t ready to let total control of their fledgling operation go. For small businesses and sole proprietorships 28 percent of those surveyed would delegate marketing duties, 26 percent sales and 25 percent operations. None would let the financials go but it does leave 21 percent for that, work/life issues and the always ubiquitous “other” category.

So, there does appear to be some “wiggle room” in there for work/life balance, but is it taken or just plowed right back into the business by not letting go? And then there is the expense. How does a sole proprietor or busy person pay for these services that are supposed to make business and life easier? Not to mention that there’s the question of how one keeps an eye on these services when not around.

Making a Decision and Letting Go

It might be here that the stress part of running a business/family/event comes into play. At some point, however, the fact that the person involved cannot do it all and still maintain some semblance of sanity remains. Only the individual involved can make the decision to implement a new strategy. But then again, isn’t this at the heart of the entire matter, you as the individual making the decision?

At this point, the real question arises for this group of people. What level of work/life balance in terms of control, lifestyle, sanity and profit are you looking for and what are you willing to do to achieve it without driving yourself, and those around you, into the ground?

At what Cost

For the sole proprietor, small business or individual these options raise far too many issues when considering what levels you, as this individual, are willing to meet in order to feel positive about the direction you and your professional/personal life are taking. It also points out that you are willing to make a change, and accept change, at each step along the process of finding your particular perception of balance.

Check out Outsourcinglifestyles.com

So, to think that all possible options are correct for all individuals is, of course, naïve. Hiring a permanent employee may work for one person while outsourcing a task or tasks may work for another. What outsourcinglifestyles.com is trying to offer is the ability to understand how others have addressed, or are attempting to address, the issue of creating a balance for themselves in a very busy world.
If you have found balance through a particular method let us know. If you have thoughts about your progress also let us know.