A lot of column inches have been dedicated recently to employees striving for a “work-life balance”. For those of you who run their own business, it can be tempting to laugh maniacally in the face of friends who moan about having to stay late in the office or occasionally work on a weekend. If you are starting out as a one-man-band or running a small outfit, holidays may be but a distant memory. When your home is also your office, it’s nearly impossible to switch off and you just have to hope that your kids and partner still recognise you without a ‘phone attached to your ear.

If this sounds a bit too familiar and you are the type to scream “Work life what?! Are you having a laugh?!”, before burrowing back beneath a mountain of paperwork and wondering where the rumbling noise is coming from (you forgot to take lunch break, silly), then maybe you should take note: consistently long hours result in lower levels of performance and flag ineffective working habits. Here’s a few things to think about next time your family demand to see some i.d.:

You may think you don’t have time for a lunch break. But taking regular breaks refreshes your mind and body and increases productivity. Even a simple ten minute walk in the fresh air (or just around the building if the weather’s gone apocalyptic) will help to revive and relax an overworked mind, so you can return to the office more focused, relaxed and ready for anything.
Are you still typing with two fingers, struggling to keep up with telephone messages and getting in a pickle with your bookkeeping? If administrative tasks are slowing you down and restricting the time you should be using to build your business, why not hand it over to an expert like asklilach instead?

When asked if they had any regrets, no-one on their deathbed ever said “I regret not spending more time in the office”. Make time for what’s really important to you in life.

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