When is too much ‘work’ is too much?
Last week I was chatting with a colleague who was telling me the multitude of opportunities he could see for his next business quest. I was getting excited just listening to him.
Then I asked about his 9 month old baby?
He told me how much he loved spending time with her. How much she changes over just a few days and he is pleased he doesn’t miss out on those exciting developmental changes.
I challenged him that wouldn’t starting new opportunities take away from his time with his daughter?
“Hmmm, I hadn’t really thought about it that way,” was his response.
I had a boss in the early 90’s and I think he missed lots of the development of his kids as we were opening multiple sites. I think he would regret it now.
I hate travelling with work, as even if it just a night I feel that I have missed something with my 18 month year old.
So as entrepreneurs, how do we get family and work to mix?
I think with GREAT difficulty.
Entrepreneurs, we are wired differently. We think differently. We see things differently. We feel things differently. But we are still humans and families should mean the same to us. And I am sure deep down they do but I wonder if true entrepreneurs think it is a sign of weakness or failure if we put our business life on hold of r 3 or 4 years while we participate in the growth of our kids.
I read with interest the David Koche interview in the new Dynamic Business magazine. He said he would put family events and activities in his diary and treat them with as much importance as any other meeting.
Well done Kochie!
Love him or hate him, this is a great tip for every entrepreneur – book family events in and never miss them.
But then sticking with them is the challenge.
Monday is ‘Daddy Day Care’ for me and nothing – I repeat nothing – stops me from this time. But often, I will have a late meeting that stops me picking her up from day care. I don’t have the discipline or maybe the confidence to reschedule a meeting or even block out that time.
I am weak and not as strong as Kochie. But I would love to be better and am working on it.
Where do you sit on the continuum of work and family?
