Maintaining a Healthy Balance between Job and Family

by Maria Rikka M. Ocena Even high sales and promising business ventures are of little use if your family life suffers. As the demands of business grow, you may sometimes feel that there’s just not enough time. The risk is that you put so much effort into your bread and butter that you fail to attend to your family. There is no “one-size-fits-all” formula for balancing business and family. However, I have found available resources and gained insights from conversations with business women. It seems like juggling these two things are difficult but still possible. Prioritize. “God first, family second, and career third.” Mary Kay Ash, founder of famous Mary Kay cosmetics followed this principle. Prioritizing will help keep your life in perspective. Jotting down a list of items that are most important allows you to accomplish meaningful activities each day. Be Disciplined. It is important to be disciplined. For instance, Baby Hermosa wakes up at 3:30 AM everyday to get to the market, purchase commodities for her store and cook for her canteen. Missing her schedule would mean rushing to prepare her 6-year old twins for school. She meets her goals by sticking to her plan. Ask for Help. Mothers are prone to becoming “general managers of the universe.” Edlaine Chan, RTW store owner admitted that she can’t do everything. She hired nannies for her 3 kids and trained sales persons to assist her. Don’t outstretch yourself. It takes wisdom and humility to receive help to become more productive. Be “All-In.” When at work, give everything that you have each hour of the day to lead your business to success. At the same time, try to be all-in when spending time with your family. They deserve your undivided attention. A happy life at home is about dedicated time. Design your business and your goals around what’s important to you – your family. It is essential to consider how to take care of your domestic responsibilities while keeping up with the variable requirements of your business.