The last couples of days I was very busy. It made me feel strange about myself. I felt productive as well as innovative, because I dealt with so many issues on one plate for a certain time.
Do you know that feeling if you are in the flaw and want to realize something and could literally spend hours and hours with realizing a certain project? Yes, I was totally into that.
As I had a little smalltalk with my husband, abruptly he asked me: “When are you going to plug out? Didn’t you want to do sport exercises instead of sitting every single minute of your me-time in the home office?”
Oh. I suddenly became silent! Guilty! Totally right. He caught me just by one or two specific questions. Really, it hurt me, because I felt bad about the fact that I wanted to do more sports, but did not exercise right now. He definently did hit the mark.
I am so greatful to have this guy around me who literally puts the truth into my face. I cannot ignore it then. He always helps me to find time to reconnect with myself. And he is that kind of guy who probably is saying nothing at all or just announcing an emergency case which needs a quick solution. At this point the emergency issues belonged to my overwhelmed me. He announced it and reminded me of my personal goals.
The main problem of entrepreneurship is, if that most people are plugged in all day long.
They are available with they smart-phones, have that “rings & peeps” if an email is coming in. And because they fight for their business to be more successful, they miss to set boundaries for themselves.
In the past I was all day available. Customers called me even in the evening and I answered, because I just thought: Okay, one more couple will help me to achieve what I want to realize with my business.
But then, I realized I am busy all day long and my mind is cruising around all these problems of other people I need solve. After a while I felt like I am a bad mom and a horrible wife, because I got addicted to push my agency day and night. I caught myself once or twice by being careless about those people who love me. My mind was just full of thoughts and random feelings of others. If I was having an ipad or smartphone around I was just searching for stuff belonging my business in order to push it further.
Workaholic? Yes. And it might be great for people to work 100 hours a week, if they are unmarried and without any other responsibility.
But if you also have high values and you are running a family with children besides that “business”, then you need to be smart and effective instead of just investing hours and hours into that “businessbaby”. If I would not have that husband and our children, I would spend a few more hours in my home office or would be traveling a lot belonging my company.
But the reason I started that business was to realize a business which depends on my own skills and abilities and which delivers cash flow in order to realize our dreams as a family and my personal ones too. I wanted to run an online business to be present for my children and to be available as a wife too. I started with good intentions and believed in my vision of business as nobody else did, because I felt it deep inside.
I wanted to do something I am passionate about and which did not depend on somebody else favour. I wanted to have a business which is not just at one place. Being flexible and not limited to a certain location was the most incredible thing about it.
I could work by traveling around the world as well as moving my home, because I just would need WLAN and my technical equipment and beside this also all of my heart.
I always pushed my agency in order to realize a better future for us & our children and to give them opportunities and to teach them high values. If I am an idol for my children, a lovely mother and a person who helps others, they hopefully will recognize how important it is to share thoughts and feelings with other humans and be caring and kind to people.
It was very important to set boundaries, rules and a certain plan for me in order to run a successful business but still being a happy person with a private life, hobbies and a family so far.
Now my time for phonecalls is limited for monday-thursday between 9-11 am. If costumers call at other times I will not answer my phone anymore. If they are busy at my phonetime, they can write an email and ask me to call them back (agentur.herzensfreude@yahoo.de). That’s different. How many times I got distracted, because I was doing certain things and then somebody calls me with a bunch of questions?
In the past I learned a lot belonging business in general. Entrepreneurs often think, that they need to be available everytime. Most of them assume: “If I am not available for a specific costumer, he/she could contact another entrepeneur instead of me!”
Perhaps that can happen, of course. But for me that is just a bad thought. You can change your mindset about that. If you are an expert and you are the best, people will call you even if you are just available once a month.
Why there are so many restaurants out there, where people truly reservate a couple of weeks before in order to get a desk with food in that place? Because the restaurant is a special place and people love to go somewhere they feel important, even if they have to wait to get an appointment, or just because of that!
So if you are an expert and doing your job well, people will be thankful to reach you and not consist on that being available everytime thing!
There are so many musicians out there and their fans are begging for releasing the new album, but they just constantly wait. Do all these fans reject their music? No, they are longing for hearing something new of their favorite band and still stay tuned.
So I literally pluged off and set a new plan for my new working schedule. I really felt guilty, because I know I am really passionate about my job as a wedding visionary and relationship expert. Honestly I firstly felt like I would do something wrong, because if I invest more time in my business I will also earn the fruits of my dedication.
But I need to be happy too. If I am just stressed out, I will not be that person who can help others to solve their problems nor think positive for them, if they nearly turn apart. I truly recommend everybody, especially to people who run a business: Find the time for a certain hobby, some kind of activity which melts all your sorrow and creates happiness instead!
For me its having a great, intensive workout. I feel bad about the fact that I allthough I really love it, did not find the time for it for a while.
But this blogarticle is a personal commitment to myself and a great reminder if I will jump into that workaholic hamsterwheel again. Put yourself first. Find time for the things you really love and you will be lucky and more productive then before!
Because if you do something you love and then plug in to work, your ability to create something new and be productive is amazing und you will become unstoppable.
So let’s plug off and get those sportshoes on! ;O)
What is your opinion about happiness if you running an own business? Do you find time for those things which bring joy to you? If so, which things do you love? Are you feeling more productive if you increase your happiness level on a regular basis?
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