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Keeping your business and relationship on track
Running your own business or a career at home escapes office clock-watching and company politics but also brings its own challenges such as juggling the work that you love with your family and relationships. If you forget to set boundaries you could find yourself on call, as a professional, lover and mother, 24 hours a day!
A recent study by Cambridge University reported that men in full-time employment have a working week of 55 hours; but the average working week for UK women is 68 hours, including housework and childcare. With all this overtime, it's no wonder love can take a back seat.
Gillian Nissim, who started www.workingmums.co.uk, a website for women looking for flexible work, gave this advice on iVillage's Working From Home message board: 'Just as it's important to have uninterrupted work time, it's also vitally important to have uninterrupted personal time. It makes for a much better work-life balance by properly defining your working day.'
'Me and he' time
Most women throw themselves head-first into their own business, so learn to be as driven with your relationship. Put as much thought into your romantic evenings as you do your conference calls and meetings.
Dawn Jelley, a self-employed editor, was thrilled when she was offered weekend shift work and accepted straight away, but she soon realised the unsociable hours were unhealthy for her marriage.
'I'd be working on relentless shifts from first thing in the morning until late at night at home all weekend, so even when I had a break my mind was on the next task. Cosy lie-ins were a no-no and my husband was doing the weekend chores and socialising while I worked. I became snappy with him when things went wrong and was tired and pre-occupied. He was fed up with me being constantly on call.
I now work a five-day week - the same hours as my husband - and leave weekends free for us. I commute a few steps by Ugg boot to my home office and my two cats make great colleagues. I wouldn't change a thing. He comes first and I know other work opportunities will always come along.'
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