Spending too much of your time on work means that everything else in your life can become neglected writes June Edwards. It can also be detrimental to your business, say the experts.

With two-thirds of bosses in Ireland’s SMEs taking their work home with them in the evenings, and 84% admitting they work at weekends, according to research by O2, work/life balance has again come sharply into focus.

Take stock

“It’s very easy to let work take over your life when you have your own business because you really want to succeed but you’ve got to set boundaries,” advises life and career coach Anthea Newburn of www.awaken.ie.

Newburn, whose background is in staff training and development, and HR in the international hotel industry, knows all too well that life often goes out the window when a new business takes over.

“If you’ve got a family or children or hobbies, you need to set aside time for them,” she says. “About every three months, it’s a good idea to review your goals and see what’s working and what’s not working.”

Be flexible

“Be open to flexible working hours,” advises Caroline O’Dea, an IT consultant who set up her own project management business four years ago.

“I have dealt with companies who stick rigidly to the conventional 9-5 working hours. In most cases, companies pay employees or contract workers for their time rather than their deliverables,” she says.

In fact, US electronics retailer Best Buys increased productivity 35% in 2007 when it switched its employees over to a ‘results only work environment’ (ROWE). Employees arrived and left work whatever time they wanted as long as projects were completed.

Manage time effectively

“Break your day into three chunks – morning, afternoon and evening – and decide which two of those three chunks you are going to work,” advises Newburn.

Making the most of your work time is also crucial, she says. Simple techniques such as keeping a daily diary, making a to-do list, prioritising what’s most important, planning ahead and delegating tasks if possible all help to manage time more effectively.

Embrace technology

Don’t be a slave to 24/7 technology but use it to your advantage. Mobile handsets, smart phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs), such as the Blackberry, let you  talk, text and access location-specific information as well as use office facilities such as e-mail, contacts and diary appointments while  on the move.

A professional website can enable you to conduct business, organise contacts, share documents, fulfil orders and market your goods or services while you’re out of the office.

Switch off

Ireland’s SME bosses find it hard to switch off, even on holidays, according to O2 research carried out last summer. In fact, 21% remain in daily contact with their office.

“When you have your own business, there’s a real temptation to give all your vitality to a project or contract but you have to switch off and keep some of your energy for other parts of your life,” O’Dea says.

Relevant link:

http://www.awaken.ie/