Balancing Acts: Work, Family, & the Entrepreneur Mom

Do you remember the time before the internet and computers? I barely do…and I can't imagine how anyone doing business could stay in business. The information highway has been expanded into a super highway of information spanding the globe and traveling with super sonic speed.

There was a time when 'selectric' typewriters were the cutting edge of electronics and any office secretary (oops!), administrative assistant couldn't wait to get to work so she could type a letter, any letter. What about the time before copiers really began to emerge, the old stenographic copy machine with the horrible blue ink that was on your favorite blouse before day's end. Worse still was the infamous 'carbon paper' for duplicate copies. I can imagine that there were many frustrated women who type thousands of pages because she couldn't seem to get it perfect. Thank goodness for the inventor of White-out!

Business life today is filled with PDA's, cell phones with all the bells and whistles, laptops thinner than a pencil, and scanners built into cartridges the size of a palm. Doing business has never been easier and yet it is still difficult to stick to the principles of the golden days. Simple direct communication has become almost extinct and the constant important of the business of the day seems to overflow into what use to be termed as "family time".

The importance of balancing life/work has never before been so on the forefront of corporate agendas. Entreprenuers who consider a small staff are also taking into consideration the options that they can provide their employees. Telecommuting, work from home programs, and other options for balancing life/work are becoming more acceptable practices and the results are impacting the bottom line in a positive way.

As an entrepreneur, I realize that it takes a tremendous amount of discipline to get through my work day. Phone calls, emails, web development and management, and keeping to my schedule. But, with the tools that the internet and all the technology provides I am able to secure the life that I only once dreamed of at a job. Being home with my family when I need to be is so rewarding.

Work at home moms have a great talent for balancing their day to ensure that everyone and everything gets the required attention. This brings greater value to her life and the lives of those with whom she does business with because it is understood that schedules must be adhered to and boundaries must be respected. Home based businesses are easily managed through the internet and the convenience of scheduling life around work, and not the other way around is priceless.

I never thought that being a stay at home mom and working my business would balance so perfectly. I can put in overtime if I choose, and I can take any day of the week off, too. I've decided to adopt the lifestyle of those abroad and work less and enjoy life more. Believe it or not, this has a much more beneficial impact on my business and the bottom line.

There is a balance between life/work and finding that balance means acknowledging the areas of weakness and hiring someone adept in that area to compensate for you. It works for me!


Kim Harris is the recipient of the 2005 SBA Women in Business Champion of the Year award. She founded a nonprofit to empower women to become economically equipped to take leadership roles in community and business. She is a published author and motivational speaker on the topic women turning passion into practice. You may visit her Home Business Online Opportunity at http://www.makingmoney.7figure.net website where she provides information and resources to building a successful online presence.