Running a business is not always fun, if somebody, I would admit that immediately. When you grow your business, you have issues of employing enough people, issues with cash-flow, issues of spending time with your loved ones.When I started my own business almost five years ago, I could not separate my company time and free time from each other and what made things worse, I worked from my home office where I was “on call” all the time. This dilemma does not only concern entrepreneurs, but it concerns also people that work for large organizations. Large organizations are effective in utilizing their employees and we are too afraid to say no, even if we should. Are you one of them? If you are, please do keep in mind that when the company decides to downsize, all of your late nights and hard work will not be of any importance. I have seen this, and I see if almost every week by getting resumes that people send me to join my company. These times are difficult and companies are reacting, sometimes overreacting to things as well. Remember, this is about your own well-being, not about the companies and/or their owners.
Petri, this is absolutely true, but it is always good to remember that it in the end it is person own will how much and when you do work. If you like your work, it does not feel hard to work a lot, but if you are not motivated in your job, you feel tired. So it is all about motivation. It is also for company good to understand that keep up employee motivation is crucial, but this is easy to do in small company, makes lot more difficult when company grows
I fully agree with you Tuomas on what you are saying, but unfortunately there are people out there that do not have the courage to make the change and if the employeer does not understand, you are stuck with you work.
Petri,
This simple observation is so easily overlooked, despite the fact that many of us in the business world have a keen awareness of its impact in our lives. As one astute person once told me, “I have yet to find a company that has a corporate graveyard next to it where those who remain can pay their daily respects to the dearly departed.”
Thanks for reminding us (particularly in the US business world) that it is okay to sometimes say, “no” as we pursue the all-important work-life balancing act.
I fully agree with you and having spent time in large US corporations (and small), there are lots of people that are in the wrong place… they have talent, but they should be somewhere else working on that talent. These people should save their lives by really focusing on what is good for them and their future.. they owe that to themselves… Thanks for commenting! These topics are very important for many of us!