Work Life Balance in 2010

On New Year’s Eve I sat down and had a big think about what I want this new year to be like and one of the things at the top of my list was to create a much better work life balance. When you work for yourself you have the flexibility to work the hours you want to. This may sound fantastic but the reality is that you end up working far longer hours than you would working for someone else. And as for holidays…what are they again? It can be quite simply exhausting and lead to burn-out, which is no good for me, my family or for my clients.

When we moved to London in November I had already decided to change the hours that our nanny works, to enable me to have more time with our two little ones before time whizzes by and they start school. This has been a great start and is working well for the whole family.
However, the big problem for me is that many people I work with expect me to be available 7 days a week both 9-5pm and then when they get from work too, so 6-10pm. I worked out that there were 4 days when I didn’t do something for someone in 2009. One of these days was Christmas day, one was the day I was in labour with my second child and two were spent in hospital lying flat on my back recovering from a labour complication!!

So, this year I am changing the way I work. I will be stricter with myself. If it’s a day or evening when I don’t work then I will not reply to emails or calls. I will not edit images. I will not order prints. I will not design albums. I will not blog! I will wait until I am back in my office. If it is extremely urgent then I have my PA who can help and will get in touch with me if it cannot wait 24 hours. I have worked out my hours and know that I can get everything done within those hours. I know from past experience that if I am playing and resting as hard as I am working then I work smarter. I am more creative, organized, efficient and energized. So, if you contact me and I don’t reply straight away then it’s not because I am ignoring you, it’s just because it’s my day off and I will get back to you the following day.

Oh and there is no doubt that in 2010 we will definitely be taking a family holiday or two!!

Happy New Year to you all!