When you are running your own small business, the concept of a weekend becomes a foreign idea. The concept of a working day being 9 - 5 is even stranger. When committed to succeed in you business, even in the down time you are thinking about what else you can do to grow the business, to make your work more efficient, or what you can do to promote the business.
A Gallop Poll found that small business owners work long hours with 62% saying they worked 50 or more hours a week. Fifty-seven percent of small-business owners say they work six or more days each week. However, small business owners are prepared to work these hours without complaint. In 2013, The Bank of Montreal published a report on the psychology of small business owners and revealed that more than 80% those polled were motivated by passion, and therefore did not see the hours of work as a barrier to enjoying a work life balance.
I do think that the small business owner thinks differently from someone with a job mentality. For the very successful business owners their motivation is usually something that is emotional to them. They work hard so they can better serve other people and that is probably why they end up being successful. When you decide to set up your own business or to freelance, you are there for the long haul. There is no instant gratification as it takes time to build customer loyalty, to design and finesse your product and to maintain and continuously grow and develop your skills. Your work ethic has to be one in which you are prepared to go for it regardless of the risk of failure, and consistently keep working at it without giving up. Many business owners go without getting paid a check for years just to get their business off the ground so the idea of being paid for time and effort become null and void when setting up your own business - at least in the short to medium term.
Although I cannot remember the last time I officially had a weekend, I don't spend my time at working thinking about a weekend either. I enjoy my work and going on an assignment or doing a shoot in the studio for the most part does not actually feel like work. Today though I did have one of those rare days that seemed to be a wonderful balance between work, rest and play.
The day started out covering a 4 year old's "unicorn-themed" party. Just watching the kids bouncing around was enough to get a sugar rush. I was tempted to get into some more editing this afternoon, but the day was a glorious blue, so I took some time out to visit one of my favourite rocks to do a meditation. On the walk down to the rock, there was a jogger coming towards me. The slogan on his singlet made me smile. In big bold letters it said "BE A WELL BEING", inside my mind a little voice loudly said said "Don't worry, I plan on it".
Flying Solo Tip 052365 : When you are passionate about the work you do, it never feels like work or a job, it feels like living a fully and rewarding life.