The Real Secret to Balancing Work and Family

I was recently talking to someone about the demands of work and family. This person told me several times that he "had to do the family thing" with his wife and infant child every evening before he could resume working on projects from the office each evening. It became evident to me that this person viewed spending time with his wife and child as a chore and an obligation.

This morning, I’ve been thinking about the conversation and how entrepreneurs and small business owners must balance work and family. I’ve come to the conclusion that this balance has more to do with your attitude than it does with how you schedule and prioritize events on your calendar.

I "do the family thing" every day with my wife and daughter and I must tell you that it is one of the bright spots of my day. When I get home in the evening, we all eat dinner together and then spend an hour or so playing, talking, or just hanging out together before it’s time for my daughter to go to bed. To me, this time is fun and enjoyable, not a burden or obligation (I look forward to this time each day).

Almost every night, I have work to do after my daughter goes to bed. Does "doing the family thing" push my schedule back a couple of hours each day? Yes, if I chose to look at it that way. But I don’t. I have no desire to trade my family time in order to complete my to-do list an hour or so earlier each day.

If you want to do a task, it is easy to find the time to do it and you don’t resent the time that is spent on it. This is why I decided this morning that balancing work and family has more to do with the attitude you have than your scheduling skills.

That’s the real secret to balancing family and work.