Project 366 / 224 — Work, life and balance

Work / Life balance. Now there’s a thing. And it’s a very difficult things to master. Work too hard and you’ll be criticised. Don’t work hard enough and, well you’ll be criticised. You know, sometimes you just have to do you and screw the rest of them.

For me, well I’m trying to build something, I’m trying to lay a solid financial foundation for not only me and my family but their future families too. And this takes time and effort. No-one has really done this for me. Sure my Mum and Dad are jointly pretty well off but they’ve never given my sister or I any help. They even laid their future financial legacy down within a trust fund that we couldn’t touch without consent of an external board. When I asked my Dad how this fund worked he said “it’s like a light bulb, you can see it but you just can’t touch it”.

Great. I can’t wait to see how that works out.

For me it’s all about giving whilst you’re alive. I believe that the pleasure of giving is in the reaction and appreciation of the receiver. So what’s the point of leaving something for someone if you’re not alive to see them enjoy it?

But I think that this work/life balance is just a ruse to guilt you into not striving so much. I enjoy my work, I enjoy the hours and I enjoy the process of making money, helping people and creating something. But surely that has to be the standard remit if you’re a business owner? And is this a bad thing? I don’t think so. I get the kids up in the morning, I do the school run, I put them to bed at night and I’m with them every weekend. And by with them I don’t mean I’m in the same room or in the same house but on my phone or iPad or laptop, I’m with them 100% and giving them my full attention.

There’s no point in saying you have a good work/life balance if when you are at home all you are doing is ignoring your kids and being on Facebook or watching TV.

Before I was married and had children I’d work 12+ hour days and that was when I was working for someone else. If I was single now I’d still be working the same if not more, plus probably weekends too, such is my desire to succeed.

I want my legacy to be that I created stability. I don’t think many people really care about me that much, but if I can create a financially stable future for my family and the next generation then I think I will have succeeded.