I’m running two businesses which are both totally unrelated to each other and just wanted to know whether there are more of us out there doing something similar and if so, what are your tips on balancing work/home/play life?
Tanya x
Likewise I have 2 businesses - the one that earns me a living (chiropody) which I would give up tomorrow if I could and the one I love (my shop here) but never have enough time for and will never make enough to allow me to do it full time. Not too sure that I balance the housework bit at all!
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I agree with you there, and I only run one business. As it’s got more successful I’m finding the spare time I have is decreasing. If you are an artist and you can create one piece of work that then goes onto numerous items to sell, you might be able to balance things better, but I make when I sell which if it’s a busy time of year means I’m pretty much flat out all day. But that’s how I expected it to be. I’ve swapped a 9-5 office job for working from home, but I still have to put the hours in if I want to make a living, I just don’t do it to make profit for someone else now 
Housework!? What’s that again Roz? 
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The one thing I’m finding hard is switching off from thinking about my businesses. I have my shop here which I try to keep up to date and replenish, but I’m always thinking of new ideas to make. My other business involves teaching anger management to young people in schools. I have to prepare each session tailored to each individual and then write assessments. Both jobs I love and don’t want to give up either.
Do either of you find your work lonely at times?
Yes its lonely sometimes especially as both jobs involve working on my own. Its hard when you want to discuss something you’re not sure about but fortunately I have a fairly good network of friends in similar occupations I can call on when necessary. Thankfully I am a bit of a hermit anyway and enjoy my own company 
We too run a few businesses, juggling is the name of the game. Our work is related in that we create things using metal, wood or leather, there are techniques and materials that overlap. Our customer base is different for the various businesses but quality and design are important in all our products.
We are currently on a business trip with our main job and to do so have had to reduce the number of items available in 3 other shops and have to stop taking custom orders for the time being. I plan to open another shop on the other side and have delayed opening it till August whilst we concentrate on out main work. We are also developing a whole new side to our main business and that currently takes priority.
Key attributes to running more than one business is the ability to prioritize, juggling and flexibility,
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Thanks for sharing Roz. I too enjoy my own company, although I can get on my own nerves at times. 
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Thanks for sharing Hazel. I’ve had a little mooch round your shop, and wow, I absolutely love your leather corsets. All the best with your new shop adventure.
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Me too lol
I too have more than one business, I’ve been self employed over 30 years and I work on my own, I did accounts in the early days but I’ve been a web developer since 1998 and I help hubby with admin etc for his decorating biz. Oh to be a full time artist 
I’m use to working on my own, I have a home office and studio and I don’t mind it at all - in fact I like my own company and I really like being my own boss !!! although I’m not always a good boss. I don’t get the balance right sometimes and forget to stop and give myself time off. But hubby gives me hints when I’m not taking time out 
in fact I like my own company and I really like being my own boss !!! although I'm not always a good boss.
I’m the same Hazel. I’m also not good at taking orders (hence why it’s better to work for myself), if I’d employed me, I would have sacked me long ago too. 
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I don’t have 2 business. I’m deputy head of chapter in an all through school, and create my artwork in my spare time (though the spare time is becoming a lot more rare!)- and that’s hard enough as it is!
My husband however is self employed. He makes surfboards, works 2 days a week with local children at the YMCA in their skatepark & makes whatever random orders come in. (It’s like living with a child really!) he is also in the process of writing up his PhD- which is in paleoclimatology- so no way related to his self-employed life.
He finds balancing everything incredibly difficult! I often find myself giving him pep talks like I do with the kids at school to try and motivate him. He wanted to just work self employed on a part time basis so that he’d have time to finish his thesis; but this is not something he’s finding easy as when there’s no set time to which you work, the boundaries blur far too easily.
Wow Susannah, what incredibly talented pair you both are. Thanks for sharing. I can relate to you both on many levels, (I also have four children and a husband who works away) so no spare. A few weeks ago I was going through the process of, ‘stop the planet, I want to get off’, and do something selfishly crazy. So I applied to join the TV show ‘Bear Grylls-The Island’. Looking back now, I clearly wasn’t thinking what would be in store for me if I was accepted.
Hay ho, it’s all about balance, right?
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Hahaha yeah- I think I’d consider something like that a holiday!
Sounds like you’ve always got a lot on your plate as well. I think while finding that ‘work-life balance’ is like finding a needle in a haystack, though it’s still important to take stock every now and then and just stop.
I was on a course the other day for my school job, and one of the things mentioned at the end was your home time ritual and how they believe it’s important to have one to define the line between work and own time. Some people said things like, they have a glass of wine, or they simply get changed (often into PJ’s at 5/6 in the evening), but I think for people working from home it’s much harder to do that- but maybe it’s important that people do? Have something specific they do to draw the line in that day - which means you’re not allowed to go back to work again until the next day. Though easier said than done maybe?
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Two businesses here too - both incredibly unrelated - the other couldn’t be further from this one if it tried… This one doesn’t pay it’s way and wouldn’t exist if it didn’t get subsidised by my other income, but this one is my hobby!
Switching off from work is really hard. I have just started a 2 week break which I have had crossed out of my diary for months. I am finding it incredibly difficult to ignore the phone but I know if I answered it I’d be back out to work in a jiffy! I just have to pretend I’m away on some desert island so can’t be reached.
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We were both workaholics before we got together and still find it impossible to switch off from work. I try to stop about 11pm to unwind while Nige will often continue on into the wee small hours because a lot of our customers are from the US and he will be on the phone or emailing them. We rarely get up before 8 but the first thing we do is check our shops and email. We had a day off for my birthday in April and went out and we go shopping every 7-10days and if we are not too busy go for a coffee but other than that we work, this way of life is not for everyone but it suits us.
I find I can switch off well,in the evening but hubby can’t ,we run a business but hoping to retire soon , we wonderful ladies working for is but my mind is on what I can make next and stutter myself away sewing , knitting what ever I am am making.
It’s so great to read what you are all sharing, makes me feel part of a larger community. Thanks
I’d really like to network more and keep ‘doing’ this daily, reading and sharing with others, but I even find that hard to factor into my daily life. Any tips?
My paid job is a dog/pet service which involves walking and visiting, it can be a bit exhausting some days, but helps to keep my weight down! I do my jewellery and sewing as a hobby, but would be good to be more profitable then my day job, but somehow can’t see it happening! We can dream:joy:
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