The life of owning a business and raising a family is a tough one, but it can be done. When I had my flooring business to run and kids were thrown into the mix, my key to success was time management. If you don’t have the best time management skills, once you have kids you will, trust me.

One strategy that helped me to get the job done and see my family was setting up time blocks for each throughout the week. Some weeks I spent more time in the office to get the orders filled and the installations processed. Other weeks I made sure I didn’t miss a single sporting event or recital of my three girls. Having a prepared schedule will ensure that you see enough of your family and you meet your deadlines. Just make sure to honor those time blocks so your goals are met in both areas and you’ll have success!

Weekly time blocks get you through on a short-term level. But, if you’re in a business like me where there are busy and slower seasons, time blocks can help here too. For most areas of the country, spring and summer are peak seasons for home improvement. So, when you are in the flooring business, you must be prepared for those times where business will be in high demand.

There are months where there is so much work to be done that there doesn’t seem to be time to set aside for my family for weeks one end. I love my business but being able to see my girls is more important. During the busy seasons, I remind myself that some things are more important than deadlines.

Putting time in where your presence is most needed is the thing to remember. Separating the time and where you spend that time is important. If you’re trying to work from home with kids, don’t. Many have tried and failed, myself included.

When you’re home, your family life is still happening all around you. Stuck in the study, garage, or where ever you’ve locked yourself away in, you want to be involved with the activity going on past the dry wall. Guilt for not being a part of the family will definitely drag you down and the work you’re putting out.

Creating a separate place for work, wasn’t hard in the flooring business, but it was necessary. Sure occasionally, I involve the girls with my business. Going to work with dad days gives me a chance to teach them a thing or two about handy work. In return, the girls remind me why I have to spend a certain number of hours away from them.

My family, providing for them, and their future is the biggest driving force to make sure my business succeeds. Knowing the success of my business impacts their future motivates me to keep on doing my best. My girls give me a sense of purpose and a boost of energy to keep things moving.

Balancing work and spending time with the family creates the pressure to be in both places at once. The road to finding stability between the two is a tough one. Making peace that reaching that perfect balance can never be achieved is the first step. But putting in the effort to make enough time for both will give you the best of both worlds as a business owner and a father.