bizRichard

Apologies - this post was set for release back in December - but for some reason it got overlooked.  But even if the comments about Christmas are no longer timely, the rest certainly is - and we should be doing more to get our work-life balance back in harmony again.

It’s known that we are a nation of ‘workaholics’ – but I was surprised at the results of a couple of surveys I came across recently – and a somewhat timely reminder as we approach annual festivities.

According to research by Bibby Financial Services, nearly 67% of businessmen will cancel romantic plans with partners at the last minute in order to bring in new business, and 33% will miss important meetings about their children’s education.

This same survey also found that over 50%of business owners will relinquish holiday plans to win business and nearly 90% will work late regardless of pre-existing family plans.

Another study, by Clydesdale Bank, found that roughly 10%of businessmen and women are likely to miss Christmas day festivities with their families due to work commitments.

And the research also showed that Christmas is not the only holiday that overworked businesspeople are sacrificing - more than one in five respondents said they had missed their child’s birthday in the last year.

And all these surveys were done before the ‘difficult’ trading conditions in which so many now find themselves - so the situation, I perdict, is only going to get worse!

Well, I leave you to your own thoughts on this one – but isn’t it sad that business owners can’t get to learn how to ‘sharpen’ up their businesses, to work smarter, and to build into their schedules plenty of time for those wonderful moments - to share, enjoy and live - the the very reasons we are on this planet for.

Just take a moment to look at your diary for next year and ‘book’ in, right now, time for you and your family - holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, whatever - these are perhaps your most important dates of the year. 

Keep those promises, and I can guarantee that your year will become that much more rewarding and fulfilling.  So, go fill those dates in now.

Richard C

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