Strategy & Tactics: Finding Balance

WORDS BY ATA EHDAIVAND

It is that time of year again. Industry awards videos are popping up on every group on Facebook. This year, there seemed to be a common theme among the contestants. It appears we are all struggling with the same issues: staff, space, and chiefly, the incomparable father time.

Time. It is a marvelous concept when it is on your side. However, with looming deadlines, increasingly complex projects, and endless "to-do" lists, it is usually the opponent on the other end of a losing battle.

We all face similar struggles in the race against time. Why not start a dialogue and create a space to exchange ideas? Find me on social media and let’s talk about it.

We Have to Nurture a Healthy Work / Life Balance

I asked a few of my industry friends, including owners, installers, and traveling sales representatives to weigh in on this topic so that I could offer their feedback, as well, in this article. Many voices contributing to this one difficult part of our work and personal lives may bring some enlightenment to us all.

Personally, one of the biggest obstacles I face as a small business owner is finding quality time to devote to both my loving family and my second “child”—my small business.

Splitting time between a bustling (ahem...needy) small business as well as a growing young family is exhausting. Exhausting but rewarding, of course. Many people have found ways to do it, and I too have managed to find a balance, although it is a circus act at times. While I am by no means an expert, I am experienced, and I think it’s only fair for me to share my thoughts in the hope that it may help someone else.

Accept Support and Help When it’s Offered to You

Realistically, the demands of running a business may seem more pressing than the demands at home. I am fortunate enough to have a fantastic, devoted partner who keeps the business of the home running smoothly. Your partner might also take up some of the parenting duties for you as work demands pile up seemingly without end.

I am grateful for the support I have at home, and I do not take it for granted. I have found there are three crucial things I do in order to be intentional about striving toward being a strong presence in my household as well as in my industry. I’d like to share those with you.

1. Eat one meal at home, preferably dinner.

When work demands and deadlines are beating down your door, it is very tempting to “plow through” and work late onto the evening. This leads to missing precious time with loved ones during mealtime. In my role, I frequently have to work 16 or more hours per day. To combat that, I treat those additional hours like a second job. I work until six, head home, spend time with my family, put my daughter to bed, and then go back to work later in the evening. This obviously adds additional time in the car, and it may not seem as efficient as finishing my work, but the rewards of seeing my family each day are worth the sacrifice.

2. Schedule specific family time and family days.

Let’s face it, anything that’s important makes it onto a “to do list” or a calendar entry. If it is really important, it will be in both places. Having family time or family days built into my schedule keeps me honest. I know I cannot plan work activities during that time, and my family can be guaranteed I’ll be fully present with them. Yes, it is important to delineate that time at work is for the business, and time at home is for family.

3. Carve out time for yourself, too.

Scheduling time for yourself is vital. It’s akin to putting the oxygen mask on yourself before placing it on others around you in the event of an airplane crash. We have to be reminded of that on every flight. I think we should bring that concept down to earth. Make time for your hobbies, exercise, enjoy healthy meals, selfcare, and whatever it takes for you to be your best self for your family and your business.

I am always shocked at how much more productive I am after a workout. My employees and clients also reap the benefits of my kinder disposition when I have taken care of myself first.

You May Be Thinking, “Who Has Time for This?”

Of course, these are suggestions, guidelines, perhaps even benchmarks to work toward. I still work hard to make these things a part of my own life. Emergencies and problems come up with both family and work that require flexibility. Sometimes I miss dinner. Those days suck. On occasion, I have an employee who needs to attend to a personal matter, and when that happens, I provide flexibility. I want my team to have the same balance for which I am striving.

Industry Professionals Comment on Creating Balance

None of this is a perfect science, of course. I am one captain steering two ships. These guidelines are like lighthouses to keep me focused in the right direction.

In the spirit of lighthouses, I polled a few people within our industry on how they deal with this conundrum of time management. Here are some direct quotes from them.

Ryan Oxenhorn, owner of Ox Audio said, “What I have done to improve family life is make sure I leave my shop by 5:00 p.m. or earlier every day, unless a day doesn’t go as planned. I also do not answer my phone after I get home. If it’s important, they will leave a message or call back, or we will call them back the next day.” He also added, “Money does not equal happiness.”

Joel Joseph of Joseph’s Auto Toy Store was less optimistic. In his response, he stated, “As far as my work / life balance goes—honestly, as an owner, I feel it will always be horrible. I literally grew up in this industry. It was engrained early on in us that the store was our life and livelihood. Obviously, as life changed and [I had] kids, that perspective had to change, but it is still a struggle to completely put the shop aside and focus on family. Sundays are family day, without the pressure of

worrying about what was left to do for the next work day.” He also says he has closed his store on Mondays to get more personal things done.

Family time at the shop: Ethan Blau’s oldest son Mason (far left) celebrated his seventh birthday at Sound Wave Customs, and brought along friends Robby and Grant to build things on the CNC.

For most business owners, life at work and at home tends to overlap. To find a balance, implement careful scheduling that takes family time into account. Pictured: Ata Ehdaivand’s daughter visits him while he’s working at Absolute Electronix in Rockville, Md.

Chris Bennett of Audio Control has a more mathematical approach. He describes it as a chart. “I manage my time like a pie chart. Work gets the largest portion of the pie, just because of what is necessary to build our brand and support the growth,” he explained. “Direct family comes next, with extended family after that. Religious stuff would be next, while hobbies and personal rest get the least amount of time. It’s a struggle, but once one area of the pie takes up too much space, that’s when life starts to become out of whack.”

Everyone in our industry seem to have our work cut out for us to accomplish what needs to be done in a single day or a week. JT Torres of HB Autosound tries to manage with a bit of creativity. “I work as if I’m trying to go on vacation,” he said.

“By doing so, it makes me put a time and a date on a particular project.”

Ethan Blau of Sound Wave Customs in Virginia Beach, Va. stated that his team is able to help handle different aspects of the business, allowing him to take off weekends. “My significant other asked me to take a day off for years, and I would squeeze one in when I could, but it was never a scheduled day,” he said. “Now I take off Saturdays. Before that, I took advice from a great friend and industry peer to at least come home on time for dinner, and if I had more work to do, to go back to the shop after the family went to bed.

Blau added it’s a tough line to walk. “As we all know, this industry is demanding and sometimes nonstop or just all-consuming. If I could share any advice, it would be to always make time for family, whether that’s waking up an extra hour earlier in the morning or managing your time better during the course of the day in order to get out of the shop on time. We only get this one life, and family is very important. I think we can all do better when it comes to making more family time. We offer a very niche skill and product; sometimes clients can wait an extra day. But when you lose family time, that’s gone forever.”

Business Owners: Encourage Employees to Create a Healthy Balance, Too

Just as we need to find ways to manage our time and balance our priorities, our employees are looking to maintain a palatable work / life balance as well.

If you are a business owner, make every effort to help your employees develop plans to manage the time they spend at work versus at home. Their families need them around as much as our families need us.

Supporting your team and encouraging them to create a healthy work / life balance helps retain employees and nurtures a positive work environment. While we all have slightly different methods, there is a common theme: We have to intentionally carve out time from work for other priorities.

Do any of these strategies appeal to you and your situation?