In the just completed Independent Press Awards competition, our book, Recalculating, 97+ Experts On Driving Small Business Growth, was named best Entrepreneur Small Business offering.
It is a high honor and we appreciate the award. As you may be aware, we asked more than 97 company presidents, consultants, academic leaders, and experts to write about important drivers to small business growth. Many thanks to our contributors for their insights and advice.
As a result of this book’s success, we are beginning the laborious but rewarding process of putting together the next book in the Recalculating series, work-life balance.
Why is work / life balance important?
So many of the people I interview are considering leaving their company solely because of exhaustive work and travel schedules that negatively affect their personal life. The numbers of those looking to leave their current company has increased with the changing economy. It is important to be aware of this topic both from an internal and external perspective.
It is crucial for employers to take the time to create a means for employees to have a healthy balance between the workplace and their personal lives. Equally as important, small business leaders need to also create an effective work-life balance for themselves.
Our newest book, slated for a Winter 2017 release, asks advisors, academics, organizational and religious leaders to contribute their thoughts on achieving a better work-life balance.
Whether a small business leader or employee, balancing work efforts with life experiences is difficult if not impossible.
Many pundits say small business leaders need to devote all of their time and efforts towards making their businesses a success.
This has been true in the past but often at a cost of family and friends, as well as the leader’s own well-being.
In fact, surveys have shown children of small business owners are refusing to take-over the business as their parents reach retirement age. As a result, reports show there are more mature businesses available for sale today than at any time in the past 20 years.
In our surveys and interviews here at Information Strategies, Inc. (ISI) we find more and more small business leaders indicating they are seeking better work-life balance.
Unfortunately, many also report this equilibrium is difficult or impossible to obtain. One heavy fact or mitigating reason against separation of work-life is the ubiquitous mobile device.
At the same time, many employees seeking work-life balance are often defeated by their mobile devices.
Not being able to turn-off their anytime, anywhere connection with others is just one example of the dilemma facing small business leaders.
In our book, we hope to help them and others create a more balanced work-life experience.
If you think you have ideas on how to better balance work-life, please email me at editor@recalculating.biz.
JoAnn Laing's Blog 