Last Night

on January 8, 2011
in All Posts

Here’s a very ‘real life’ post for you.  🙂

 

Yesterday, I went into the clinic around 4 PM, and the Husband ended up helping a patient until 8 PM.  Combined with the fact that we had both already been working since 8 AM, it was a long, long day.  I’ve been having those a lot lately, huh?

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Look, Ma.  Real business clothes!

 

Then, we came home and had a family business meeting until 11:30 PM.  This is why working with your family is challenging.  Because work becomes life and life becomes work.  The line gets really blurry.

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Any tips on how to avoid this?  I know we need to work hard to succeed, and I’m perfectly willing to do that, but we need greater balance.  Not sure how that’s possible without creating extra hours in the day, but you all are always so smart.  :)  I’m sure you can think of something.

 

Eats yesterday afternoon included:

 

A glass of wine while working (hey, there’s an advantage to self-employment):

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And a peanut butter sandwich:

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Unfortunately, by the time we got settled/stopped debating marketing techniques, all I was in the mood to cook was yet another PB sandwich and leftover roasted vegetables.  Eh, it worked!

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Now, it’s the next day and I’m pretty pooped, but we have another day of work ahead.  I’m going to enact a healthy coping mechanism by hopping on the indoor bike trainer for a little bit to boost my mood and get my sweat on.  Hopefully it will wake me up!

 

January Joiners

 

I loved all the support for January Joiners yesterday!  If you’re a JJ, remember that YOU CAN DO IT.  Just keep things balanced, don’t ask for perfection, and enjoy the small achievements.  Don’t forget that you are always welcome at HTP!

 

And… I’m off!

{ 84 comments }

 

  • Marie-Journey to Body Zen January 8, 2011, 8:27 am

    Cute shoes! I love my indoor trainer. It really helps me to let off some steam. Hope today is better for ya! 🙂

  • Sabine @ thefruitpursuit January 8, 2011, 8:31 am

    Haha I love you PB sandwich dinner. Guilty right here as well.

  • Michele @ Healthy Cultivations January 8, 2011, 8:35 am

    Thoughts on balance. This is something I’ve really been trying to focus on recently. I work 45 hours per week plus commute time in my day time job, and I’m doing blog and associated work close to 30 hours per week. It leaves little time for Me Time… let alone the time I need to be spending creating my life since I’m still single and don’t want to be forever.

    This week, I started scheduling my blog work time and my Me Time. I’m treating them as appointments… when it’s time, it’s time to do these things. And most importantly, when the allotted time is up, I have to move on. I’m also implementing three Internet-free evenings per week.

    Scheduling is the key!

  • christina cadden January 8, 2011, 8:42 am

    I love PB sandwiches anytime! Yours looks good!

  • jen @ taste life January 8, 2011, 8:43 am

    I love the idea above, about scheduling “me time”. I also wonder about having the in-laws/biz members meeting in the house…did they purchase a house nearby yet? Seems like it would be helpful to have only certain times/places where work talk is allowed, so your own living room doesn’t feel like a stressful work zone.

    • Caitlin January 8, 2011, 8:50 am

      In-laws stay with us for four days every two weeks to come up here and see patients. The sale of the house fell through and they cannot move up here full time. 🙁

      • Stephanie C January 8, 2011, 3:35 pm

        Do you have an office area in your house? If so maybe you can make that or the kitchen table an area to talk about business and limit it to only a certain amount of time. Or you guys could always go to a coffee shop to talk business and designate the house a ‘no-work-talk’ zone.

  • Samantha Angela @ Bikini Birthday January 8, 2011, 8:53 am

    Maybe schedule meetings during office hours and don’t book any patients at that time. That way your business meeting has a specified start and end time that is not outside the hours of your work week and not outside the office.

  • Ann @ Day by Day January 8, 2011, 8:54 am

    I’m still a student and can’t really offer any advice on that type of balance but my family is kind of in the same boat. My Mom has just started working for my Dad’s business as a secretary (helping out the other secretaries) and I know it’s a little tricky. And after all these years, I’ve started hearing a lot more about the business now that they are both working in it. It seems to be really good for my Mom though! She loves being involved.

    And 2 peanut butter sandwiches sounds great to me! I frequently have a snack in the afternoon and then want the exact same thing before bed.

  • faith @ gracefulfitness January 8, 2011, 8:55 am

    Kath and I were talking about this just the other day in terms of her blog time and me and my husbands’ wellness center. It’s a delicate balance between forging ahead with that drive that makes you successful in the first place and remembering that part of the reason you are self-employed is to be your own boss. YOU are your own boss. Would you ever work for someone who didn’t respect your need to have a personal life? Remember that the business will eventually suffer if your personal life is suffering (which it definitely does after a few 13 hour days!).
    Easier said than done, right? 🙂 Best of luck!

  • Chelsea @ Strawberry Sweat January 8, 2011, 9:01 am

    Sometimes you just need to go for what is fast and easy–and a PB sandwich works! Wish I had some advice for the family work balance, but I can’t say I’ve ever been in that exact predicament 🙁

  • Paige @Running Around Normal January 8, 2011, 9:04 am

    Oh man that’s tough, girl! I like to set regular “working hours” but like you’re experiencing, that’s not always realistic.

  • Sarah @ See Sarah Graduate January 8, 2011, 9:09 am

    Hmm, that’s a tough one. My parents own their own businesses together so it’s a constant battle for them as well to NOT bring the workplace home with them. I know that growing up, as soon as it was time for dinner, that was it. I think it was kind of an unsaid rule that all business talk ceased and it was purely family time, which was nice.
    When you own your own business with your family, I don’t know that you’ll ever be able to get away from it but I do think there can be some guidelines on when it’s appropriate to discuss it and when it’s not.

  • Jazz January 8, 2011, 9:09 am

    When my co-worker and I get together outside of work, we don’t talk about work, that’s the rule! I agree to have meetings at the clinic, not at home.

  • Kristy @ KristyRuns January 8, 2011, 9:10 am

    Dang, I don’t know. Maybe get with everyone to discuss the situation. Unfortunately, I think when you’re starting your own business, there are going to be more days like this than not. I also think that as time goes by, it’ll get easier to manage. Good luck!!!

  • katie January 8, 2011, 9:13 am

    I agree with setting regular working hours, but also set regular “team meetings” that can occur for 2-3 hours at a preset time every other week when they are in town. That way you all know it’s coming and can prepare, and when it’s over it’s over and anything that didn’t come up probably wasn’t that pressing anyway! This system worked well for my old boss and me, with a biweekly standing meeting as well as an open door policy for truly urgent matters as they came up. It makes you save non-urgent topics for the meeting, which in turn makes the meeting very productive! Good luck.

  • Sarah @ EatRunGarden January 8, 2011, 9:14 am

    My husband owns his own business and works a lot (both at home and at his office). My best advice to try and keep the stuff home stuff and work stuff separate is just so try to set aside some time during the day or week (day can be really hard sometimes) where it’s just family time, no talking or worrying about business. It works for us, usually we will have date night or just a day to do adult things that don’t involve work (I was thing like errands and cleaning the house), on these days he is not allowed to do work. Hope this helps you.

    Also if you are going to claim you had a glass of wine while working you should make sure your computer screen looks like you are doing something more important than twitter 😉

    • Caitlin January 8, 2011, 9:18 am

      Hahah technically Twitter IS working for me!! Kind of. Fun work.

  • Cathy K January 8, 2011, 9:14 am

    the husband and i ran our own business for 12 years, and like you and your husband, we were mid-20’s when we started. and you know what, caitlin?? unfortunately…we found it really necessary to put in those hours, esp at the beginning, if we were going to achieve our goals and succeed. but, here’s the good news!!…we honestly worked like crazy for many years, and are now in the position where we own our own home, are financially secure, and even wrapped up our bus in the last couple years, and now work at other occupations just because we enjoy them (we’re now 40). so balance RIGHT NOW may be missing but consider “balance” over many years, too!
    all the best!! 🙂
    it’s a challenge to be self-employed, for sure, but the benefits are plentiful, too, as you know.

    • Caitlin January 8, 2011, 9:19 am

      Good point. Maybe balance occurs over the years and not a daily basis.

      • Jessica January 8, 2011, 10:18 am

        That was actually advice I’ve been given before. I’m also in my mid-20s and starting my career, and trying to balance it all can be really overwhelming at times. But I’ve been told that it’s important to put in the time now, so that I can enjoy more balance later.

        That said, I still think that work/life balance is important at any age, and I think it’s something you have to create for yourself. It’s about setting boundaries regarding what you are and are not willing to do in terms of work hours – for example, would you prefer that business meetings be set earlier in the day in the office, or is that something that is out of your control because it is the only time they have to meet? Or would it be possible to set a beginning and end time for those meetings?

    • Wendy January 8, 2011, 9:56 am

      I agree w/Cathy. When you are working hard to achieve a goal, sometimes you have to make sacrifices in other areas of your life. I love to running and racing, but I’m a solo mom to two young children in her first year teaching. I haven’t done much running and almost no racing since the summer, and I won’t be able to do much until next summer, but I know eventually, when I get settled into my job, I’ll have time for it again. I think the same will go for your family business. Once things get rolling, not so much time will have to be dedicated to business matters. For now, you may have to settle for smaller, more meaningful bits of family time. Think about the things that truly matter to you, and do those things together. Good luck to you and your family Caitlin! It looks like the business is off to a GREAT start!

      • Caitlin January 8, 2011, 10:49 am

        Thanks guys! Again, this is a really good point and I SO appreciate your feedback.

  • Hope January 8, 2011, 9:18 am

    Those roasted veggies look yummy! I am going through roasted veggie withdrawal. I need to get on that and make some!

  • Emma (Sweet Tooth Runner) January 8, 2011, 9:28 am

    I just caught up with your posts, and I love the January Joiners thing! Although I often have a (slightly) negative view of JJ’s for hogging all the treadmills, you’re right that some of them WILL acheive their goals, and we SHOULD be encouraging them!

    Thanks for reminding me of this Caitlin! 🙂

  • Sarah for Real January 8, 2011, 9:29 am

    My husband owns his own business and works from home. It’s not the kind of business with hours of operation, so he has found it’s critical to set his own schedule. Once it’s “off” time then that’s it. No more business talk!

  • Baking 'n' Books January 8, 2011, 9:38 am

    First – is that a laptop on the floor in the living room? Do you write on the floor? 🙂

    Next – who else is in the business? I thought it was just you and your hubby? But is your father or in-laws involved as well? Oooh, yes, that can be tricky. Maybe set up a schedule or only discuss things at the office?

    3rd – did you husband treat a patient for 4 hours?! I know he’s a good guy – but it’s a business – so keep in mind the money being earned for the time! Or charge for 4 hours of treatment haha! 🙂

    • Caitlin January 8, 2011, 10:02 am

      Yes! Hehe

      My father, mother, and sister-in-laws are involved too

      And no – there were two first time patients 🙂 he does put in a lot of time for each patient though!

  • Kjirsten- Balanced Healthy Life January 8, 2011, 9:46 am

    Thats a tough thing to balance. I would plan certain times (especially if the talks fall on Friday nights) to talk business. Maybe go out to a restaurant for a business lunch or dinner to discuss business related things. If you don’t start planning times to talk, your life will be consumed with working 24/7. If the planning isn’t scheduled, I would have a rule to keep the comversation to 20 minutes and then move on.

  • Faith @ lovelyascharged January 8, 2011, 9:47 am

    Hehe, my office apparently busts out a couple beers on Friday afternoons, as I found out to my complete surprise yesterday. Gotta do what ya gotta do 😀

  • Amy January 8, 2011, 9:48 am

    You have to change your expectations about “balance” in order to survive a family business – and I say this as someone who grew up with one (aunts and uncles and grandparents and parents) and whose parents are currently in another (mom, step-dad, sister, brother in law) and who is self-employed (husband, me, and three other non-relative owners).

    Your life will never be “normal” in the sense that work won’t dominate the conversation. It just won’t. I remember having birthdays growing up – my birthday is just a couple days before tax day – and the discussion was exclusively about my extended family’s business.

    I guess it’s easier for me, since I grew up with it.

    You just have to accept that you don’t have the kind of life where either of you can leave work at work at 5 pm. If you expect your life to resemble that sort of life, you’ll be endlessly frustrated.

    I’ve learned to spin it into a positive – instead of moaning that work dominates so much of our conversation, I try to feel grateful that my husband values my input and contribution. Instead of being annoyed that he works constantly, I’m grateful that his hard work provides a nice life for the kids and I, and that I can be with him when he does it – I can go to the office or he can work from home, which wouldn’t be ok if he worked at NASA. (He’s a rocket scientist and my role at work is supportive – office manager stuff).

    Focus on the positive. That’s really the key.

    • Caitlin January 8, 2011, 10:03 am

      This is really great advice… Thank you so much.

  • Cassie @ A Very Busy Mind January 8, 2011, 9:49 am

    Oh, man. I’m a bad person to ask about this; it’s actually one of my new year’s resolutions to find a better work/life balance. I don’t even work from home, but the fact that I *can* work from home means I end up working over the weekend (or feel guilty if I don’t – there’s so much to be done!). This on top of the fact that I rarely take a lunch break (just eat while continuing to work) + sometimes stay late.

    Baahhh Americans in general do not have the work/life balance thing figured out (in my opinion). Hope you’re able to figure something out Caitlin – just wanted to empathize!

  • Amanda (Eating Up) January 8, 2011, 9:50 am

    Maybe make a certain room in the house the only room where you can convene and talk about business stuff? I don’t really know how to enforce this, but if you all mentally know where the office is, maybe less thoughts and conversations will be brought up in say…the bathroom.

  • Jennifer (Happiness Here) January 8, 2011, 9:54 am

    Caitlin, have you read 168 Hours by Laura Vanderkam? There are tons of helpful tips for making the most of one’s time. I got it in audiobook form to listen to on my commute. It totally helped me to find pockets of time in the midst of a busy schedule.

    • Caitlin January 8, 2011, 10:03 am

      no i haven’t been i’m going to buy it on amazon! i’ve heard multiple recs and i’m really intrigued now.

  • Kerry January 8, 2011, 10:00 am

    I agree with the point above that your life has a different kind of balance as you go through phases of your career. I would think about other activities you may be able to outsource economically like grocery delivery to reduce takeout. Really look at where you are spending your minutes, and decide what someone else may be able to help you do. Best of luck!

  • Kerry January 8, 2011, 10:00 am

    I agree with the point above that your life has a different kind of balance as you go through phases of your career. I would think about other activities you may be able to outsource economically like grocery delivery to reduce takeout. Really look at where you are spending your minutes, and decide what someone else may be able to help you do. Best of luck!

  • Kerry January 8, 2011, 10:00 am

    I agree with the point above that your life has a different kind of balance as you go through phases of your career. I would think about other activities you may be able to outsource economically like grocery delivery to reduce takeout. Really look at where you are spending your minutes, and decide what someone else may be able to help you do. Best of luck!

  • Raewyn January 8, 2011, 10:03 am

    Ouch – sorry about the long day, Caitlin! They’re no fun. My dad is his own boss and he (and by default, our family) is in charge of his business. It can be very stressful and annoying at times because you can’t “leave” it at work – it comes home with you! 🙂 Our whole family will pile into discussions about it and it’s a part of our life. There are days though when I don’t want to hear about it, haha! My advice would be to try and schedule: maybe next time y’all can put the meeting off til the morning so everyone can sleep. I have to echo another commenter and agree that this will probably happen again because you and the Hus are just starting out.

    Why don’t you schedule a work meeting every week? Pick a day and time and designate that as the weekly business meeting. That way you have a foothold during the week: “Well, that’s something we can talk about on Friday/Thursday/whatever day you pick.” 🙂

  • Marina January 8, 2011, 10:04 am

    Love your shoes!
    I understand how you’re busy,but I’m sure soon it will all get better, with lot of rewards! Just stay strong as amazing, just the way you are 😉

  • Emilie January 8, 2011, 10:08 am

    It seems like a lot of the comments above have expressed the same advice I would give, so I’ll reiterate for emphasis 🙂 First, I think it’s true that when you’re starting out, you are going to have to devote a bit more time just because it’s important to succeed. At the same time, at some point you have to set boundaries. Have business meetings outside the home, even if that means you end up at a Starbucks or a restaurant late into the night. Have designated ‘work’ and ‘personal’ time, and don’t mix the two. And just as someone said above, make sure there are limits within the business as well–keep in mind that if one patient’s appointment runs over, it’s cutting in to time that could be used for something else and is therefore, costing in some way. The patient will be pleased with their experience, but it’s also not unreasonable to say at some point “This appointment is running long, let’s schedule a follow-up” or something to that effect. I think it’s best to start working now on strategies that will make establishing more balance in the long run a bit easier (or at least smoother).

  • Kelly January 8, 2011, 10:10 am

    Hey I think wine in the middle of the day is a good way to balance. Running and starting a business is hard, you’ll figure it out and it will all balance out eventually.

  • Cindy January 8, 2011, 10:15 am

    I own my own business, but no family members are co-owners. The long hours are pretty much non-negotiable if you have patients/clients that want to use your services. As a new business you are so happy to have patients that many times you’ll rework your schedule to fit their schedule and you have to do this to get your reputation out there. Eventually, when you are established and have a steady stream of business you have to determine how you want to go forward and really have your business planned worked out to determine what you need (patient/money wise) to get to where you want to be (financially, reputation, etc.) and how much time that will require.

    I’m not sure if you enjoy business meetings at home, but if you don’t then try to do meetings at the office or at a restaurant over drinks. We have a restaurant we affectionately refer to as ‘the cafeteria’ and anytime we work late and still need to discuss business we’ll head there. The staff is awesome and it is a nice place to relax after work and still talk business before we head home for the night.

    Good luck!

    • Cindy January 8, 2011, 10:17 am

      opps, that should be business plan! A well designed business plan is so important to help you keep perspective.

      • Caitlin January 8, 2011, 10:48 am

        We need a business plan. We have it in our heads but not on paper.

        And I LOVEEEEEEEEEEE your advice about meetings at bars. Um, hello. So much better than in my living room.

  • Tina @ Faith Fitness Fun January 8, 2011, 10:28 am

    A lot of people have already said it, but make sure to schedule time for yourself, time as a couple for fun things. Make it an appointment. That works well for me I find.

  • Caroline January 8, 2011, 10:36 am

    My parents own their own business. When I was around 5 or so, my Dad started his first company. Within a few years he sold it and started his second .. I was probably around 10. Now, I’m 22 and honestly? Their company feels like another member of the family! Since my Mom,Dad, older sister, uncle and cousin all work there, it’s all business talk, all the time. Since I’ve grown up around it, I’m used to it, but I think it’s more of a business owning you, not you own the business type of thing. I mean, even on vacations my parents are running payments and taking calls! If there is a way to achieve balance between personal and business … well my family hasn’t achieved it yet!

    Oh and since my job outlook doesn’t look too great for after graduation here in a few months .. guess who the newest employee is going to be…haha

    • Caitlin January 8, 2011, 10:50 am

      How awesome your Dad built a business that can support so many family members (Plus you potentially). You must be so proud of him.

  • Kim (Book Worm Runs) January 8, 2011, 10:40 am

    All of the hard work is worth it but it is hard to remember that when you are exhausted 🙂 Good luck with finding that balance, Caitlin…and exercise is definitely a great stress reliever!

  • Camille January 8, 2011, 10:41 am

    I used to work for my Mom when I was in high school and it was rough. I think it is different working with your hubby, but the “working for family” didn’t work for me. However, my future husband and I hope to start our own business together someday and I think it is something we would really enjoy.

  • Raya January 8, 2011, 10:42 am

    Maybe you could try designating certain areas in your home a “no business” area? Also, you can schedule weekly/monthly business meetings to discuss the clinic, and stick to it. That’s what companies do-they have weekly/bi-weekly/bimonthly/whatever works for you meetings and everyone brings their issues to those meetings. That way you can plan and prepare for it, and it won’t feel like it’s taking over your life.

  • monicanelsonfitness January 8, 2011, 10:44 am

    Hang in there!
    Next time add your white chocolate chips to your peanut butter sandwich, hehe!
    🙂

    • Caitlin January 8, 2011, 10:50 am

      Now this is good advice. 🙂

  • Stephanie January 8, 2011, 10:47 am

    CUTE CUTE CUTE shoes! Where did you get them!

    • Caitlin January 8, 2011, 10:51 am

      Nine West but last season!

  • Maddie (Healthy Maddie) January 8, 2011, 10:48 am

    PB sandwiches are perfect any time!

  • Jessica @ Jessica Balances January 8, 2011, 10:56 am

    I’m sorry that you’ve been so stressed out lately — I’m not self-employed, so I can’t really relate, but I agree with others that have commented when they say that you should try to schedule meetings, as well as “me time”, if at all possible. You’ll obviously still have some long days, but at least you’ll find balance some of the time! You and your husband are obviously very passionate about what you do and you’ve always proven that hard work DOES pay off!

  • Kara January 8, 2011, 10:59 am

    PB sandwiches are my go-to dinner when my husband is out of town. The best part? Only one plate dirty, no pots or pans 🙂

  • Ashley January 8, 2011, 11:06 am

    I’m constantly struggling with finding the balance, too. What I’m working on now is to really BE PRESENT no matter what I’m doing. I find that when I’m working I stress about all the personal issues I need to tend to (cleaning, grocery shopping, etc.) and when I’m at home I’m always stressing about work (deadlines, readings, to-do’s, etc.) I’m trying to live MORE EFFICIENTLY by really BEING PRESENT in whatever I’m doing. When I work – I want to give it 100%. But when it’s “me-time”, I want to give it 100% too! By trying to stop the lines from blurring I’m hoping I’ll feel more fulfilled, because last year I noticed frequently feeling “cheated” since work and life were always colliding I never really felt like I had a separate life outside of work.
    Keep us updated on how its going!

  • Becca@ Start Over From Scratch January 8, 2011, 11:15 am

    I know how you feel!Culinary school has taken over my life. I have class 7-1 M-TH. I come home and do hw and study for a few hours. Then I go back from 8pm-12am and help with the competition team on M,T,W,F. Then Saturdays I usually go in and help teach classes to the public. Its hard to balance. Today I am taking a rest day (much like from excercise) and not doing anything school related and I slept til 10 (5 extra hours)! Good luck finding your balance!

  • Kristina @ life as kristina January 8, 2011, 11:24 am

    After swearing i’d never work for family again I have just decided to make a career change and….work for family. It does make things tricky and lines can def be crossed-I think just trying to work together but as independently as possible (if that’s possible) is the key!

  • Natalia - a side of simple January 8, 2011, 11:37 am

    You really can’t go wrong with a PB sandwich!

    I think with your business meeting/work dilemma you should make it a point to only discuss business when you have previously scheduled it. You should try each week to schedule actual meetings like you would in a non-family work atmosphere and then shy away from discussing work outside of those meetings. (Anyone who brings up work outside of those meetings has to buy a round of drinks!)

  • chelsey @ clean eating chelsey January 8, 2011, 11:38 am

    Sorry you’ve been having such long days lately. I know that when my husband is in full swing (he’s a landscape company owner) during the spring-fall, he is just wiped out by the end of the day. Add me in going at the house things solo, well it can get kind of tiring.

  • Jenna @Eating Green, Staying Lean January 8, 2011, 11:38 am

    1) Your shoes are adorable

    2) I know working with your family is tough, and those long hours are hard, but I know it will eventually pay off. Plus, working for your family always beats sitting at a desk all day (not drinking wine :)) and having a boss you don’t love.

    3) I’m making my first trip to Trader Joe’s today since moving down to DC! Thought you’d be excited 🙂

  • Ashley January 8, 2011, 11:41 am

    I love your shoes! I know this might be difficult and I don’t know what the situation is but what about not letting business come into the house? Have the work meetings at the clinic or set aside specific time for work talk at home that way the line is very clear that this is family time and this is work time.

  • Charlotte January 8, 2011, 11:55 am

    I found myself in a similar situation last year when my live-in boyfriend and I were at the same job, which required a lot of creation from scratch. After not too long we definitely needed to create balance for the sake of our relationship, so we would set date nights or even a couple of hours each week that we honored no matter how “behind” we felt. During these times we weren’t allowed to discuss ANYTHING work-related – not even the names of our co-workers.

    It was effective, I think, not just going through the motions, but also knowing that the other was making a commitment to focus on a task that was specifically geared towards advancing a non-work aspect of our lives, increased motivation and was a good mental boost. Good luck with everything you’re doing – I’m sure it’s paying off!

    And PS – after months of searching, I FINALLY found your book at Borders in my hometown yesterday!

    • Caitlin January 8, 2011, 12:16 pm

      Thank you SO much for buying my book!

  • Sarah (Sarah Learns) January 8, 2011, 12:03 pm

    i really love your shoes from the first photo!

    also, i know you’re stressed, but you really seem to do a great job of dealing with it in a healthy, balance way. yes, even with a mid-day glass of wine! if it was a mid-day bottle of wine, maybe that wouldn’t be so good. i hope you get to relax at least a little this weekend!

  • Sarena (The Non Dairy Queen) January 8, 2011, 12:06 pm

    The line definitely gets blurred, but I don’t know that there is a way to avoid it. Tony had to take a call at 10pm last night because that is when worked called in LA. Unless you all make a statement to each other that you will only talk business at certain times, then I don’t know how you can change it. I am curious to know what others say about this one too!

  • Jen January 8, 2011, 12:10 pm

    Try looking on the bright side – at least your job lends itself to spending some time with your husband. My husband is a chiropractor/acupuncturist and he works long hours. I’m a high school teacher so my hours are almost completely opposite of his. You and your husband are building a future together and you spend time with him as you’re building that future. It’s hard now but it’ll only get better…

    • Caitlin January 8, 2011, 12:16 pm

      Cool that our husbands are kind of twinsies!! I love it. 🙂

  • Amber K January 8, 2011, 12:55 pm

    I haven’t ever had to deal with this, but I’m actually learning a lot from reading your comments!

  • Kate (What Kate is Cooking) January 8, 2011, 1:02 pm

    I love your shoes!

  • Meagan January 8, 2011, 1:25 pm

    I really don’t know that there is such a thing as work-life balance when it comes to a family business. I married into a family who has owned their own business for 4 generations. There is only 1 employee who is not related to us. We all live on the same property and during the busy season spend 16 hours a day together.

    It is EXHAUSTING, but you start to get used to it. And it means the world to me to eat lunch with my husband every day. Or steal a kiss when I’m stressed. And know that, when I have kids, our children will be able to be by my side at work and learn to be part of an awesome tradition (if they want to). When you work with your family, its not just work. Its making memories every day, if you choose it.

  • Meagan January 8, 2011, 1:25 pm

    I really don’t know that there is such a thing as work-life balance when it comes to a family business. I married into a family who has owned their own business for 4 generations. There is only 1 employee who is not related to us. We all live on the same property and during the busy season spend 16 hours a day together.

    It is EXHAUSTING, but you start to get used to it. And it means the world to me to eat lunch with my husband every day. Or steal a kiss when I’m stressed. And know that, when I have kids, our children will be able to be by my side at work and learn to be part of an awesome tradition (if they want to). When you work with your family, its not just work. Its making memories every day, if you choose it.

  • Madeline - Greens and Jeans January 8, 2011, 1:44 pm

    I think it’s really important to set up time limits for me and even boundries in my own apartment. I work from home and I refuse to do any work in my bedroom. Maybe keep your bed a work free zone? No talking about work when you two are in your room?

  • carlee January 8, 2011, 1:53 pm

    Have a better day! Take it easy! I like the sound of starting off on the right foot with excersise!

  • Katherine: Unemployed January 8, 2011, 2:25 pm

    enjoy the bike ride! best part is you don’t need a helmet inside (if you wear one, I won’t judge)

  • Stephanie January 8, 2011, 5:02 pm

    Hey there!! I’m by no means an expert on this, but it sounds like your husband and his father are really into the clinic and you’re involved because you love your husband and want to support him. However, love is a two way thing. You’ve put in A LOT of effort into the clinic, and while you’ll BOTH benefit from it’s successes, I don’t think its either selfish or inappropriate to sit down with the both of them and cite your issue. I think a conversation until 11:30 is ridiculous, and perhaps suggesting some king of “work free time zone” would be good. My fiancee and I have “serious” time on Sundays where we talk about finances, and having a “set time” has been working out wonderfully (though we don’t wait until that time if something is imminent). I think if you tell the both of them that, while you’re happy to help, there should be some kind of “line” in order to keep you all sane during this time, because lord knows that the entrepreneurial stages of life can be the toughest!

  • Rochel January 8, 2011, 6:16 pm

    My husband and I both have jobs that require us to work some odd hours. We’ve also found it challenging to create work-free time. What has worked for us is creating work-free zones. No work at the dinner table and no work for at least 30 minutes after dinner. That’s our time to spend together, to share our day, to unwind, and to reconnect.

  • Ali January 8, 2011, 7:43 pm

    I love that your twitter is up in the background behind the glass of wine 🙂

  • Kris January 9, 2011, 12:48 pm

    Late comments on this post — was to busy to read blogs yesterday! Having worked at a number of startup practices, it’s easy to blur work and personal hours. Set hours for the clinic that include evening hours once or twice a week, but don’t run late because that’s what the patients demand. Same w/ Saturdays — not every Saturday, but maybe once or twice a month. Set your business meeting as a regular meeting — either as you said at a restaurant, or at the clinic; not at home. Don’t burn yourselves out. Happy relaxed practioners and staff are the key to having a happy practice. At that’s what you want with a holistic practice. Patients will try to push you as far as they can, but you should set realistic limits for patients and staff alike to keep all in the proper balance. Treat yourselves as you treat your patients — w/ optimism, kindness, physical (treatments, nutrition, etc.) support, but with goals and boundaries. It’s tough at the beginning, but it’s a long haul and you don’t want to burn out at the beginning.

  • Lauren January 9, 2011, 5:20 pm

    You are so sweet. You always give me a wake up call. I was always sooo annoyed by the JJ, but you’ve shown me that I need to soften up and be kinder to them and embrace them! Thank you!!

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