Home Entrepreneurs at Work Living to Work or Working to Live – It’s a Fine Line!

Living to Work or Working to Live – It’s a Fine Line!

by Austin Smith
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Tonight I came home from the office and did the typical routine of a hard-working young IT entrepreneur. I kicked off my shoes as I ran through the front door, said my hello’s to the family, made my way through the kitchen grabbing whatever dinner was available; and then slid my way to a room settling back in front of my computer. For an enthusiastic IT professional, being unplugged for a 35-minute drive home can be like a painful withdrawal attack that most likely resembles a 20-year heroin addict trying to quit cold turkey.

Living to Work or Working to Live – It’s a Fine Line!With that said, instead of sharing marketing strategies, cool new internet widgets, web design tips, or some exciting social media tactics today I would like to talk about something more personal. Whether your a business owner, entrepreneur, or dedicated day jobber trying to make your website flourish with success in hopes to tell that corporate jack%@s YOU QUIT!; all of us know how easy it is to lose an entire day with our face pressed against the pc monitor. You might know your working too much if you’re waking up 6 days out of the week with the letters A-Z imprinted on your forehead from passing out on your keyboard yet again.

I believe in working hard and taking pride in your work, but sometimes you have to make sure you are working to improve your life and the life of your family, and not living just to work. Life goes by quickly, so make sure you balance the work in your life and don’t let it balance you. My oldest son is nearly 5 years of age now and I swear it happened in the blink of an eye.

Although success does not come easy, it is important to make time for our loved ones or what good is all this hard work anyways? Waking up with keyboard imprints on your forehead isn’t going to be nearly as cute if you do not have someone to share that funny moment with and no one to hand you that cup of coffee in the morning to get through it!

Where is all this coming from you ask? Well, tonight my oldest son came into my home office and asked if I would play Harry Potter with him on the “puter”. Without having to even translate what he actually said my programmed brain quickly replied, “Not right now son, I am working”.

As he turned around to leave the room with his head hanging down he muttered for the first time to me “But your always working…”. A mix of emotions started coursing through my veins; anger, sadness, and regret were all fighting to take control. I was angry that it was so easy to give an automated response, sadness that I know how this feels, and regret that I handled it poorly.

In order to succeed with an online business venture, you have to be dedicated, confident, and you must LOVE WHAT YOU DO. And I LOVE WHAT I DO, but make sure you make time to enjoy life and love those who love you.

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