Why it takes me a few hours to respond

I am a recovering workaholic.

I explain in Successful Business Minds, why from the age of 10 years old,  I worked 7 days a week until I then realised this didn’t serve me or my family and friends well. Therefore over the last couple of years. I made attempts to change that. However, because old habits die hard (I also explain the reason for this in the book too), I have often found myself pushing my mind and/or body to its capacity when I am excited about a project (i.e. writing a book!) or when resources are limited (before and after a holiday).

I got my last wake-up call on the 26th May 2016 and it came with a bang!

I was running around trying to do everything and see everyone. I was travelling back from my last appointment at 10.30pm when I crashed my partner’s car. I was driving too fast for the road conditions (heavy rain after 4 weeks of dry) when I spun twice then wrapped the car around the nearest lamppost. I was incredible lucky to walk out alive, with only some bruising that lasted a few weeks. Thankfully, no-one else was involved.

Since then I have made more changes in my life and this has impacted my business. I am no longer available in the evenings or during days off to answer emails, text messages and/or calls nor when travelling to and from clients. I only jump into emails once or twice a day when in the office, plus I am limiting the time I am on social media too, so I am present and focused on what I am doing.

Since I made this change, it has resulted in at least one unhappy client. They had been used to a responsive service and suddenly that has changed. But I have to remind myself that running around 24/7 is not good for my clients either; being dead or unable to work for a few months due to an accident is not really helpful!

This week I was swamped. I fell back into ‘the bad habit’ and worked late on Monday night. I then came home to see my partner working on the car I had the accident in… The next day I ensured I stuck with my commitment to leave the office at a reasonable time to play tennis. Then just when I was thinking of going into the office on my day off, I got a message from a best friend, telling me her sister had died.

Life is too short, we all know that, but, very often we forget just how short until something happens. That experience might be a wake-up call, or it might be lights out.

Choose today to do the things you love to do and spend time with the people you love. I know you love your clients and you want to help as many people as you can, however, you must be realistic about your resources. We live in an action-packed world but if you slow down, your mind, body, family and clients will thank you for it. If, however, you find money is the problem, then I really do encourage you to read Successful Business Minds.

Helen x

You may also be interested in an external article on a study conducted:

Workers and their spouses can experience increased anxiety due to after-work expectations