How to Protect Your Business from Your Personal Life
It’s easy to make the mistake of entangling your personal life with your professional life. When you’re enjoying discussions with the people you love and trust most in this world, your guard is down and you’re happy to open up about anything and everything. You may sometimes find yourself attuned to the ‘work hard and play hard‘ mindset but, it’s not always going to be easy. However, if you are already keeping this type of mindset, then you’re already half-way there.
While this might be wonderful in certain cases, things aren’t always what they seem…
For example, some couples only start to break down years after the first meet. After all, partners can reveal themselves to be financial bullies overtime, or even take steps to ruthlessly control your life. Put simply, people change, and as a business person, it’s your responsibility to be aware of all the possibilities that could crop up in future.
Consequently, here’s how to protect your business from your personal life.
Talk Less About Business
Obvious, but effective, the easiest way you can protect your business from your personal life is by talking about it less with your family and friends. Take caution in what you say when work discussions arise and filter what it is that you say. It’s possible to talk about work without going into all the meticulous details, so keep conversation about your professional life tightly controlled.
Of course, if you’re dealing with stress and anxiety related to your business, don’t shut down around your loved ones. Perhaps you can convey your feelings without delving too deep into specifics? After all, in many businesses there are contract clauses that prohibit talking about certain areas of the firm; profit numbers, clients coming and going, employee data etc. Keep these basic rules in mind before you open your mouth.
Remember, it might just be that you tell your loved ones something in confidence, and they let it slip to a third party you don’t know. Eventually, these crucial details can end up in the laps of competitors, so make sure that you stay silent on any vital business information.
Working Away from Home
If you’re a home worker and run a business from your very own office, this can be an unhealthy blend of merging the professional world with the personal. Of course, some people find that this arrangement to be perfectly fine, but for others it can feel as if two conflicting worlds are trying to intersect. After all, it’s a lot harder to get your work done when you’re constantly stepping on your children’s toys!
Instead, consider doing your work in a more public setting instead of at home; libraries, coffee shops, cafes etc. This way, if you need to take a Skype call from a client, you can at least look like you’re active and mobile, rather than slouching around in your pyjamas at home. You may be more likely to get in ‘work mode’ if you’re away from home too, and therefore relax better at home when you clock off for the day. In the end, this strategy keeps both worlds well apart, as they should be.
Breakups and Divorce
Unfortunately, many relationships do end, sometimes amicably and other times not so. In these circumstances, the business you own can take a series of hard hits that you never quite anticipated. Perhaps an estranged wife will start coming after your assets, or an ex-girlfriend starts taking your attention away from your business. Ultimately, these kinds of situations put businesses on the backburner; a place where it should frankly never be.
Therefore, it’s important that you’re prepared for these outcomes. For example, quality divorce lawyers are easily found online, and they’ll work tirelessly to uphold fairness and stability throughout any turbulent divorce proceedings. If you’re being harassed and bothered by an ex-partner during work time, take steps to block numbers and emails so that you can remain focused. Never succumb to the misery; take productive steps to quash these situations as quickly as possible so that you can get back on track with your work.
