Are you a small business owner? Do you enjoy your business and want to see it grow, but also want to hold onto your personal life? Small business owners can sometimes find it difficult to separate business from personal life. In the beginning years of your business, you are required to spend a lot of time and effort in growing the business success. You might not be able to afford help yet or you might not trust the day to day of your small business in someone else?s hands. These tips will help you find that work life balance you desire.

Give yourself a work schedule

If you have employees working for your business, you likely have them on a schedule. They have a clock in and a clock out time. It can be helpful to also schedule yourself each week. Although you may have to put in additional time or cover other shifts, it is a great starting point. That way, you have an idea of your off time and you can plan personal life activities during those times. You just have to keep an open mind and understand that as a small business owner, your schedule can and will often change.

Hire a secondary leader

It can be difficult to give up control of a business that you built from the ground up. However, sometimes it is necessary. Hire a secondary leader to help with overwhelming tasks. This secondary leader does not have to have the same level of control as you do, but can be helpful in handling tasks that you simply do not have time to do. Find someone that you trust and that is as dedicated to your business as you are.

Consider a 24 hour live answering service

Every missed customer contact is a potential loss income and business success. Business owners, however, can get caught up in constant customer service and interaction that they lose sight of other important parts of the business. Eventually, the constant customer interaction will affect personal parts of your life and you will quickly burn out. A specialty answering service can handle all customer communication, while also ensuring that you never miss the possibility of a new customer. With 80% of consumers preferring to contact customer service representatives over the phone, a specialty answering service can be extremely valuable in improving customer service.

Additionally, a specialty answering service allows you to focus on other important parts of the business, including marketing, product improvement, and employee hiring. Two thirds of consumers would be willing to spend more money with a particular company, 13% more, on average, following an excellent customer service experience. When you are overwhelmed or unable to focus on other areas of the business, you are not able to provide the same level of customer service as the best answering service.

Focus on employee retention

Consumers tend to be very loyal, especially when they are pleased with a company. You can spend and waste a lot of time directing your efforts to new customer acquisition. Instead, you might find it more beneficial to increase your current customer?s experiences to ensure that they continue to return. An after hours call service that is a specialty answering service geared to your specific business services will keep your current consumers happy and returning. Just about 80% of people will hang up on a business if they hear a voicemail. Realistically, you cannot answer the phone every minute of the day, so hiring an answering service for small business may be your best option.

Owning a small business can be very rewarding, but it does require a lot of time and business knowledge. When you first open your small business, you may find that you have very little personal time left. Eventually, you will want to find a work life balance that allows you to grow your business, but keep your personal life at the same time. You will find that hiring another operator, giving yourself a work schedule, and hiring a specialty answering service can help you find that balance.