Work and marriage balance, the beautiful art form of keeping everything working smoothly together and still having your head on straight. This can be a difficult task at times! The world keeps on moving faster and faster. Kim McGuinness has perfected this art of balance and shares with you her secrets and tips so you too can balance work and marriage in this interview between her and Dale Beaumont.
Kim was a finalist in the Sydney Business Review’s Businesswoman of the Year Award in 2003 and was nominated for the Telstra Businesswoman of the Year in 2004, 2005 and 2006. She is the founder of Network Central.
What specific things do you do to balance your marriage, children and career?
I do everything I can to keep them separated and treat each one as importantly as the other. I have a rule that I will not work when my husband is home, unless absolutely necessary, as that is family time. I structure my time so that I am not working more than two hours in any one day when the kids are awake, and even then I break it into one-hour blocks while the kids are occupied doing an activity.
I have two nights per week to myself and get through the bulk of my workload during these times. I have set up systems to manage the business and have employed a company to staff the phones, take messages and make event bookings, which has made an incredible difference. We also employ a fabulous cleaner – the best investment ever made! I have outsourced the things I am not good at or don’t like doing and this allows me to focus on the core business and the children. As I have more time I will do more with the business but for now this system works for me.
A business should always be flexible and able to expand and contract when required without losing momentum. I am incredibly motivated by the business and the amazing people within the network so it is never a chore to pick it up and put it down.
I am also a big believer in not feeling guilty. I don’t feel guilty for the business when I am in the backyard having a tea party with my daughter and I don’t feel guilty for the hour when the kids are doing an activity and I am nearby working on my laptop. My children understand when Mummy is busy and it has taught them both patience and respect for other people. They are also very good at un-stuffing nametags after events now!
The kids also understand (usually!) when Mummy and Daddy are talking and allow us time to have a conversation – quite a rare thing when the kids are awake! We try to eat dinner as a family each night and catch up then. I believe in treasuring your friends and family and we try to do something social each week. Yes, this is all good in theory and sometimes everything goes haywire but, hey, that’s life!
For more of this interview check out the book by Dale Beaumont “Secrets of Inspiring Women Exposed!“.
