Newsflash

Announcing the winner of #WfHTechWeek competition and a live Q&A

Quick newsflash –

We’re delighted to announce that the winner of the #WfHTechWeek competition

and the soon-to-be owner of the cheeky monkey USB is…

Paul Tansom of Aptanet.

Paul left a really useful comment on the first post of #WfHTechWeek, which you can see under the post Make better use of space with technology.

In the second part of the newsflash, today I’m part of the panel for The Guardian Small Business Network live Q&A on work/life balance for home business owners. Pop over and join in with your questions between 1 and 2.30 pm, or if you prefer to read at leisure, catch up with the comment stream later.

I must confess that the phrase ‘work/life balance’ is one of those jargony terms that gets my back up, and I’m not quite sure why. Perhaps it’s the assumption that work and life are two distinct entities, an idea that many would take issue with. I know so many home business owners who love what they do and would continue to do it even if they were guaranteed financial security for the rest of their lives.

Then there’s the assumption that a balance actually exists, if we are clever enough to find it. In my experience things change all the time and home business owners have so many factors impacting on them that are in constant flux. Children grow up, change schools, leave home, clients come and go, technology advances, you learn new skills, move house, new neighbours move in next door and so and so on.

If anyone ever finds a balance for very long in the midst of all that activity, I admire them. Most of us think on our feet, adapt, and learn to be flexible, and for me that’s part of the appeal of working from home – it doesn’t get boring.