You’re passionate about your business. But what other areas of life are important to you? Running a business can become all-consuming, if you let it. That’s why it’s crucial to focus on your work/life balance, reduce your stress levels and make time for other passions in life. In this series, we’ll look at the core ways your business can be structured to deliver on your own personal, family, philanthropic and leisure goals, now and into retirement. Managing your time to balance work and play Four in five small business owners said they are experiencing poor mental health, according to a 2021 survey by iwoca and Mental Health UK . Being the boss can be extremely stressful and can have a detrimental effect on your mental health, as a small business owner. To combat this, it’s vital to spend some of your time away from the business, doing things that help you spark joy, relax and reduce those stress levels. Let’s look at five tactics for boosting your work/life balance Schedule dedicated time off in your diary Scheduled time away from the business is just as important as scheduled meetings. Block out specific times in your week for family time, hobbies or exercise. Treat these blocks of ‘no work time’ with the same commitment as your usual business obligations. Turn off work-related notifications on your phone and mentally disengage from work during these periods, so you can focus on the activities that help you relax. Prioritise leisure and family during the working week Don’t wait for the weekend to do what you love and spend time with your family and friends. Weave in shorter bursts of enjoyable activities throughout the week. This could be a family dinner, a mid-week sporting activity, or dedicating a few hours to your favourite hobby after work. Make leisure a regular part of your routine, rather than an occasional treat that you dangle like a carrot while working long hours and heading closer to burnout. Dedicate time to your hobbies and creative pursuits Make time for activities that you genuinely enjoy outside of work. This could be reading a novel, painting, playing a musical instrument, gardening, or even writing your memoirs. It’s hard to stay focused 100% of the time on the business. Hobbies provide mental stimulation, reduce stress and help you ‘turn off’ and remove the boss’s hat. Coming back to your desk feeling happy, relaxed and rested helps you become a better boss and leader. Give something back with charity work You may have a cause, charity or social enterprise that you truly believe in. Schedule time for volunteering and doing your bit for the local community. Giving back to the community can provide a great sense of purpose beyond your business success. And working with charities and social enterprises also offers a valuable perspective shift, allowing you to view the world without putting it through the lens of a business owner. Focus on wellbeing and mindfulness It’s vitally important to be able to step out of ‘work mode’ and to relax. Create a deliberate routine to help you transition from work mode to personal time. This could involve a short walk, listening to music or spending more time with family when you first get home. These rituals signal a mental shift away from work and help you be more present in your non-work activities – helping you to de-stress, relax and gain a deeper perspective on life. Achieving a rewarding work/life balance A relaxed and happy business owner is an asset to your business, and makes you a better person for friends and family to be around. Being able to balance out your work time with your leisure time is an intrinsic part of finding happiness as an entrepreneur. Get in touch Over the years, we’ve grown into one of the leading accountants in York, expanding our range of accounting services whilst staying true to our core values and our force for good ethos. If you would like to earn more, keep more of your hard-earned profits and enjoy the life you want then book a discovery call with Donald Inglis .

Your business may compete head-to-head with a number of other companies, but this doesn’t mean you have to treat ALL other businesses as if they are the competition. In fact, there are real benefits in creating strategic alliances with other like-minded organisations. When you look at the wider marketplace, you’ll see that there are businesses out there that may well compliment your offering. And by working together (rather than against each other) it’s possible to become valued strategic partners, collaborating to serve your joint customers, improve brand awareness and, ultimately, expand your target market. If this sounds like a positive strategy, now’s the time to do your homework and start hunting down the best strategic partners for your business. Working to serve a shared customer base Strategic partnerships are all about finding the common ground between you and your intended partner – and this means finding the best ways to combine your efforts. If you can share the same customer audience, and create a complimentary way of meeting their needs, that creates a broader, more connected way of growing both companies. Finding a company that’s interested in forming a strategic alliance 1. Find partners in complementary sectors If you’re an accounting firm, like us, it makes sense to partner with solicitors, lawyers and other professional services providers who can help your clients. If you're a maker of shoes it makes sense to partner with a clothing manufacturer that shares your same sense of style and purpose. The key here is to find a shared audience or customer need, and to create some real synergy between your two businesses. 2. Take part in business networking and events To get a wider understanding of your local, or industry specific, business network, it’s worth taking part in plenty of online and offline business events. You’ll meet new people, hear about new brands and will find it easier to find your ideal strategic partner. The wider your business network, the more choices you have for an alliance. 3. Look at crossover between your target audiences Once you’ve found a potential strategic partner, it’s important to take a detailed look at the crossover between your partner’s audience and your audience. Do they shop through the same channels? Do they fit a certain age group or social demographic? Are these customers local, or are they part of a national or global online customer base? How large is their database? 4. Cross-reference your customer databases By sharing and comparing your client relationship management (CRM) data, you can cross-reference both sets of customer data and see where there’s overlap, or where you may already share some of the same customers. The better you understand each other’s customers, the more likely it is that you’ll find some common ground for shared marketing and promotion. 5. Run joint events and promotions Presenting joint webinars with your strategic partner, or running joint promotions. By finding a common theme, you bring both audiences together and reinforce the alliance between your two brands. You also reduce the expenditure by sharing the costs and reach a wider audience. 6. Combine your R&D efforts To move your alliance forward, you can also try combining your research and development (R&D) activity, to find new products, new services and new ways of keeping your joint customers happy. By sharing the time, costs and effort of developing new offerings, both companies will benefit – and you keep your businesses at the cutting edge of their respective sectors or specialisms. 7. Look for other opportunities Can you link to each other on your websites, or as an upsell or cross sell when a customer is buying. Could you promote their product or service directly whether by email, social media marketing or at events and can they reciprocate? Don't think of it as a once and done, look for ways to continue the collaboration and grow both businesses moving forwards. Closing thoughts Building strategic partnerships is not just a smart move – it’s a way to future-proof your business and broaden your impact. By working alongside like-minded organisations, you can open the door to new markets, enhance your brand reputation, and provide greater value to your shared customer base. The key lies in nurturing genuine collaborations that go beyond one-off promotions and create lasting, mutually beneficial relationships. So, take the time to choose your partners wisely, invest in the connection, and watch as your businesses grow stronger together.