John Lennon said, “Life is what happens when you are making other plans.” You are starting a small business. Everything is going well and you are on track to open in a week. Then something happens. Life gets in the way. It could be that your daughter gets sick, or your elderly mother falls and breaks her hip. Or your car, which has many miles on it, gives up the fight. Who knows? 
So are you going to give up on your grand opening? Are you going to put your business on the shelf, so to speak? And what if life continues to happen? How do you know when to walk away from your business? These are tough questions that all of us must answer. I don’t know the answers either, but I do have some thoughts on this subject:
Your Family Support. If your family are firmly in support of your business, you will find it easier to handle both the business and your family obligations. Having a supportive spouse, for example, helps you deal with that darned car or the child who comes down with chicken pox. If you didn’t have that support from the beginning, maybe you should not be trying to start a business anyway.
Your Professional Support. Friends who are professionals are a source of help in times of stress. Someone who can go to your store and wait for supplies and equipment to arrive, someone you can trust to write a press release or pay a few bills, can be a vital resource. When you find a friend like this, you both can agree to help each other.
Getting Your Priorities Straight. This is a tough one. I find that assumptions set out ahead of time about priorities, with your family, your spouse, business partners, helps when things happen. A gentle reminder that, “You remember I said I might have to miss your dinner,” or “Remember we agreed that I would not be able to be the caregiver for Aunt Ellen” might be what you need. I’ve been there too, and it’s always harder on you than on them. Of course, if a member of your family is hospitalized, you have to be there. But if Jinny has chicken pox, do you need to be there every minute?
Handling the Stress. Making your priorities explicit and gathering support ahead of time can help you handle the inevitable stress. But the stress will still be there. Find ways to minimize it, learn to deal with it. This crisis will be repeated many, many times in various forms and you will have to learn how to juggle a business and your life.
I don’t pretend to have all the answers. In my experience, the best way to handle these situations is to talk them through the people you love and work on ways to deal with the inevitable problems before they show up. And they will.
If you have found ways to deal with the stress of juggling your business and family obligations, please share with us.
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/markcartwright/
译文:
当生活阻碍了你的事业
约翰·列侬曾经说道：“生活就是当你正在制定其他计划时突发其来的事情。”你在筹备开设一家小型的公司。所有的事情都很顺利，你准备按原计划一周后开张。但是发生了一些事情。生活成为了你的拦路虎。或许是你女儿病了，又或者是你年事已高的母亲摔伤了臀部。又或者是你用了多年的车子突然间报废了。谁知道呢？
所以你会放弃你的开张盛典吗？也就是说你会先把你的事业搁在一边吗？要是碰巧又发生一些什么事情，你又怎么样呢？你怎么知道什么时候才能从你的事业中抽身出来呢？这些都是我们必须要回答的棘手的问题。虽然我也不知道答案，但是我却思考过这个话题。
家人的支持。如果你的家人非常支持你的事业，那么你会觉得平衡事业与家庭将会容易很多。例如，你的另一半支持你，帮助你解决那该死的车问题，或者是照顾患了水痘的孩子。如果一开始你就得不到家人支持的话，或许你就不应该尝试去开公司。
专业人士的支持。如果你的朋友是专业人士的话，那你在备受压力的时候就可以得到他们的帮助。他们会到你的商店，等着材料与装备的到来；你可以信任他们让他们写新闻稿或者是让他们去付款。他们都是非常重要的资源。当你找到一位这样的朋友时，你们可以彼此帮助。
明确重点。这个并不容易。我发现有个方法很管用，那就是和你的家人，你的另一半，以及生意伙伴们一起提前把事情分出轻重缓急。或许你需要的是这样的提醒：“你要记得我说了我也许不能和你一起吃饭。”或者是“请记住大家都觉得我不能照顾艾伦姑妈”。我也去过了，而且相对他们来说，你去要难很多。当然，如果是你的一个家人住院了，那你必须在在那。但是如果是金妮患了水痘，你有必要每一分钟都待在那吗？
正确对待压力。把你优先考虑的事情说出来，提前取得大家的支持，可以帮助你正确对待那不可避免的压力。但是压力还是会有的。想方设法把它降到最低，学着去应付它。压力会以不同的形式重复出现，所以你必须要学会怎么样去平衡你的事业和家庭。
我并没有说我知道所有的答案。以我的经验看来，最好的处理办法就是和你爱的人或者是你的同事一起讨论，在这种不可避免的压力出现之前就想好应对的方法。而且他们都会帮助你。
如果你已经找到了一些方法来平衡你的事业和家庭，那么请和我们一起分享吧。
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/markcartwright/