Work-life balance – is it really possible?

One thing I get asked about regularly (and with taking on The George this Autumn, I have been thinking more about recently) is work-life balance. Is it really possible to achieve work-life in the pub trade? It is a concern expressed by many who ever think about running a pub, and I think the idea that being a pub landlord means saying goodbye to any kind of work-life balance, is a common one.

From my experience, running any business, especially in the early days, is likely to have an impact on your home life; it is not a unique challenge to the pub business. In fact, I believe it is a growing problem no matter what industry or business sector people work in. I suppose there are factors in the pub trade which could arguably make it more challenging than other industries – the anti-social hours, finding staff who are willing to work these anti-social hours, needing to be contactable 24 hours for residents – it certainly isn’t easy!

What I have learnt is that I need to be strict with myself, learning to recognise what is urgent, what can be delegated and what you can leave until later is an important part of running a business. I have learnt the hard way that not allowing myself some proper time to switch off, only leads to ‘burn out’ which, lets be honest, isn’t good for anyone. That said, I am still learning how to ‘switch off’ and really make the time to be present and it’s not until the summer holidays hit, I really start to understand how real the juggle is.

I very recently took a week off and it is the first time in a while where I have felt like I could really switch off. I am very fortunate to have a trusted team of people around me, a team which has been built over the last five years or so and who, as individuals, all offer a range of strengths and talents. 

If you are a business owner, I would love to know your thoughts on work-life balance. Do you struggle to switch your brain off? Do you have any tips or tricks you turn to? Please get in touch and let me know.

One thing I would love to finish on, is a huge well done to the team at The Red Lion for their perfect CaskMarque score. They recently had a CaskMarque inspection and after a tour of the cellar and a couple of pints, they passed with flying colours. Plaque and certificate arriving soon, well done guys!

Big Love

Mark