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The work/life balance concept
Work-life balance is a new initiative in the halls of Parliament. The Department of Labour is currently wrapping up a major government campaign to get New Zealanders to contribute their views, experiences and ideas about what currently works for them, and what more could be done, to help juggle the demands of work and life outside of work. A public consultation exercise has been underway to draw together a picture of a wide range of work-life issues and how they affect individuals and organisations throughout New Zealand. (www.worklife.govt.nz).

What's missing in your life?
Work-life balance is

an ever-illusive reality for many modern business owners - and home-based businesses are no exception. Our reasons for starting a home based business are as varied as the businesses we operate, and much of our reasoning has at its root the desire to more effectively balance our work and our non-work lives. More time with the family, freedom from office politics, opportunity to be our own boss, reaping the rewards for our hard work, or perhaps running with an idea that no one else in our former company could get excited about. We're told that we'll have to work hard, put in long hours, and that many of us won't survive 5 years. So we work hard, put in the long hours, and somehow, in the excitement and fear of starting out on our own, the monster takes over and we find ourselves struggling with the increasing demands of work, home, and family - and frantically trying to pin down that ever shifting line in the sand which dictates where work ends and home starts. Any thoughts of work balance, let alone life balance, get swiftly buried under a mountain of paperwork and the 'experts' who tell us that working longer and harder are the only way to achieve business success and growth. Well sit back, relax, and breathe easier - there is another way. You can do business very successfully, and achieve that work life balance you're looking for, on part-time, flexible hours.

Get over that nasty notion - 'part time work'
Prior to the industrial revolution the majority of the world's population were working part time, in home based businesses. Today, as the pendulum swings back again, it is becoming increasingly popular to work part time, have a portfolio career, telecommute, work in a contract position, or work from home. Current and future shifts in demographics, family composition, technology, business needs, and customer desires will continue to benefit businesses who are timely and flexible in the delivery of their goods and services. Many businesses are realising that increased productivity and customer satisfaction are not necessarily positively linked to longer staff hours. Home based businesses have a distinct advantage over larger companies, if they choose to use their flexibility and the uniqueness of their situation to attract and retain customers and deliver on their promises.