#DENStartupWeek Blog Post: Tips to Balance Home & Work Life

Hey Entrepreneurs!  This week we're interviewing folks at Denver Startup Week since ​many entrepreneurs work from home. This allows them to work around their family and spend more time with their children. It allows stay at home parents to raise their small children and contribute to the family's bottom line and change the world. It can be wonderful for college students who are launching, too. However, it can be very difficult to balance work and home, especially if they share the same table! Hear what Mentors at Denver Startup Week 2015 have to say:

From the Mentors & Pros at Denver Startup Week:
Q:  What's the best way you balance work and home life?
Answers:
Tom Higley, Founder, 10.10.10, "Don't try to balance it and work from home."
Perry Evans, Founder of MapQuest, "Get up at 5am so you can have real evening with family."
​Kirsten Blake, ChapterBe.com,  "Create a specific space in your house for work."
Tami Door, DowntownDenver.com,  "There is no balance, there's just life and you live it."
Chris Franks, Growth Executive, "Make sure you have a 'firm' scheduled date night and family night."

Here's some additional tips for entrepreneurs to balance home & work life.

• Set working hours. Figure out when you are going to work and stick to it. Many people work when their children are at school or taking naps. However, you need to make sure that your family knows your working hours and won’t interrupt you!  Or, just incorporate your work into your personal life.
• Set your own office space. It is really hard to work from home if you use the kitchen table. Instead, try to find a space that is just your own so you can leave whatever you are working on out. It will also help if you can shut the door when you are finished and you don’t have to look at your projects sitting out when you walk by.  Like they all said above.
• Spend quality time with friends & family. You are going to have to find ways to stop thinking about your business so you can just sit and enjoy spending time with your family.  Hell, make your mentors your friends to kill two birds with one stone.

The best way to balance your home and business life is to set working hours and stick to them. It also helps if you have your own space to work so you can just shut the door on it when you are done. Then, be sure to spend plenty of time with those you love without worrying about your business.  Or spend it with those that love you AND your business. You work hard so you deserve it!

Launch your business by applying to the Handshakin Pre-accelerator.