I just read a blog entry by Brian Tracy about bringing balance back into life, and I realized that I am guilty of letting my life control what I do instead of being in control of my time. Have you ever felt that way?

Having a home business can easily take all of your extra time, and although it is important to spend time building you business, it’s just as important to sit back and think about why we are doing this in the first place. It’s to have a fun and happy life with the people we love.

Lately I have fallen into the trap of spending every spare minute I have in front of the computer talking to people about network marketing and building my business. I didn’t really even realize I was doing this until I read Tracy’s article. I feel so lucky I came across it. I recently became engaged and should be spending time with my fiancé and our families. My reason for even having a home business is to create a happy and secure life and I have been putting that all at risk by making our relationship second to my business.

So where do you draw the line? Just how are you supposed to make your business successful without spending all your time building it?

In order to make your business truly successful you have to understand that it’s a long term commitment and not something that is going to happen over night. Most people will burn out long before they reach success if they spend every waking minute trying to achieve that success. However, if you create an organized, consistent plan of action it becomes easier to to get in to a routine which ultimately cuts the amount of time needed to spend on your business, giving you more time to do the things you want to do.

Set a schedule. I know most of you out there have heard this from your upline sponsor but this is definitely a tried and true method to success. Why is it important? An average American works between 40-60 hours a week, tack on commuting time and you have a very limited amount of free time. It’s important to control your time by fully focusing on what you are doing at that moment and not allowing outside distractions.

The first thing you should put on your schedule is time with your family or friends. When you first get home from work, don’t immediately go to your computer to check your email. If you are married, spend 30 minutes with them now to talk about the days events. Fully focus on the person, don’t read the newspaper or have the tv on. Give your undivided attention to get the most out of your time together.

What you schedule next is up to you. You can either spend more time with your family or set a block of time to work on your business. Whatever you decide to choose make sure you are 100% there. Try not to think about your business when you are spending time with your family, and don’t think about your family when you are working on your business. You’ll find that you will be extremely productive and are able to get more done in a shorter amount of time.

It’s important to stick to this schedule. If you don’t create routine you will never be able to achieve lasting success. It takes hard work and commitment and people who are only trying to get rich quick without putting in any work will fail.

Lastly, give more than you get. This applies to both business and family. By giving yourself to people, and by really truly helping other’s you will become the leader that people will flock towards. Your family will be happier, you will be happier, and in the end your bank account will be a happier as well.

At the end of the day, all we have is our friends and family. Remember to spend the time to create real memories, and whether or not you make a single dime in this industry, you will have a happy and meaningful life.