How do I juggle my small business with quality family time over the school holidays?

APPRENTICE star and West Ham United vice-chair Karren Brady answers your careers questions.

Here, she helps a reader who wants to balance running a small business whilst enjoying quality family time.

Q: I set up a small business after my youngest child started school, but I’m finding it quite hard to balance work with all the school holidays.

During term time, I feel like I’m making good progress, but now that the summer break is approaching, I’m worried I’ll lose my momentum.

I’ve looked into holiday clubs and will probably use those some days, but they’re really pricey.

Plus I really want some quality family time, too.

How do I juggle that with making my business successful?

Liz, by email

A: Balancing work and family responsibilities can be incredibly challenging, especially for small business owners who don’t have a team to support them.

But with some careful planning and a proactive approach, you should be able to find ways to manage your business while enjoying quality time with your family.

Create a schedule so you can see when you may need additional support, such as during the school holidays.

Be mindful about how much work you take on during the periods you know you will be busy with family responsibilities, plus give yourself longer for deadlines and manage your clients’ expectations.

Allocate specific blocks of time to work and for family activities, and be strict about sticking to these.

Talk to other parents to see how they manage, and try to coordinate dates with them to share childcare responsibilities.

While holiday clubs can be expensive, use them on days when you need focused work time.

Achieving a perfect balance between work and family life is an ongoing process.

Accept that some days will be more challenging than others, and don’t be too hard on yourself.

Good luck! 

• Got a careers question for Karren? Email bossingit@fabulousmag.co.uk.