smallbusiness.co.uk: Helping your business think big

The romantics among you may think that running your own business might be relaxing. After all, you’ll have the freedom of not having to answer to someone and, if it’s a particularly bright and sunny day, what could be better than shutting up shop to go and do your own thing?

But that riverside daydream doesn’t quite square with the facts. A recent survey carried out by Alliance & Leicester shows that small business owners are struggling to achieve one of the great myths of the 21st century – the “work-life balance”.

It’s a lie right up there with the “paperless office”. According to research, a quarter of small business owners that have been trading for over a year find themselves in the office for more than 50 hours a week.

Perhaps that’s not too surprising. In the beginning, when you’re the chief, cook and bottle washer, there’ll be no one to delegate tasks to. In fact, I’m surprised that the survey respondents aren’t working even longer hours.

Going it alone means taking on bags of responsibility and so you can fully expect to burn plenty of midnight oil. One day, sure, you may be able to sit back, relax and take long lunches while your employees scurry around doing all the hard graft, but that may be years away.

Besides, if you’re the entrepreneurial type, then sitting back and relaxing is probably your idea of hell.