G I T T E RANDRUP
HR BUSINESS PARTNER, CONSULTANT/ RECRUITER, BLOGGER
Copyrighted by Gitte Randrup
Finding alternative ways to achieve a balanced life About one year ago, I was a candidate to become a member of an entrepreneurial network whose members acted as each other’s advisory board. As a new entrepreneur, I immediately thought that it would be a great idea to become part of a group of like-minded people, with whom I could share all the challenges and joys of the freelance life.
“But I soon sensed, at the coffee meeting, that I wasn’t the ideal candidate because I couldn’t live up to the 60-70 hours per week that they thought were necessary to start up a business.”
I knew that it would never be realistic for me, as I have hyperthyroidism. To keep the disease at bay, I have to save energy, relax and achieve balance in life.
From experience, I knew that 4 years of part-time study in addition to work–meaning a workweek of 60-65 hours–had taken its toll. I also knew that my future goal was to create a rich work/life balance. In our society, it seems as though the actual number of hours worked is important. Essentially, the more hours, the better.
I’ve experienced that in workplaces and industries that appreciate late working hours. But what those people who work quickly and efficiently to get their duties done? It seems as though their work isn’t appreciated unless they’re sitting on their chairs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.—or longer. Getting the job done is doable without working 60-70 hours every week. Some people choose to be freelancers because they want more family time, spare time or whatever it may be.
“An entrepreneurial success story isn’t only the one about 2 young men who start their business in a basement and live on toast while they work 24 hours a day to create a multimilliondollar company. It’s also the story about the person who wants a more peaceful and quiet life, who works less and has more family time.”
For me, it means the possibility of living a
more balanced life over which I have control. The price I pay is that it takes more time and I use my savings. It’s a personal choice for the individual entrepreneur. But there are surefire ways to live a better life as a freelancer. One of them is to ask for the price you’re worth and to not compare yourself with others. It takes courage but it’s also about knowing the value you give to your customers. I update my knowledge on an ongoing basis within my field (which is HR) by attending conferences, courses and breakfast meetings.
It can be frustrating to be on your own with everything. As a solo entrepreneur, you do all the work yourself and you’re the only one to solve all the issues. But there’s a solution to this–for example, to pay someone to help you. I know people who swap services, so to speak. One is a communication expert and the other is in online marketing. Another decision I’ve made is to work until only 3:00 or 3:30 p.m. This allows me to take a break in the afternoons on days when I want to practice my hobbies in the evening. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have the energy for my extracurricular activities.
An OECD research study conducted between 1990-2012 and examining the relationship between hours worked and productivity shows that the more hours one works, the less one’s labor
output. It also shows that productivity is highest when employees spend fewer hours working. So, I think it’s possible to have a more balanced life that includes less work. It’s only your creativity that is setting the boundaries! ~Gitte Randup http://grconsult.dk/en/
Gitterandrup Gitterandrup
Gitte Randrup is an HR expert based in Copenhagen, Denmark, and the founder of GR Consult. She is an advisor and HR Business Partner to managers on a wide range of HR subjects, such as recruiting, onboarding and organization and management. Her vision is to create mutually satisfactory long-term working relationships between employers and employees combining business needs and strategy with the wants of the employees. Gitte holds university degrees within HR, Organization & Management and Languages. She has worked with HR in companies, such as GEA and Nordea.
She is also an HR expert blogger on the Danish online debate forum Amino with more than 100,000 debaters and readers. http://grconsult.dk/en/ LinkedIn: Gitterandrup FB: @Gitterandrup
http://grconsult.dk/en/
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