How to Strike a Balance Between Home and the Restaurant Ep 76

In the demanding restaurant industry, it's easy to find yourself consumed by the day-to-day operations of your restaurant. There is so much to do every day from the small tasks like opening the restaurant and pulling the cash drawers to big tasks like hiring employees and calculating dollars per labor hour worked. It can be hard to prioritize your personal life and remember there is a world outside your restaurant.

Think about it. How many life events have you missed because you had to be at the restaurant? How many graduations, birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, kid’s sporting events, dates and movie nights have you missed because you had to be in the restaurant? Do you know what that short list represents? Irreplaceable moments in your life!

In the episode of my podcast, The Restaurant Prosperity Formula, I’m going to talk about why you must create time for your personal happiness and three things that have to happen to make this your reality.

When I was a kid, I would have at least two Thanksgiving dinners. One on Thanksgiving dinner at a friend's house and the second on the first day my mother, step-father and sister had off because they all worked on Thanksgiving in the restaurant. That’s the reality of a family in the restaurant industry.

But does it really have to be that way?

Here’s the harsh truth: Life doesn't give second chances on missed moments. These moments are priceless and fleeting. In the restaurant business, the risk of missing out is all too real. Yes, your restaurant needs your attention, but so does your personal life. We must always remind ourselves of the cost of missed moments because you don’t get a second chance at these milestone moments in life.

Personal happiness shouldn't be a luxury - it's a necessity. We all deserve moments of joy and relaxation. But in the rush of railed tickets, product management, and providing a great hospitality experience, you might ask – where's the time for happiness?

Well, the trick is not to find but to create that time. Here are three things that have to happen to make this your reality.

1. You must have an implementer! I talk about this so much because that right-hand person is vital to delegating and taking much of the day-to-day work off your plate.
2. You must have systems in place. This is another thing I talk about endlessly because systems ensure anyone can run your restaurant how you want it done when you’re not there.
3. You must schedule the time for you just like any appointment you would have on your calendar.

I encourage you to listen to this podcast episode to get more details on these three items. Plus, I share the success stories of other restaurant owners who have followed these three steps and now have time for their personal obligations and time for themselves.

Click the podcast player above to listen in, or you can watch the video on YouTube, click here to download the latest episode.