Martz Witty
Head of the Martz Group.
www.martz.co.nz
Okay so let’s really talk about the elephant in the room. Running a business and keeping your mental health stable.
Is an accountant really qualified to help keep your mental state appropriate? Hmmm… maybe not. But… typically your advisor is aware of the business factors. By nature there comes an awareness of the mental issues that might come with dealing with IRD (especially if in arrears etc.).
Business is not always plain sailing – and on that note, a quick congrats here to Team New Zealand and the America’s Cup. In business we entail unexpected head winds, cut-offs and accidents.
It’s no different. It’s about being aware of the environment and responding appropriately to it.
The secret is being aware that things won’t (always) go to plan, and then having a course of action when this happens.
Maintaining one’s mental health and stability falls somewhat outside of what we are taught as we come though university and qualify as accountants and advisors.
But it is a very real aspect to life in the business world.
That said, an awareness and open line of communication is essential. Your advisors are there to keep you on the straight and narrow in respect of business.
That is how to get more clients of the type you want, how to get them back more often, how to increase prices or margins and how to be more effective in business processes.
That is (relatively speaking) the easy part. The more difficult part is how to achieve that whilst keeping and maintaining a significant other relationship, raising children, and staying involved in your spiritual or social events.
Make sure your advisor has a holistic bent. They won’t necessarily have all the answers, but they need an awareness.
Through this awareness they should have contacts to help you, to work with you to achieve ultimate work/life balance.
There is no point having the best and most beautiful business if your personal life is in tatters (yes a personal opinion).
The most important thing is to have someone to share your thoughts with. Maybe that’s a significant other, a colleague, a coach, an advisor.
Just make sure you are heard and listened to. It is important. For you, for your family, for your business.
