Defining the work-life balance
It can undoubtedly be tough for women to manage a successful career and business and still have a life. It requires dedication and setting your priorities straight.
YASHMITA Bhana is a successful entrepreneur, mother of three children and beneficiary of The Innovator Trust. A resident of the South, she has managed to master the work-life balance.
She is also the founder and managing director of Nihka Consulting and manages projects in excess of R300 million in a highly complex environment.
READ MORE HERE: https://nihka.co.za/
“You can have it all but just not at the same time. At different stages of my life, I’ve had to either focus more on business or more on family. Therefore I believe you design your life according to what is appropriate for you at the time,” said the businesswoman.
After homework and putting her children to bed, she continues her work on her laptop again, finishing emails, sending important tasks to staff or finalising proposals.
“Each day is different. There have been days where I have gone to a movie all by myself so that I could just clear my head and start afresh. But there are also days where I’ve worked through the night and survived on no sleep the next day,” she said.
For Yashmita, technology can be both a blessing and a curse.
“Being in a tech business, I know how it enables productivity, and so we had to implement a ‘no-screen-time rule’ in our home. Every day we have a two-hour break from any technology so that we feel connected to one another on a human level. It has definitely improved our family quality time,” said Yashmita.
READ MORE HERE: https://www.innovatortrust.co.za/
When you are an entrepreneur and truly passionate about your company and its sustainability, it’s unrealistic to put pressure on yourself to do it all.
According to Yashmita, it is this ability to delegate that frees her up to concentrate on business growth and allows her team to grow in their skills. It not only helps her avoid burnout, but also empowers the team to make decisions.
“The trick here is letting go and trusting. As you find the right people who align with your work ethic and values, you feel more and more comfortable to delegate,” she advised.
Family time in the Bhana house is always a lot of fun and very much non-negotiable. It often means preparing supper with the children or playing a board game. The family enjoys watching Masterchef and playing Masterchef in the kitchen almost every day. Their love for board games causes much competition in the home, and playtime can get pretty heated, but Yashmita enjoys the time set aside for family.
How does she juggle a successful career and still live life to the full?
“I have learnt to do that which aligns with my values because that makes me feel happy and helps me decide what is most important at the time,” she said.
“The Innovator Trust has played a major role in the success of my business. We have seen the benefits from their tailored Enterprise Development Programme in realising our vision to become a leading ICT solutions company,” she added.
“I love my company and team. I love my clients and our relationships. So my business is important and by choice I spend a lot of hours building it.
“I love my family and I absolutely prioritise my time with them. Furthermore, I love my charity work and I have found a way to combine work, family and charity work all in one,” she explained.
More about The Innovator Trust
The Innovator Trust was formed to grow small black-owned businesses in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector and to help develop competent SMMEs through training, skills sharing and infrastructure support.
The Innovator Trust’s mission is to provide a tailored development programme for selected, established small businesses in the ICT sector. Through training, mentorship, networking and infrastructure support, The Innovator Trust is helping to create ICT leaders of the future.
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