The role of an entrepreneur demands an incredible amount of time, commitment and engagement. Marketing, sales, planning, customer engagement, logistics, and other duties will continually eat away at the hours of any work day. For good reason, all of those responsibilities are crucial to creating and maintaining a successful business. Without them, a company will suffer in a variety of ways. Often, those responsibilities can clash simply because an entrepreneur does not have enough time in their day to handle everything. Attempting to handle everything becomes a frantic game of whack-a-mole. A sense of unfinished work can begin to feel as if there is an itch that can never be scratched. However, if the work day ends and this feeling is present, is there anything more that can be done? Some have found it beneficial to spend their weekends focusing on work. While that can be productive work-wise, is it healthy? Author Catherine Pulsifier attempted to answer this question, "The gift of balance in your life - may you find the balance of life, time for work but also time for play. Too much of one thing ends up creating stress that no one needs in their life."
At the same time, keeping a business afloat and profitable is likely someone's livelihood. Therefore, it may be necessary to bite the weekend work bullet at times. We connected with business executives and asked them this question; should entrepreneurs work on the weekend?
It may not be efficient
Luca Capula is the CEO of Son of a Barista, a company which produces and markets Italian coffee machines and pods. He is of the belief that working on the weekends may not be the best use of a person's time.
"The problem with working on a Saturday or Sunday is that the traditional work world really only operates on a Monday through Friday basis. Attempting to accomplish anything on the external side of your company may not be entirely fruitless but seeing as phone calls or texts will likely go unanswered until Monday you may find yourself more frustrated than fruitful. Instead of adding days to your work week, it may be more rewarding to add hours to your existing days if possible."
Don't let work overtake you
Particle is a men's style company specializing in skin and hair care products. Their co-founder, Ayal Ebert, suggests to those considering or working weekends to be thoughtful about how much time they dedicate to their work.
"The reality is that running or operating a business comes with a significant amount of pressure probably from an assortment of sources. When there's pressure to perform or succeed, it can be difficult to step away from something that needs tending or may feel incomplete. But if work related responsibilities become the sole focus in your life you're likely to see other areas in your life such as family or social life suffer the consequences. Being well-rounded in life leads to much more contentment."
Work differently and creatively
Nancy L. Belcher Ph.D, MPA, is the co-founder of Winona, a women's health and wellness company. She advises entrepreneurs so set aside their regular responsibilities on the weekend and instead approach their business with reflection and creativity.
"Meetings, task lists, and conference calls quickly become routine and even mind numbing at times due to the repetitive and frequent nature of them. The weekend can be a wonderful time to take a break from these types of things but that doesn't mean you can't do something productive in your free time. I've found it helpful to do some critical thinking and evaluation in regards to my work during this time. Are there issues in my work life that need solving? Can I approach these in a different way? Are there things I could be doing differently throughout my work week to be more effective?"
Take time for others
Tinto Amorio is a beverage company with a focus on Spanish wine cocktails and spritzes. Their founder, Anish Patel, considers the weekend to be a wonderful opportunity to further both personal and professional relationships.
"Relationships of any kind are a key ingredient to leading a healthy and successful life. But, if you're inundated with the ins and outs of work, sustaining and growing those relationships becomes a much taller task. Taking the time to interact with family, co-workers, business partners or friends is an incredibly beneficial use of your time. Working all the time isn't healthy or sustainable for anyone."
It is subjective
Daniel Seehoff is the CEO of Sophistiplate, a home goods company specializing in kitchen and serveware. He believes that working on the weekend is a per-person discretion that has a variety of benefits.
"Working on the weekends should be completely up to the individual. Weekend work does allow for quieter and more alone time to hunker down. It allows for catching up on work that may have been pushed aside due to meetings or other projects, plus you are in control of how many hours you work on the weekend. Not an office."
Be wise with your health
Revela is a company featuring a hair loss treatment specifically designed for women. Evan Zhao is the co-founder and CEO while Cindy Le is the co-founder and COO. Le advises entrepreneurs to consider their personal well being when deciding how much they should work.
"A person experiencing health issues will see their work performance suffer. You only get one body and it's best to do all you can to ensure you're maintaining your health. The physical or mental stress associated with overworking can quickly lead to health issues which could plague you much longer than something like the common cold. Long-term health issues will surely derail your current level of productivity."
Is it more than work?
Lori Price is the founder of PixieLane, a women's clothing brand focused on serving mothers and daughters. She does not consider working on the weekend to be similar to clocking hours at a 9 to 5 job, if you are doing what you love.
"Often, an entrepreneur creates a startup or business endeavor because they are passionate about the service or product they're offering. It could be the fulfillment of an idea that took years to come to fruition or simply
Strike a balance
Outstanding Food is a plant based food company specializing in snacks. Their CEO, Bill Glaser suggests that entrepreneurs should work weekends with the caveat that they should find harmony between their work and personal life.
"There are times when entrepreneurs need to work on weekends because there might be a project that needs to be completed or a specific deadline that needs to be met. However, working every weekend can eventually take its toll. Everyone needs some time off and a healthy work-life balance. It is so important to try to keep up as healthy a lifestyle as possible, especially in light of the pandemic."
Don't let it disturb your week
Jordan Duran is the founder and designer for 6 Ice, a hip-hop jewelry brand featuring a variety of products. He believes that those who choose to work on the weekend should be wise to make sure that the time or effort they put in does not negatively affect their regular work week.
"The right kind of weekend work can position your company to be even more successful. However, the wrong kind of work can have a negative influence on your demeanor or stress levels. That negativity can easily follow you from Saturday or Sunday into Monday. How you start the week has a huge impact on what you can accomplish or even feel like you can accomplish. Don't let your drive to be productive get in the way of your existing productivity."
Creative management
Orgain is a food and nutrition company with a focus on clean and healthy eating. Their Sr. Director of Performance Marketing & E-Commerce, Jeff Goodwin, advises entrepreneurs to take advantage of their independence as it relates to when they work.
"The beauty of running your own business is the significant level of freedom that comes with it. Now, I don't recommend taking random days off whenever you feel like, but you can be clever in how you manage your working hours. If you're looking to have shorter days during the week you can make up the difference over the weekend. Something like this may increase your productivity as your focus isn't dulled by the longer work days. It can also make for a better work life balance."
Working on the weekend has its benefits and pitfalls. It can prove extremely beneficial but it may not be for everyone. No person or business is the same. Nor do they have the same needs. Managing time well is never an easy thing to do. But it is a requirement for those who wish to be successful. Michael Altshuler, the vice president of Jets.com, summed this up well, "The bad news is time flies. The good news is you're the pilot."
