When you run your own business - It's hard to switch off.

There is always something to do and call coming in, which is good because it keeps the business growing.

But what if you died tomorrow…….

Would all your customers continue to give your family money to support them?

Would they call round and take them on holiday?

Not a chance, you wouldn't expect them to, most of them don't even know you have a family.

What's the priority in life? To be the best tradesman in your neighbourhood or the best father to your children?

Ask yourself that question - then after listening to this podcast, make a few changes today.

Tool box talk for electricians - helping electricians reduce stress - gain back time and earn more money.

Hello and welcome back to the tool box talk for electricians podcast - Im ben poulter your host and spend my life always needing a holiday.

Working for yourself is stressful sometimes, especially when there is a lot going on, with customers relying on you to be completed on a deadline.

The shop may have to open, the work in that area can only be done for a few weeks…

The power cannot be off for long.

Just a few problems electricians have to deal with.

So many tradesmen find it hard to shut off from work, even when they do find time to go on holiday.

Customers still email, call and text about work.

Then there's the work. If a good customer does go elsewhere and get another electrician, will they come back to you?

That is something out of your control, you will never be able to stop customers shopping around - so if they do, let them.

This has happened to me before, I was away for a while and a couple of my customers couldn't wait - so called another electrician.

One completely messed the job up, and another couldn't fix it anyway.

The only reason I know is because the customer had to get me around when I was back.

Lesson learnt by those customers, because if they asked if I could recommend a good electrician - I know 10 they could choose from.

Even when you meet a new customer, advise them to get a few quotes from other electricians.

This is something I always do, sometimes I don't really want the job, you get a feeling from a customer that there is going to be a pain - so you try to get out of that one.

But running your own business it is hard to shut it all off.

Physically you can not answer emails and turn your phone off - but mentally your mind is still ticking over about the 2nd fix you need to do when you get back.

You need to find a way to shut it all out - stop worrying about work and concentrate on living.

Somebody asked me once, do you live to work or work to live.

This got me thinking, because if I didn't get paid the money I do for the work I did - I wouldn't do it.

I'm not saying being an electrician isn't enjoyable, and I do like the fact that the work I do could potentially save someone's life in one way or another - but I wouldn't do it for free.

I was talking to my cousin once at motocross, he runs a very busy business and he said that when he is on the bike he can't think about work.

He needs to think about how fast he's going, is he going to make the jump, will he come off on the corner….

Your mind totally shuts off from work, you have no choice.

On the road, yes you can daydream and think about things, but with an extreme sport your forced to forget and just have fun.

That's living, that's doing something you enjoy for YOU.

Fantastic for your mental health, but sometimes not so good for your physical body - there might be a few accidents every now and again.

It is a concern that customers can't get hold of you when you're on holiday. So set your voicemail up to say your on holiday - Set your email up to an auto response that you're away.

That's the best you can do, then leave your phone in the car at the airport or wherever you go, better still turn it off.

I have had it before where a person would ring, get the voicemail that i'm on holiday and still continue to call.

8 missed calls, when I returned from holiday, they said I knew you were on holiday but I thought you could talk me through what to do.

This is when you realise that some people just don't care. YOU are an Electrician and they have an electrical problem.

They may have paid you for work in the past, so now any electrical problem they have YOU are the one who has to drop everything to sort it out.

For some customers it's a tough lesson to learn - it doesn't work like that in my world.

Half the stress of running your own business is trying to please everyone. You soon find out that it's not possible.

You give a little, and some people will always expect more.

Planning your work will help you be able to switch off. Most holidays are booked a good amount of time in advance - Plan to take a few days off before.

If you're like me, in those few days you will always find something to do, a kitchen to 2nd fix, a fuse board that needs changing, there is always something.

This is why tradesmen get burnt out and feel it's a lot easier working for someone else, let them deal with the stress and you just turn up and get paid by the hour.

The only problem with that is that the boss is making that much on you per hour for doing nothing.

I would want a bigger piece of that pie.

A good idea would be to have a pot, maybe a savings account. Every now and again put £50 in that pot.

When you feel things are getting a bit stressful, dip into the pot and plan a holiday, it doesn't even have to be long.

The amount of times I have travelled to the beach for the day, sometimes with the family other times just with the dog.

There is something about sitting by the sea with nothing to do that makes me relax.

It doesn't take long before I think I could go for a swim or go hire a surfboard - but it's being there and doing something for you that counts.

All work and no play makes anybody unhappy.

There is only one thing guaranteed in this life, and that's that you're going to die one day.

Dont regret not having time to do things you want in life, plan to make those dreams come true.

The only question is now - What are you going to do about it NOW, not tomorrow, not next week NOW.