ALL WORK AND NO PLAY FOR MERSEYSIDE’S BUSINESS OWNERS

AS the summer holiday season draws to a close, Merseyside’s business owners have been left wondering ‘where did the summer go?’ with many too busy checking into the office to check in for holidays.

A recent study, undertaken by BT Business Office Anywhere, July 2007, has found that 39% of owners and directors take less than 15 days holiday per year, with 80% of those surveyed commenting that they felt they were needed in the office, and 60% too concerned at missing out on new business opportunities to take time out.

For those who do manage to get away the quality of break is compromised by constantly checking e-mails, taking calls from the office or dealing with customers.

However, Business Link Northwest, the government’s business information and support service for the region, is warning that this approach to working life is a long term recipe for burn-out and, as part of its Just Ask campaign, has put together a much needed guide to help small business owners to regain their work-life balance.

Comments Janine Smith, Train to Gain Team Leader for the Northwest:- “The fact is that business owners are doing themselves no favours by being a slave to their jobs – as the quality and productivity of their work will drop. The constant day to day treadmill of working life can be hard to get off, but with the right support and systems in place all business owners should be able to get away from the office – if only for a weekend!”

To help business owners to let go and jet off Business Link has developed an easy to use online guide, which provides businesses with step by step information on how to manage their own work-life balance.

Continues Smith:- “The ‘it has to be me’ mentality of many small business owners can be combated by introducing simple changes to every day life such as time management discipline and delegation skills.

Business owners can then enjoy time away from work safe in the knowledge that the workplace will still be standing when they return.

Our website has a full range of support information for businesses looking to make the change and begin to tackle the issue of work-life balance.  There are some great tips and a range of ways to make sure that it’s not all work and no play for the region’s business owners!”

CREAMFIELDS 07
Report and photograph by Dionne Ankrah

WOW! Creamfields 2007 has got to be the best yet. On the Main Stage were headliners the Chemical Brothers who as usual put on a brilliant performance, tents emptied just before they were due to perform and as they came on stage thousands of arms were up in the air and a huge cheer erupted. Another group who were on top form were Groove Armada, definitely one of my favourites of the night and judging from the amount of people that flocked to the stage they were a big crowd pleaser. Kelis was a disappointment after shouting hello Manchester by mistake she received a huge boo from the crowd, her set was very short and the songs she chose were not her well known ones, but all in all the live performances and line-up were formidable.

As well as the live acts Creamfields also enlisted the cream of the crop when it came to DJ’s, in the Cream & Goodgreef tent were Eddie Halliwell, Gareth Wynn and the master of techno Carl Cox, but the one that raised the roof was Ferry Corsten with a brilliant set which had everyone screaming for more. There was that much too choose from you were scared of moving to the other tents in case you missed something, so as I can’t name all the DJ’s that performed I’ll name just few. David Guetta, Erick Morillo and Anton Powers who performed in the Subliminal Sessions tent were excellent one of the hardest tents to get in to as it was packed; Beatdown was another tent which included a set by Mark Ronson who also performed live on the Main Stage, a man of many talents. Chibuku had Annie Mac and Felix da Housecat very uplifting with brilliant sounds.

Last but by no means least was Hed Kandi Hospitality Arena, the music was fantastic with DJ’s Phil Faversham and Miss Kelly Marie. As DJ’s were doing their thing there was live instruments from Laura on Sax and Pav on Percussion the sound blended together from both was like nothing you have heard before. All in all it was a brilliant night with mind blowing music. Creamfields is an event that is fresh and unique I can’t see anyone ever topping it.