Talk to any small business owner and they’ll tell you that they spend at least 4 hours working over the weekend.  Talk to the spouse of the same business owner and they’ll tell you that it’s more like 12 hours.  This non-billable time includes:

• thinking about accounts receivable while you watch a game on TV.
• wondering (while in the shower) if your accountant is doing everything they can to reduce tax liability.
• considering the conference call you have scheduled for Monday morning while you take your daughter to a birthday party.

During regular business hours, most creative business owners have a job to do.  They might be editing, directing, or putting a bid together, so there is no time to consider business growth while running the business.

So when and where is the right time to brainstorm?  I’ve watched plenty of MSNBC biographies to know that really successful people tend to put family low on their priority list.  Does this mean family time is just a casualty of a successful business?

I believe thinking about work over the weekend is unavoidable, so you might as well embrace those moments.  But instead of getting distracted by inspiration, capture it.  Write down your thoughts and questions over the weekend and then set aside time in during the week to pursue the answers.  Dream about your company’s future on your time.  Execute your vision on company time.