Balancing Work And The Bike..

Before you start reading this post I want to make it clear that I know how lucky I am to do the job I do and this is not a moan of any description.
I worked shifts in a factory for 22 years before deciding to take my life in a different direction with the purpose of having a job I enjoy and I am passionate about.
To get to this point I risked everything I had worked 22 years for and have made many sacrifices in the 2 years to get Onix to where it is now.


Anyone who has started there own business will say the same thing no matter what field they are in. Its long hours and 100% commitment for no return for a long part of the start up phase. The staggering statistic that 80% of start up business's fail in the 1st year is testament to how hard it is.


So here I am nearly 2 years down the line from when the initial idea for Onix Bikes first popped into my head.


If the truth be known in those 2 years I have never switched off from Onix Bikes, even if I want to I find it hard to stop thinking about new ideas,designs,business strategys or whatever it is. In this age of modern technology like smartphones and laptops it is possible to stay connected to your business like an umbilical cord 24/7. Is this a good thing?? Maybe for your business but what about your health and your time with your family.


A couple of recent rides with Ken Jones from Bioracer have really got me thinking about the amount of time I spend working on Onix. Ken is also very busy with his own business but he always makes time to ride his bike which is the one thing we all love to do at the end of the day.
On one of the aforementioned rides where I was struggling to keep up,feeling overweight and unfit he said to me
"Craig,organise your work around your bike, not your bike around your work"


One of the few main reasons for starting up Onix Bikes is that I would get to ride my bike more. The truth is that 2011 has seen me post the least amount of miles since I started cycling back in 2003.
While I have been dwelling on this in the last 2 weeks I have realised that a lot of the work could easily wait 3-4hrs while I get a ride in and switch off and relax out on the bike. I actually believe that this is a very important for me in 2012 because if I carry on like this and not switching off from the business at times  its not going to be good for my health or family life in the long term.


So im making a very early New Years Resolution that 2 mornings a week are going to be dedicated to getting out on my bike and spend as much time at weekends with the family.
I cant wait to start and look forward to having that feeling again where you know you have good legs and know im going to enjoy the ride rather than knowing its going to be a struggle from start to finish.


Craig