"Sometimes my husband, who is also my boss in the business, stresses me out, or it's the children or inhospitable customers", pays andrea hertling (metallbau hertling, gobmannsberg) to. She organizes the entrepreneurial women's meeting at the kreishandwerkerschaft forchheim (district craftsmen's association).
At the youngest meeting in the wiesentgarten ebermannstadt the topic was "stress management" in the center. The women are married to the entrepreneurs of the region and support them by doing office work, being contact persons for the customers or managing the company and the families.
"We keep our partners' backs open", confirm bianka wiemann from the metal construction company zocher in forchheim and sabine biermann from object construction biermann in bammersdorf. She admits that it was not easy for her when her husband started his own business two years ago.
Not alone with the prpblems
The exchange is good for the women. "You usually think that you are the only one with the problem. It's good to know that others have these issues too", said katarina lange from the carpenter's workshop lange in ebermannstadt. The ladies start with a stress diagnosis and consider what or who is stressing them out. These can be partners, children, household or customers.
"Many customers consider their problem to be the most important. But it is not possible that we leave everything and print out quickly", says helga thummet from schreiner thummet in neunkirchen. Andrea hertling recounts that a trainee who refused to complete her training almost made her ill. "Then you have to set limits and think about yourself and the company. That's why we exempted the girl", she reported. Although she has a successful partnership with her husband, she also has to set limits here. "You have to consistently take time for each other. You have to talk about partnership, not about children or jobs, pays andrea hertling on.
That's why she advises the women entrepreneurs to represent their different roles. "When was the last time you were praised?? Or is it automatically assumed that you will always work"?, she asked in the round. The ladies have to admit that it is difficult to maintain a balance between work and private life.
"We have to position ourselves in our roles to be recognized by husband, boss, parents, in-laws, children or customers", andrea hertling summarizes. That's why it's important to set limits, introduce fixed rules and stick to time management – also in private life. "And keep asking yourself what makes you happy. And you do that every now and then", she summarizes.
Difficult balancing act
But it is not so easy. "It's difficult to reconcile family and work," she says, katarina long and betrayed that her husband is attached to his company with heart and soul. She was on parental leave until recently, but is now supporting her husband in the office again. "I like being home for christmas. But my husband wanted to go away, because he can't spend a vacation at home, since we live right next door to the company", she reported.
Sabine biermann also didn't want to bring the stress of work home to the kids. "One of my husband's first clients was in luxembourg", she tells. He had to visit it regularly. During this time, sabine biermann was on her own. "I didn't know if I could handle it, but I can, because I want to support him", she says, saying that their time together is more important than material success.
At the end of the meeting, the businesswomen are satisfied. They want to think for themselves at home, what makes them happy, what their own goals are and which path to balance is right for them.