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10th October is World Mental Health Day, and this year we’d like to focus attention on the new work/life balance ethos and its impact on small businesses. The pandemic has brought many challenges, including job loss, unemployment, and the closure of businesses. It has also forced people to re-evaluate their work/life balance and underscored the importance of mental health awareness. For many people, working from home has been a silver lining; it’s enabled them to start their own small businesses, turning a hobby into an income stream. This phenomenon has also created a new group of customers who need high-quality packaging for their candles, beauty products, jewellery and artisanal home décor products.

At Foldabox, we’ve always understood the importance of mental health and work/life balance, so our core management team has worked from home for more than 5 years. We also know that running a small business isn’t easy. We’re committed to providing our customers with the best possible packaging and accessorising products and hope our efforts will help make your life just a little bit easier.

The Importance of Work/Life Balance

The pandemic forced people to re-evaluate priorities and reconsider what’s truly important. For many, this has meant taking a closer look at work/life balance. Are you happy with the amount of time spent at work or travelling to and from? Do you have enough time for leisure activities and personal interests? Are you able to spend quality time with family and friends? The answer to these questions is different for everyone, but the pandemic has made many people realise that it’s time to make changes in order to achieve a better balance. If there’s anything vaguely positive to have come out of the pandemic then it’s the fact that openly talking about the need for a good work/life balance has entered the social dialogue and there’s now an expectation for it to better meet our needs.

The Phenomenon of Working from Home

Working from home has enabled many people to start their own small business, even on a part time basis. With lower overhead costs and no need for office space, working from home is an attractive option for entrepreneurs. In addition, it provides the flexibility to set less traditional working hours to take care of family commitments. Parents can now start their own business while still being available to take children to school, or participate in extracurricular activities.

Luckily there’s been a huge social change, working from home is no longer seen as unusual, or that somehow you’re not running a ‘proper’ business because you work from home.

This trend has increased the demand for high-quality packaging as many people turn to companies such as Etsy to grow their business opportunities. Many small business owners are looking for ways to stand out from the competition and packaging is one way to do that. At Foldabox, we offer a wide variety of packaging options and customisation that will impress your customers.

Charities Receive a 10% Discount

Pieta.ie is a charity close to our hearts, and in loving memory of Colm Hogan, we will be making a donation of £200.00 on 10th October. We are also very happy to support all charities with our 10% discount year-round, you just need to send an e-mail to support@foldabox.co.uk with your charity details, and we will provide a discount code to use, irrespective of spend level.

There are just some of the charities we work with:

4Louis
Féileacáin
Abbie’s Fund
Social Enterprise Scotland
Friends of Serenity
Maggie’s Stillbirth Legacy
Mecoco
Emily’s Star
Lily Mae Foundation
Seesaw
The Tiny Lives Trust
Hugs
Morgan’s Wings
Philip’s Footprints
Primrose Hospice

This October, take some time to focus on mental health and well-being, not just for ourselves but for those around us. Be kind. The time of national mourning following so soon after the impact of the pandemic has been difficult for everyone, and there are more challenges on the horizon, but if we help each other, we can work towards a more positive outlook.

If you've been thinking about starting your own business, now could be a perfect time. Reach out for some guidance if you’re unsure about your packaging requirements, and remember, starting your own business doesn’t have to be about diving in head first; start small and grow organically at a pace that works for you; it’s not a race. You only need to purchase a carton of 12 boxes to get the ball rolling!

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