When I meet business owners I can usually determine their level of success or mediocrity within the first five minutes of meeting them. The most successful are usually happy, upbeat, positive and enthusiastic about their lives and about their businesses. They love their work and they have a clear picture of where they are and where they are going.
Important elements to a successful business include making time for health, family and leisure. As a small business owner, I understand you’re already spending 12 – 14 hour days trying to keep your business going, however, with a little ingenuity you can still make time for the important things by dispelling several common myths:
Myth 1: I cannot leave my business because I am the only one who knows everything.
This is one of the biggest challenges for small business owners. Small business owners tend to micro-manage everything in their affairs. As Michael Gerber, author of the ‘E Myth’ book series says, “You are working in your business, and not on your business.” At some point, for your sanity, you will have to come to the realization that an employee will probably never do as good a job as you, and to be at peace with that conclusion.
Myth 2: I don’t have the time to get away from my business, there is just too much work to do.
No, you simply have failed to plan for leisure time. Again, this requires ingenuity and a specific mindset. For instance, I am sure you did not intend to be a slave to your business when you decided to become an entrepreneur, so it is critical to identify what leisure means to you and plan for it.
Myth 3: In order for me to have sufficient value for my leisure time, I would need a week off – and that is impossible for me, as a business owner.
Again, hogwash! Just a few minutes away from your business (daily); a day off (weekly); and a long weekend (quarterly), will do wonders for your attitude and psyche. You can easily get away for an hour during the day, even if it means that you hang a shingle in the door saying, “Either a 30 minute break or slit my wrists, back at xxxx.” (Yes, customers have a sense of humor and will probably rib you about it later!). But just make sure you are back at the designated time.
Your level of enthusiasm and passion about your business is reflected by how you live in your personal life. Your attitude – whether it’s happy and relaxed or anxious and uptight – will also be reflected in how you respond to people and situations in your business. Attitude becomes manifest through your behavior, which is why it’s a good idea to make time for health, family and leisure.
Article Author: Roy Prevost is an internationally recognized retail trainer, keynote speaker and customer service activist. He is the author of Turbocharge Your Retail Business: How to Outmaneuver and Outperform the Big Guys. Roy has spent the last 25 years working in and with thousands of businesses worldwide helping them grow their business and increase revenues by showing them how to compete in a hyper-competitive world through relationship building and going the extra mile with customers. He is passionate about turning business owners into ‘Customer Service Superstars’. Click Here to receive your complementary guide: 10 Topics to Discuss Before You Hire a Web Design Company.
Article Resources:
Turbocharge Your Retail Business: How to outmaneuver and outperform the big guys by Roy Prevost
Photo Source: courtesy of Stuart Miles / Free Digital Photos