Kim Kardashian frequently mentions the importance of her "work" and her "work ethic". We all know she doesn't really do anything that most people would consider work, but she completely respects what she does and she gets paid well from doing what she does. If she can respect her business with such confidence then how much more should you or I respect our business?
Most of us have been trained from a young age to be an employee and take orders. Unfortunately that means when we try to strike out on our own as entrepreneurs there is the temptation to slack and make excuses for not following through. I'm speaking to myself too when I say this, but I ask that you respect your business. When you hang your shingle and out and say, "I'm open for business" respect that decision you've made. Your business is just as important as any other business. The following are a few things to keep in mind when you find yourself not respecting your home based business.
Pretend you work for Someone else
I'm sure you have had a job at some point in your life. Think about how you behaved at that job and how you approached your work. Now sure sometimes one may slack off, but there are things that you wouldn't try to get a way with at work that you may allow yourself to do in your home-based business. So if you can respect the boss's business enough to show up for work and get your tasks done, apply that same ethic to your own business when working from home.
If it helps to pretend like you are working for someone else and that you have a boss looking over you then do that. You can even have an alter-ego that you name and call your "Boss". I wouldn't tell people about your "Boss" who is actually your alter-ego because they might just think you are crazy in a Sybil kind of way.
Hold yourself accountable
Another part of respecting your business is holding yourself accountable when you make promises to yourself and others. If you set out with a list of things to do for the day and you didn't do it, make the effort to get it done or be prepared to face consequences from your "Boss". As entrepreneurs we know the real consequence of not getting things done is stagnation in your business which is worse than being yelled at by a boss. But as humans we sometimes need that extra push.
Respect Your Time
Time is one of the limited resources we have that we don't even know how much we have ultimately. That means you should respect your own time. Be on time for your appointments and be prepared. Promptness is one of those basic things that customers expect from a professional.
Work the hours you said you would work. With having your own home-based business one of the benefits is being able to be flexible with your schedule. But with having a family and home responsibilities it's easy for that flexibility to get out of control. If your family is supposed to respect your work time, then you need to respect it first. You can get more done when you dedicate a chunk of time to your home business instead of just trying to fit things in throughout the day.
Respect Your Ability
When people find out they are talking to the owner of the business, they may try to negotiate on prices or even ask for freebies! You are running a business and offering something of value, don't let potential customers talk you out of what you think you deserve, especially if they want something free. Whether your business is doing make up or designing advertisements respect what you do and hold firm when you feel you have to. A little negotiation never hurt anyone and I don't suggest you lose a customer over holding firm, just don't make it a habit of giving things away or always discounting your prices when that is not what you intended.
In conclusion, in order to respect your business you need to respect yourself as a business person and as a professional. Don't fall into the trap of being the "nice boss" with yourself that lets you slack off. Being an entrepreneur, particularly in a home-based business requires constant self-motivation. Remember to respect your business, respect your time and respect your ability. It all starts with you.
Most of us have been trained from a young age to be an employee and take orders. Unfortunately that means when we try to strike out on our own as entrepreneurs there is the temptation to slack and make excuses for not following through. I'm speaking to myself too when I say this, but I ask that you respect your business. When you hang your shingle and out and say, "I'm open for business" respect that decision you've made. Your business is just as important as any other business. The following are a few things to keep in mind when you find yourself not respecting your home based business.
Pretend you work for Someone else
I'm sure you have had a job at some point in your life. Think about how you behaved at that job and how you approached your work. Now sure sometimes one may slack off, but there are things that you wouldn't try to get a way with at work that you may allow yourself to do in your home-based business. So if you can respect the boss's business enough to show up for work and get your tasks done, apply that same ethic to your own business when working from home.
If it helps to pretend like you are working for someone else and that you have a boss looking over you then do that. You can even have an alter-ego that you name and call your "Boss". I wouldn't tell people about your "Boss" who is actually your alter-ego because they might just think you are crazy in a Sybil kind of way.
Hold yourself accountable
Another part of respecting your business is holding yourself accountable when you make promises to yourself and others. If you set out with a list of things to do for the day and you didn't do it, make the effort to get it done or be prepared to face consequences from your "Boss". As entrepreneurs we know the real consequence of not getting things done is stagnation in your business which is worse than being yelled at by a boss. But as humans we sometimes need that extra push.
Respect Your Time
Time is one of the limited resources we have that we don't even know how much we have ultimately. That means you should respect your own time. Be on time for your appointments and be prepared. Promptness is one of those basic things that customers expect from a professional.
Work the hours you said you would work. With having your own home-based business one of the benefits is being able to be flexible with your schedule. But with having a family and home responsibilities it's easy for that flexibility to get out of control. If your family is supposed to respect your work time, then you need to respect it first. You can get more done when you dedicate a chunk of time to your home business instead of just trying to fit things in throughout the day.
Respect Your Ability
When people find out they are talking to the owner of the business, they may try to negotiate on prices or even ask for freebies! You are running a business and offering something of value, don't let potential customers talk you out of what you think you deserve, especially if they want something free. Whether your business is doing make up or designing advertisements respect what you do and hold firm when you feel you have to. A little negotiation never hurt anyone and I don't suggest you lose a customer over holding firm, just don't make it a habit of giving things away or always discounting your prices when that is not what you intended.
In conclusion, in order to respect your business you need to respect yourself as a business person and as a professional. Don't fall into the trap of being the "nice boss" with yourself that lets you slack off. Being an entrepreneur, particularly in a home-based business requires constant self-motivation. Remember to respect your business, respect your time and respect your ability. It all starts with you.
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