I have been in private practice for almost 10 years. I am living my dream; I do what I like to do, the hours I work are the hours I choose to work, and I can often take time off to play with my family or enjoy a friend if I want to.
But, like most self-employed people, I’m a tough boss, and as a small business owner, I have a lot more to do than just ‘work’. As I write this, I’m also making lasagna so my husband has something he likes to eat while I’m out of town for the next few days, working. I also need to fold the clothes that are in the dryer so I can take care of some last minute items that I want to pack for my trip. Tomorrow I’m going to get up a little earlier than I need to so I can get a quick workout, then I’ll make sure I have my suitcase packed and in the car before I see my first client in the morning, because when I’m not at school, I’m going straight out to the airport for my trip. During the trip, if I have all my studies for classes finished, I can start working on my articles and my newsletter which is due soon. I must have all my registrations done for my clients before I leave tomorrow as well.
If you own your own business, this probably sounds pretty familiar to you. If you’re just starting out, yes, it sounds scary, and there are definitely days when you’ll wonder what the hell you’re doing, but I’m still here to tell you that it’s worth it.
Women-owned businesses are the fastest growing segment of small business owners in the country. Between 1997 and 2004, the estimated growth rate in the number of women-owned businesses was almost double that of all businesses. According to the Small Business Association, there are currently 9.1 million women-owned businesses, employing 27.5 million people and contributing $3.6 trillion to the economy. If you’re a woman and have considered starting your own business, the timing couldn’t be better!
Women are also diversifying into all industries. Construction, manufacturing and transportation have been the largest recent increases in women-owned businesses, though services and retail still account for the largest share. Women are more prepared today to run businesses. The amount of management experience, education, business income, and employment profiles these women have after 10 years of experience is equal to what it took 20 years in the past. Women in business are now equal to men in these respects.
As mentioned above, while there are more successful women in business now, we have a lot more on our plate than just running the business. For women with families, the challenge is successfully juggling all those responsibilities that go along with running a household that men have traditionally been able to eliminate while running a business for themselves. So while you’re at it all, here are some tips on how to keep your business running and thriving and keep your sanity at the same time.
Interrupt handling
Some women run their business from home. This is what I do, because a lot of my practice is email based. One big interruption that can be quite disruptive is the phone. When customers call, you want to present a professional face to your business. There are several advantages to having a separate commercial line installed in your home. First of all, if you can’t answer the phone, personally, you won’t have family members to answer. Imagine her 7 year old son answering the phone… Or her husband takes a message and then misses the number or misspelled it. These two examples send a shiver down my spine. Another advantage is that you can have ‘private’ time and know that when you answer your personal phone at night, you are not an attention-grabbing potential customer.
For people who have an office and still struggle with phone interruptions, set aside time for yourself that is just for projects. Two options for handling phone calls are to get the call display feature on your phone so you can determine who’s calling before you answer the phone, or turn off the ringer during that predetermined time you’ve set aside for projects.
Another common disruption if your business is based out of your home is that of family members. Her daughter just got a paper cut, her husband wants to share the news on TV. If she’s in the middle of something that needs her full attention, she can let them know that she’s not available right now, but she will be shortly. Just make sure you keep your word. This way everyone will respect your requests when you make them. Another useful tip is to not have your work space in the middle of all the household activities. If you have a separate room in which you can set up your office, you can also get away from the noises of the family at necessary times.
For people with an office, this is less likely to happen often with the family. However, it may be subject to sales representatives, etc. Often, just a sign on the door saying no applications can be enough to discourage walk-in sellers.
When your list is overwhelming
When you have your own business, there are always things you really want to do. Now. With a family, too, your attention can drift in multiple directions, which can add to stress. However, as your list of goals for the day or week continues to grow, so does your stress level. It is critical that we all establish some sort of system to organize ourselves.
First of all, one thing I can’t do without is a daily goal list. I keep my list small so I can feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of each day. Because I have a master list in my marketing calendar, I can always add new things to my day, but it’s better to add than to feel overwhelmed by not accomplishing too much. Be sure to prioritize your list as well. At least this way, if you don’t achieve everything, the most important things have been done.
Next, where can you delegate to others? It can be at your business or at your home. Maybe your spouse can pick up the dry cleaning or the kids. Maybe a parent can help here and there. Could you use some help in his business? Consider an assistant. I have a virtual assistant who is now like a third arm for me. I can do double now, since I hired my VA.
Third, how organized you and your office are will make a big difference in how you feel from day to day. For those with an office, if you don’t have a back room, you may need to always appear neat and organized. Just make sure you don’t create piles in places that people can’t see. For people with a home-based business, it can be harder or easier to let things build up and get out of hand. Here are some tips: Get squares like in square and out square and use them. For items that need to be filed, put them in a box and before the end of the day, file accordingly, so that you always have an empty ‘file’ box. You may also need a box for ‘projects’. Put completion dates on projects and then keep up with your marketing calendar.
Next, really take a look at how you’re spending your time. For a day or two, write down each thing you do, then sit down and analyze it to see how you can be more productive. Email can take up a day’s time. I’ve found that prioritizing my email makes a world of difference in the amount of time I have each day. I’ve created archives for many of my professional list servers, and only when I’m done with my daily list, if I have time left, do I get to read some of them.
One thing freelancers can easily forget about is taking care of themselves. Schedule in time, every day, some ‘down time’. Maybe that’s when you exercise, just take a walk, take a short nap in the afternoon, play with the kids outside. Something to break up the day to keep your productive and creative juices flowing throughout the day. The advantage of being the boss is that you can schedule in these times. Everything we do is a choice, so when someone says they don’t have time for something, like self-care, it’s a choice we make. Being successful in business and in life means being successful in health and looking at life as a whole package, rather than one segment being healthy and another not. Balance.
Certainly some of this advice applies to men in business as well, however women in business really do have more ‘hats’ to wear, and women need to make that conscious effort to maintain that balance in order to succeed in business. business and in life.