The biggest struggle for small business owners starting a new business? Time. Or, the lack thereof.
Business author Michael Masterson has some good ideas on how to keep more of your time to yourself, and it involves choosing when to say two little words: "Yes" and "no":
1. Say "yes" - often but not always - to two people: your spouse and your business partner.
2. Say "no" - as often as you possibly can - to everyone who asks you for help. This would include:
- your lazy colleague
- your shiftless friend
- your spoiled children/grandchildren
- your most self-centered customers
- anyone who isn't willing to give back
Here's something else you can do to lighten your load and maintain your forward momentum:
- Write a list of 20 things - people, situations, responsibilities - that cause you stress.
- Reduce that list to 10.
- Reduce it again to three.
- Now pick one of those three - and stop doing it.
Boy, that last one is the challenge...making the list, and sticking to it. But the reward for you is more time for business, and more time for valuable family time.
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