Achieving happiness as a business owner
“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.'” – Albert Schweitzer
Everyone has different reasons for going into business, maybe for increased financial opportunities or achieving a long-held personal ambition. Still, whatever the initial reason for taking the plunge, the most crucial factor is that you are happy as a business owner.
Here are a few tricks and techniques to ensure owning your company remains a source of happiness for years.
Enthusiasm is vital – Hold on to the first flush of enthusiasm and excitement you had when starting your business as your firm and your responsibilities grow. There was a reason why you decided to go solo: take a trip back in time and measure how much you satisfy your working requirements.
Although most people use financial figures as a measure of success, enjoying your work determines your happiness even more. You are allowed to be proud of the business you have created. The most important business is your business.
Remember, the only thing you have control over is the work you are doing yourself; if it’s to the best of your ability, that is all that matters.
Naturally, there will be many other businesses in your field of expertise, but that is an advantage; look at what your competitors are doing or, more importantly, not doing to get ahead in the market.
Get involved in networking – Find a good networking group or a few fellow entrepreneurs you can meet with to compare business strategies. Ask your staff to get involved in any business decisions you feel you need help with; this will build rapport and remind you that you have people to rely on.
Being your own boss doesn’t mean you don’t have the time to connect with other people; there is no reason why being in business should be a lonely place.
Allocate resources effectively – Give yourself the licence to say ‘no’ as scheduling enough time and resources is vital to an excellent job without stressing out yourself and your workers.
Ensure you are precise when setting customer expectations of how long a job will take, as overstretching yourself, your team and your resources isn’t always an effective strategy.
Embrace spontaneity – Understanding that there will always be strange things that turn up gives you a chance to concentrate on dealing with them rather than beating yourself up because they happened at all!
Happiness starts from within – Begin by finding a positive in every situation, and before long, you’ll find it becomes a habit, and those annoying issues will turn into opportunities.
If you face a problem, ask yourself whether it will still be a problem in a month or a year. If not, it isn’t a problem, just a task you must complete.
Give yourself time to sit and reflect upon where you’ve come from and what you have achieved.
Not only will this give you a boost in terms of what you have achieved, but it will also show you that you can overcome any problems thrown at you.
Find time for you – Unplug from the grid, turn your phone off and go to the gym for a walk or sit and read a book. Find something you enjoy doing that will allow you to unwind and de-stress.
As much as we love working for ourselves and on our own terms, we must remember there is a life outside the office!