As a business owner, you’re constantly overwhelmed by the many tasks you need to complete, the growing list of things to do, commitments in your personal life and business that overlap, etc.
One of the most difficult things about being a business owner can be learning to balance your personal and professional lives.
I think that all too often we get wrapped up in the “to-do’s” and miss out on “the good stuff”.
Many of us, me included, are guilty of failing to nurture and invest in the relationships that are important to us. Failing doesn’t mean that we’re cold-hearted or that we don’t care – it just means we’re human… we get busy, and we sometimes stumble and fall down.
It’s okay to fall down, but it’s not okay to stay on the ground. We have to get back up.
Take action by actively looking for opportunities to improve and invest in the relationships that are most important to you.
Here are 8 simple commandments that we can teach ourselves that will help us do this. Check them out below.
- Speak to people. You will get me through a rough morning much better with the greetings you give and receive when you get to the office. A few kind words go a long way!
- Smile at people. It takes 72 muscles to frown and only 14 to smile. You do the math. Smiling is worth it!
- Call people by name. This reassures others that you are paying attention and actively listening, especially if this is a newly formed relationship.
- Be friendly and helpful. If you want to have friends, you have to be friendly. It is that simple.
- Be cordial. Speak and act as if everything you do is a genuine pleasure – and make sure that it is. We’re not guaranteed anything other than today… make the most of it!
- Be generous with praise ... and cautious with criticism.
- Be considerate – of others’ time, interests, and opinions. Remember - there are three sides to every conversation or argument: yours, the other person's, and the right one!
- Give back. Helping others and giving back through acts of service are both important and rewarding. Create daily opportunities that allow you to help others.
Please, use these simple (I know, they’re mostly common-sense) commandments to better your relationships and get more out of “the good stuff” in life. Feel free to share this with anyone you think could benefit from these 8 commandments.