The Top 5 Signals That Your Business Is Running You

Starting your own business is a great undertaking but running the day-to-day aspects of your business is the true challenge you will face as an entrepreneur. Do you find that the business you started to suit your lifestyle somehow taken over your life and home? If this sounds familiar, then your business is running you. Learn how to run your business again with these top five warning signs and helpful tips.

Stop Complaining And Take Control.
A common lament of the entrepreneur or SOHO business owner is if they knew then what they know now, they'd never have started their own business. The truth is that if they thought then about what they're buried in now, the story may have been quite different. It's never too late to take control. Here are five signals that your business is running you - with a quick tip to combat each.

1) You Find Yourself Ignoring Your Inner Voice.
You know, the one that keeps saying, "I'm too busy" or "I'm swamped". Listen to your inner voice. It's usually got a clearer handle on things. When you make a plan to change things you'll feel more in charge. Clients entrust you with their business daily. Learn to respect yourself and your clients by delivering on your promises.

2) Your "Creative Space" Has Become Your Procrastination Pit.
Creative space is a great thing. It's the zone where you develop and brainstorm new ideas. Next time you're procrastinating, do something useful. Go for a walk. Make a call. Play with your children. Don't acknowledge procrastination and it will cease to exist.

3) Hearing Your Cell Phone Ring Is Annoying.
The same goes for the other bells and beeps in your busy life like email or call waiting. These technologies are all very well, but you need to establish boundaries. Set-up reasonable times for your own life and stick to your decisions. Boundaries are only respected when people know they exist. Raise your boundaries and you'll raise your standards.

4) You See Clients As Alien Invaders.
If you're not relating well with clients, you're probably not working with the right people. Getting clear on your ideal client is pivotal to creating a business you can love. Go through old records and note the characteristics and attributes of the people you enjoyed working with. How can you attract these types to your business? What do you need to change?

5)You're Reading The Want Ads.
Let's face it, not everyone can run their own business, but since you've read this far let's assume you want to stick with it. First you need to acknowledge two simple facts: You're only one person and you can't do it all. Accepting this simple fact can be the key to formulating a new and productive business pattern.

Outsourcing As A Solution.
Sometimes the best solution is the obvious solution: hire more help. However as a small business owner, this may not be the best answer financially. Hiring an employee requires overhead. The solution is to hire an assistant but not an employee; hire a Virtual Assistant. By outsourcing, you can control costs and pay per task basis. Some of the things that can outsource include appointment setting, marketing, writing, web design, customer service and research.

Take Heed And Good Speed To You
So now that you know the warning signs, take note and heed them. By using our quick tips and in combination with outsourcing, you can gain control of your business, become more productive and be happier while running your business.

© Yvonne Thompson, Assistance For You All rights reserved. Permission is granted to use this article, as long as the entire article is posted and the "About the Author" section and all links remain intact.

About The Author Yvonne Thompson owns and operates Assistance For You, a Virtual Assistant Support Service where our motto is: Run Your Business, Don't Let It Run You! For more information visit http://Assistance-For-You.com

---

How to Say No

Rejection hurts. No one likes to give it or to... Read More

Hire Winners: Ask the Right Questions

How do you as a manager, supervisor or team leader... Read More

Catch Your Staff Doing Something Right

A long time ago, I learned something about being a... Read More

Project Heroes

Project heroes. We've all heard of them. Some of us... Read More

Survival of the Fittest: The Road to Human Extinction

I was watching a TV program some months ago about... Read More

Employees Commit Corporate Fraud

Imagine the following scenario; Ten years ago you decided to... Read More

Increase Productivity: Five Powerful Actions

How can you make the best use of your energy... Read More

Six Reasons to K.I.S.S.

Six Reasons to K.I.S.S. "Very often, people confuse simple with... Read More

Collections Management

How long does it take your customers, clients or patients... Read More

Ten Steps to Take the Work out of Work ? Replicate Yourself!

They say that management can be a lonely place. A... Read More

Cold Water Comments - What They Are and How to Manage Them!

Cold Water Comments - What They Are and How to... Read More

Conquering the Number One Problem in Business--Poor Communication

The Number One problem in business is poor communication: between... Read More

Behavioral Interview Questions You Can Use Monday Morning

If past behavior is the best way to determine future... Read More

How to Build Your Business and Still Take Time Off

We all know people who are like human dynamos. They... Read More

Overcoming Perfectionism

Perfectionism can get in the way of building or marketing... Read More

Balance Your Managerial Life

We have only one life, but we live in three... Read More

Dont Wait for Tax Time to Look at the Bottom Line

A curious thing happens to entrepreneurs in the spring of... Read More

Todays Employees and Their New Needs: What You Need to Know

Today's employees are not only interested in security or in... Read More

Faith is the LIFE-blood of Your ACTIONS before the Benefit -

Nothing has changed. Your ancestors lived by faith. Some planted... Read More

I Cant Use This Approach Unless My Boss Does - Power, Accountability, and Consequences

People who work with us often struggle with this dilemma:... Read More

Change Management

"It is not the strongest species that survives, nor the... Read More

Organisation Tips For The Mobile Executive

Despite the fact that everyone sighs "How glamorous!", the life... Read More

Stomp Out Leeches In Your Company

Recently, I felt appalled to see a political candidate running... Read More

Using Employee Opinions Effectively When Designing HR Programs

Using Employee Opinions Effectively When Designing HR ProgramsEmployee opinion is... Read More

Problem-Solving Success Tip: Use Your Time for Problems that are Truly Important

Use your time for problems that are truly important.Hard as... Read More

Managing Yo-Yo Style

Does being managed by others smack more of "Survivor" than... Read More

Human Resource Employee Risk Profile - Management Risks Explained

Human Resource Employee Risk ProfileIs your business at risk? Do... Read More

Industry Analysis Section of Your business plan

Writing a Business Plan for your next entrepreneurial endeavor is... Read More

Operating on Perpetual Overload?

Check Out Your E-HabitsAnother week has ended. And, despite moving... Read More

Business Innovation ? the Value of Structure

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Executive Humor at Meetings

I don't encourage managers to wear funny hats, appear in... Read More

Why Free Agent Thinking Is Good For Your Company

It's no secret! Day after day the news is riddled... Read More

The Three-Dimensional Communication System

Human communication is always three-dimensional. No spoken or written message... Read More