For most of us, there are things in our home businesses we enjoy and that we think are fun, and then are those things we do because we have to. Some words like “duty” and “obligation” have become synonymous with pain and suffering. While once using a word like “duty” made a person feel proud and competent, now it tends to make us think of punishment and painful drudgery. It’s all in how we look at things…
Think of what the word “duty” means to you? Do you think of unpleasant chores or details in your business? Do you think of doing things that you don’t want to do (calling that unpleasant client or customer, or filing your tax return?) Why is it that doing the right thing has come to mean doing something horrid just because we have to?
When I look up the word “duty” in the dictionary, I get synonyms like “responsibility” and “obligation”–those don’t necessarily have to be bad things. In fact, when it comes to running a home-business, the more we tend to our responsibilities, the more likely our business will be successful and on the road to growth. Just like anything in our businesses, I do think that we can find a way to appreciate and have some “fun”-even with those things that we consider duties.
Perhaps you have heard advice that encourages you to think about the things you “get to do” instead of the things you “have to do”? I know that I have read articles suggesting that if we can reframe our minds around some of our daily tasks, we can change the energy flow around those very activities. When it comes to our businesses, instead of dreading and expecting a painful duty, reframing our attitude may be all we need to change the energy flow and make our businesses more pleasant occupations.
Also: Watch Out for Just Getting By
Surviving and Weathering a Slump