Upon reflection I thought how much this is an issue for so many of us full plate types.

My good friend Pat Haddock is a communication expert and trainer, I asked her to share some of her wisdom here on this topic. Please give a warm welcome to our first guest blogger.

Setting Boundaries by Patricia Haddock

“No” is a small word with great power. Saying no more often can be hard, but it is one of the best tools you have for putting more time in your life.

Start by keeping your goals in mind. Say no to anything that takes you away from your goals or does not increase your productivity. This doesn’t mean that you avoid unpleasant or difficult tasks. The key is to keep your goals and priorities in focus.

Saying “yes” when you mean “no” can lead to feelings of resentment and anger. This can be more damaging to your relationships in the long run than saying “no” when you mean “no.”

Sometimes, saying “no” isn’t easy. Many people were raised to please others, not themselves and feel that if they say “no,” they will lose friends and associates. So, how do you say “no” without alienating others?

• Speak courteously and politely.

• Make “no” the first word you say and keep your statements simple and direct. “No, I can’t do that.” “No, I won’t be able to do that.”

• Give a reason if appropriate, but keep it short and straightforward.

• Show that you understand the situation. Remind people of your roles and responsibilities.

• State the consequences of saying “yes.”

If you’re not sure whether you want to say “no” or “yes,” ask for time to think it over. Be specific about when you will have an answer.

You can find out more about Pat at http://developingasaprofessional.blogspot.com  http://abcbusinesswriting.blogspot.com/

Even if you have a totally supportive spouse you will encounter this challenge with your clients,  your staff, or people on your implementation team. Here are four big tips to create an environment of support from your spouse:

1. Share your mission statement and compelling vision with your spouse. Tell them why your business is important to you and why your success is good for the both of you. For more on compelling vision read this article: http://www.attractclientswithease.com/articles/seeingavision.htm 

2. Tell your spouse you really need their support to be successful and make a request for it.

3. Tell them specifically what support looks like. For example: pick up the kids three days a week, make dinner certain nights, have it be okay that I have to work late sometimes. 

4. Increase your acknowledgment of your spouse. This is another important topic I will write more on in the near future. For now check out this awesome article to learn this skill:
http://www.attractclientswithease.com/articles/acknowledgment.htm

You deserve support from your spouse/partner for your business. Take these actions to create it.

As someone who does a lot of writing on a regular basis, I find there are certain words that I have to use the spell check over and over and I bet you have a similar experience. In that vein, here is a list of 25 often used, commonly misspelled words, of course spelled correctly.

I have put them in a column so that you can print out the list and post it on the very edge of the far left side of your monitor to review everyday to learn once and for all the words on this list that have delayed your creative process in the past. I recommend you highlight the ones that give you the most grief.

I hope you find this a valuable tool.

allege

amateur

apparent

believe

caffeine

colleague

committed

complimentary

conscious

conscience

definitely

exercise

exceed

grateful

hierarchy

humorous

liaison

maneuver

privilege

queue

receive

recommend

rhythm

separate

transferred

I love the new year! I love resolutions, and I love the optimism and possibility thinking that goes along with them. I have seen many times that they can work and believe in making them. Just like in your personal life you probably have some ideas for what you want to be different this year in your business.

As you make resolutions and do your business planning for this year, apply these principles to ensure that your business is more solid, more prosperous and running smoother this time next year.

Know The Truth
Often times business owners make plans and set goals before they have sat down and taken a good look at the truth of what really happened in their business for the proceeding year. Do you know your cost of goods sold or how many marketing dollars it takes to acquire a new client? Can you say what percentage of your business is repeat business? Are you aware of what percentage of your revenue was generated by which products or services? These are just a few of the many questions to answer to better formulate your goals and plans for this year.

Be Optimistic
If you are a positive person, an optimist, you might even be avoiding planning right now because you do not want to set any goals because of you is afraid you might not achieve them due to the current economic reality. Plan and set goals anyway.

Attitude matters a great deal in business. Everyday, make sure you and everyone you work with has a positive disposition. It will result in more productivity and a better business experience. Hold the intention to be positive in the running of your business. You will feel better and have more fun.

Cultivate a Team of Super Stars
To truly have a business breakthrough, most businesses would benefit from focusing on this area. Are you happy with your webmaster, your accountant, your strategic alliance partners, your business coach or consultant? Can you say that they are doing a great job for you? If you are not thrilled with everyone that helps you meet your business objectives, then make a change. Finding good people who are experts at what they do, who do their work with a positive attitude and who genuinely care that you are successful, are the kinds of people you want on your success team. Do not settle for less because you are too busy to find someone better. It will be worth you’re the investment of your time and attention.

Thinking and Planning
Taking time for thinking and planning is key to moving your business forward. Thinking and planning should be a daily success practice: something you do everyday to have a productive day today, while also moving you toward your longer-term goals. Find your optimal time for thinking and planning. Both the beginning and the end of the day work great. Choose one and stick with it.

Review Regularly
When I ask a client what there goal is for an area of their business – sales, new clients, new products – and they have to find their goal sheet or file before they can answer my question, I know they are nowhere near their goal even before they respond. I have seen this hundreds of times. You want to review your mission/objectives/goals and plans at least daily – twice a day is better. The more your goals are in your head as well as on paper, the more momentum, focus and great ideas will flow to support you in getting where you want to go.

Minimize The Grabbing The Shiny Objects
One thing that happens when you are a successful business owner is that everybody wants to partner with you, offer you a business opportunity, share their latest venture with you and get you somehow involved.

Even though sometimes you might say “yes,” learn to say “no.” Remain focused on what you have set out to do. These exciting opportunities can be considered if they are in alignment with your mission, vision and goals. You have to be diligent in determining if an opportunity is something that will help your move forward or if it is something that is clearly a distraction.

Follow The Energy
Everything you do takes not only time, it also take physical energy, and mental brainpower and focus. The more things on your plate, the more mentally scattered you could feel. That’s why too many things on your plate can be a deterrent to your business success.

The other thing about energy is that you want to pay attention to what in your business draws you. What you go to first, what you do with enthusiasm and what feels like a struggle or hard work.

Energy is a great assessment tool. Use it to determine the truth about where you should put your energy in your business and where you should take your energy and attention off to maximize your effectiveness.

Stay the Course
One of the great things about having your own business is that you can change something in your business in an instant. You can add or subtract a new product or service rather quickly.

This can sometimes be a big mistake. If you try something once and it is not a huge success, do not scrap it. Instead upgrade it from what you learned the first time and try it a couple more times to get a true read if it is right for your business. What have you done in the past that deserves another shot?

The Old Adage Still Applies
There is a lot of talk about work less – make more, and ways to build a profitable business in only a few hours a week.
I love the concepts and principles and they are worth exploring and applying to your business as appropriate.

The old adage that there is no substitute for hard work still applies. Hard work still works. You do have to show up most of the time to accomplish what you want in your business. Hopefully, you love your work so much that there are times it feels more like a privilege then work. This is the place you want to get to. I mean, really how long can you lay on the beach with an umbrella beverage before it feels boring? I give it a week –maybe 10 days.

Apply the principles outlined above and you will find that this time next year you are happier, wealthier and ready for your next resolution.