Bite the Bullet- Working Overtime

Posted by Debbie Dragon on January 11, 2008

Tisha’s discussion of taking time off when you need it inspired me to talk about the other end of the spectrum- working harder and smarter when you really need to get things done.

As a small business owner, there are times when you will be required to put in much longer hours than you planned on. Most of us want to go into business for ourselves because we know we can be a little more flexible with our work hours and time off than we could if we worked for someone else. While this is true, there will absolutely be times when we must bite the bullet and work longer and more intensely than we would ever consider if we were working on a salary in someone else’s business!

This weekend is one of those times for me. The few weeks around Christmas and the New Year were slow in my business, as anticipated, but that’s also a time when I spend more money than usual as I’m buying Christmas presents for family and friends. So financially, January is always a really tight month- mostly because I fail to prepare for it- despite the fact that I swear every year that I will do it better the following year!

So this weekend, business has picked up considerably as my clients get back into the swing of things, have huge goals and resolutions of their own for the growth of their businesses- which always contributes to the growth of my own business since I write for them. I write for their websites- so every time they launch a new website, I get a call to give them some words! I write their newsletters, email marketing campaigns, e-classes for membership sites, ebooks… everytime someone gets a new idea for an online business, there is a need for additional text and don’t you know that everyone gets the idea in their head around the same time?

So this weekend, even though I would love to be hanging out with the family and enjoying a few days around the house without working- I need to work. And I’m energized about it because I know I don’t have to work every weekend and I know that the work I do this weekend will result in the money I need to get back on track financially; and it will also result in more business in the weeks to come.

Sometimes small business owners can feel themselves getting stressed and overworked- so we build into our schedules time off… time for ourselves, time without the kids or with the kids depending on how you’re feeling at that moment… and we can do that because we own our own business and make the rules! Other times, like this weekend for me, we have to step up to the plate and do what needs to be done to secure the continued success of the business and to make the money required to live a comfortable lifestyle.

You can bet on it that I’ve got a day off planned for mid-week in the upcoming week though- because it’s all about balance. I work as hard as possible for the next several days- and I’m rewarded with a day to myself.

You have to love being in business for yourself!