7 Valuable Business Lessons Mothers Teach Us

By Rieva Lesonsky

Most of us are, of course, grateful for all the things our mothers have taught us. But many of us don’t realize our moms were also teaching us valuable business lessons.

 

1. Be organized

Those constant reminders we may have thought annoying were actually lessons in organization. When our moms were telling us to make our beds every morning and do our homework every afternoon, they were teaching us that keeping things in order helps life flow more smoothly.

Similarly, as a business owner, getting your employee scheduling and time tracking in order will enhance your success. A time tracking solution that integrates with your accounting software to simplify payroll processing makes things even easier.

 

2. Follow the ‘golden rule’

This was a big one in my house. My mom always reminded us to treat people how we would want them to treat us. Do you treat your staff that way? I always tell business owners to remember their worst bosses—and make sure they didn’t pick up any bad habits from them. The better you treat your employees, the more loyal they’ll be and the harder they’ll work for you. The same principle applies to your clients and customers. Consumers have a lot of choices. Treating them with respect helps earn their loyalty.

 

3. Don’t procrastinate

Did your mom have to bug you to do your chores or finish your homework? Hopefully, you learned from her persistence, and you no longer need someone standing over you to get things done. Still, it’s human nature to delay unpleasant tasks like scheduling employee shifts, especially if you’re using a spreadsheet. This drudgery can take some employers four hours a week! No wonder employers tend to put it off till the last minute.

 

4. Go to bed early

How many times did your mother have to tell you to go to bed already? Business owners tend to work too hard for too long, which leaves us stressed and burned out. Learn from Mom—and the National Sleep Foundation—and get between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. And try to plan your workday realistically, allowing for time to rest and recharge.

 

5. Know your true worth

Our moms are often our biggest fans—they know our true value. But many entrepreneurs have trouble valuing their own work appropriately. If you don’t know how to charge what you’re really worth, customers and clients may take advantage of you.

Does it feel like you’re working 24/7 but not seeing the financial results? Tracking how you spend your time on a day-to-day basis can help you maximize time and earn more money. Not just business owners with employees, even solopreneurs can track time. With a record of what you’re doing all day, you can see which clients or projects are most valuable and which aren’t worth the effort.

 

6. Work smarter, not harder

Did your mom manage to juggle kids, family, work, and time for herself? Multitasking is a way of life for moms—and the smart ones know time-saving solutions can help make it easier. Business software with robust mobile apps helps small business owners multitask, too. With a mobile scheduling app, you don’t have to be in the office to schedule employee time. You can create and update schedules from anywhere—the grocery store, your kid’s softball game, the dentist’s office.

 

7. Stay in touch

Our moms always remind us how important it is to stay in touch with the people who matter. As an employer, staying in touch with your customers is essential to your business success. Craft a communications plan to touch base with your customers at least monthly.

Aren’t you grateful for all the business lessons moms teach? Don’t forget to call the mom in your life and thank her for all her love and support.