Changing Your Mindset About Business Hours

Changing Your Mindset About Business Hours

Dr. Linda Hancock

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Hancock has written a regular weekly column entitled “All Psyched Up” for newspapers in two Canadian provinces for more than a dozen years. Over the years, her readers and clients have said that they have benefited from her common-sense solutions, wisdom, and sense of humour. Dr. Linda Hancock, the author of “Life is An Adventure…every step of the way” and “Open for Business Success” is a Registered Psychologist who has a private practice in Medicine Hat. She can be reached at 403-529-6877 or through email office@drlindahancock.com

Published

February 21 2011

When I grew up in small-town Saskatchewan, there was a set routine that everyone followed. In those days (no it wasn't 100 years ago), it was illegal to even write a cheque on Sundays as business was not to be done on the Sabbath. On Mondays all the stores and businesses were closed. Everyone opened at the same hour and closed at the exact same time. Things are different now.

Today due to technology, we have businesses that operate in a number of time zones. Business practices have changed to accommodate customers and clients so that there is no standard for open hours. People work shiftwork and there isn't a day of the week when you can't purchase basics of life.

The result of this, is that you have clients who want products and services at different times of the day and week.

As a solo professional, you therefore have the ability to set up your business so that it best suits you and the client.

I used to think that I needed to be at the office for the tradition office hours even if I didn't have any clients. I would arrive about 8:30 am and then, if there were clients booked in the evening, would arrive home totally exhausted and without any breaks.

Now I have learned to operate my business based on the needs of myself and my clients. I book my own personal appointments and commitments into the calendar first. Massages, hair and nail and medical appointments as well as family commitments have priority. The calendar then becomes a creative canvas for my assistant who schedules clients in blocks.

For example, if one client asks for a morning appointment, the assistant works at filling that morning with other clients who subsequently call. If someone asks for an evening appointment, that day is focussed on late afternoon and evening appointments. This method saves trips to the office and allows me to work a shift that gives me time off during the day as a block of time rather than just having a number of little breaks in a very long office day.

You see, as a solo professional you need to make sure that the needs or your clients and your own needs are both met. This method facilitates that goal.

Maybe you need to examine your own mindset and set up a new way of ensuring that you and your clients both win!