Unhealthy Friends Can Hurt Your Business

There are many different types of friends. Some are involved in your life in a very limited manner whereas others tend to spend most of your waking hours with you. It is important that no matter how much time you are with the other person, you do not let their unhealthy patterns or influence to hurt your business.

Be careful if you friend:

1. Influences you to make poor choices - Sometimes your friends have a different lifestyle and you might be caught in a situation where you have to make choices. For example, if the friend works a different shift or has a sleep pattern that doesn't match yours, you might find that your association leaves you too tired to be your best. Other bad habits that your friend has might enter your life with negative consequences. Drinking too much, using drugs, shopping beyond your budget or gambling can harm both your personal well-being and your business.

2. Interferes with your business operations - If the friends shows up at your office, talks to your clients in an inappropriate manner or tries to tell you how things should be run, you need to seriously consider how you can stop this in the future. Owning and operating a business is a serious responsibility and you will need to ensure that it is protected.

3. Talks to others about your relationship in a bad light - Unfortunately some people are gossips and do not have healthy boundaries. They might go from one person to another, talking about you and the other people in their life in a negative manner. Even if the words that you say might be twisted so that the meaning is lost.

4. Constantly wants to take without giving - I have been friends with some people in the past who endeavored to have their own needs met without having equal interest in seeing that my needs were met. When you are involved with a "taker", it is like trying to fill a bathtub that doesn't have a plug in the drain!

There are three things that will help you to decide if you have a good friend. You need to know, like and trust the other person. If any one these three things is missing, the chances are that you are in an unhealthy relationship and will need to seriously consider why you allow it to continue. Perhaps it is time to move on.