Time is money, honey . . .

The other day, I was working late on a project and my dog came in and dropped his ball in my lap. "Not now, buddy - I'm working,” I said pushing him away. A few moments later he tried again. This time I looked up and saw a wagging tail begging for my attention. Hey, I am not made of stone.

For years, my work schedule prevented me from having a dog. Now that I do, I'm telling him to wait. Wait till when? There will always be projects, customers, demands, etc. Life doesn't wait.

Cherish your time and the time of others – it is not renewable. We've all heard the Pearl Bailey adage, "time is money, honey." How are you spending it?

Remember your staff has lives, family and friends. We all need to pitch in occasionally, and I’m not suggesting you ignore obligations – however, sometime we all need to just go play outside. My business partner and I have been known to slip out on a sunny day to take the dogs to the beach. Could we have used this time to solicit new customers? Develop a new campaign? File that mound of paperwork? Absolutely! But when we look back on this venture, I want to remember the dogs, the customers and the friends – not the filing.

Time away from the office refuels creativity. It allows us to satisfy our personal obligations, rather than dwelling on them at work. It makes for a happier environment. If you are like me, you launched your business because you envisioned a certain lifestyle. Make sure you make the time to enjoy it!