“Developing a good work ethic is key. Apply yourself at whatever you do . . . . because that work ethic will be reflected in everything you do in life.” ~ Tyler Perry

If I counted all the times a patient or their family member has said to me, while I’m in the nurses station, “Well, while you aren’t busy . . . ”

Excuuuuuuse me? I’m still busy.

Just because I’m not at the patient’s bedside, doesn’t mean I’m not working. I still have to chart, take phone calls, look up results of x-rays and labs, check medications, place orders, call other team members for consults, call for transportation, call other facilities to give report or get more background information . . . and the list goes on and on.

Teachers go through something similar. Just because they aren’t in front of a class, actively imparting knowledge, doesn’t mean they aren’t working. Lesson planning, grading papers, activity reviews, research, continuing education, staff meetings, phone calls with parents or students . . . it’s all part of the job.

Emergency planners spend more time coordinating plans and training, than actually responding to disasters. A situation may not be considered an “emergency” but still requires the coordination between agencies.

• planning with street departments for parades, races, protests and such
• evacuation drills with nursing homes and schools
• active shooter exercises
• tabletop exercises with municipalities and regions
• personal training for educational purposes

Having a home-based business is the same. I may not be working on client’s projects. I may not be working on my own projects. There is still paperwork involved, meetings, applications for tax credits or grants to be completed, education to be done, inventory to be completed, filings to be completed. It all takes time. My kids are learning that when I set hours “in the office” it means I am out of commission at that time. Unless it’s a dire emergency, or the house is on fire, I’m not coming out of the workshop until such time as I am done. I may not literally punch a time-clock but my time is apportioned and accounted for in my timekeeping app. Treating a business, even a home-based business, as a business instead of a hobby is important. A personal hobby means you can be interrupted, a business is professional. My kids wouldn’t dream of calling me at my nursing job to tell me I need to come home so we can go to the mall. They are learning they can’t do that with the workshop either.