Face it — we entrepreneurs have a high need for control. And when we feel like we are not in control of our worlds we more often than not fall into the wierd behavior of working more and more hours. It is not that we get more things done — it just feels like we do.
Many of the legendary 80-90 hour weeks are just our attempt to keep really busy, hoping that if we keep busy enough things will get better.
As you can imagine, there is a lot of nervous busy work going on with entrepreneurs these days.
As always, there is a new buzz word for this pattern of behavior.
In a new small business survey by Staples they report that 62% of small business owners admit that they are transforming into “mouse potatoes” (i.e., constantly on the computer). One in five report replacing breakfast with “deskfast” in an attempt to “maximize time.”
Although I worry about the mental health of these entrepreneurs, it does seem to help them feel better about things. A whopping 84% anticipate being able to weather the current economic storm and plan to be in the same business a year from now.
My only caution is this — Don’t become such a mouse potato that you lose your family and your friends. Temperance, my good friends, temperance!
Semi-related, but not really:
I think the E Myth books are dead on when they criticize this kind of behavior where small business owners work such long hours, and for what?
If you’re going to make the leap from “small business owner” to “entrepreneur,” you need to be able to delegate and create a business that can run for a few days (or maybe even weeks or months!) when you aren’t sitting there doing it all yourself.
I took a two week vacation to Japan last summer, and everything was just fine without me. I consider that a huge success for my business that everyone can function when I’m not looking over their shoulder, second guessing their every move.
I work a 40 hour week, because I have a 3 year old. (My employees work 40 hour weeks also, so I’m not just shoving things onto their plates.)
My company was in the Inc. 5,000 listings for 2008, so we’re growing and working hard too — not just coasting along. It’s a matter of doing what’s important, and not just “acting busy.”
Always sound advice. I find a lot of folks in the small business space that relish the “busy for the sake of being busy” feeling. It is easy to justify when compared to an approach that involves healthy breaks for yourself, your family, and your community. Focus on the results you are trying to achieve and less on the time spent at the office, on the computer, attached the crackberry, etc.