It's that time of year when all things pumpkin-flavored are at every coffee shop. The malls are full and the official holidays are here. We all appreciate the extra days at home with family, but few of us stop to think about what the season ought to mean to us.
While we're celebrating, we should be doing something else, too: reflecting on everything we're thankful for in our lives. Being thankful can make us better individuals, but it can also have some surprising benefits for us as businesspeople. Here, we discuss the top aspects of your life likely to be positively affected by your newfound thankfulness.
Clients
Those of us who run our own businesses, small or large, know just how important clients or customers are to our organization's survival.
So while you're reflecting on all that you are fortunate enough to have, include your customer base in your thoughts. Doing so will increase your capacity for empathy, which will make you more apt to treat your clients with patience (even when they try yours). That, in turn, will mean you'll be more likely to retain them, which is good for you and your business. As former Forbes.com contributor Larry Myler writes, "a long-term customer is of more value than a single-deal customer, and it’s a lot less expensive to keep a current customer than to acquire a new one."
So go ahead and send a just-cause thank you card, or that holiday-themed mini-muffin basket. Your clients will appreciate it more than you know.
Health
If, among the things you're thankful for, you're lucky enough to be able to list your health, why wait until the new year to take better care of yourself? If you don't regularly exercise, let being grateful for your healthy, able body propel you back into that long-ago-set-aside sport you used to love. Or, if you're not naturally the athletic type, just hit the gym. Don't want the hassle and expense of a fancy gym membership? Become a Metro Offices member instead. Eight of our nine DC and Washington-area locations has a fully appointed onsite fitness center, the unlimited use of which is included in your membership. After all, regular exercise is a known energy, productivity, and mood booster. What solopreneur wouldn't want that?
Don't shell out top dollar for a fancy, multi-year office lease in DC; come to Metro Offices instead! Browse our locations today.