Did you know?  This week is National Small Business Week.

Don’t let the title of “Small” Business denote lack of power or importance, or small successes.  These days, there are more people employed in small businesses than there are in big businesses.

I started my business 8 years ago, working from my home office and from client’s homes and offices, too.  I was ahead of the curve though, because what I have been doing for a long time is becoming commonplace for more and more workers.  Big offices are downsizing, and many people are moving their professional lives to home offices.

The growth in the trend of working-from-home should make doing so more socially acceptable, but sometimes I still struggle with finding the right answer to some tough questions. 

I am a Certified Professional Organizer, a writer, an entrepreneur, an independent contractor.  I am lots of big and great things, but I am also occasionally working from my dining room table.  However, no one needs to know that little detail.

I am not, by any means, suggesting dishonest communications.  What I am suggesting is that the work that you do warrants respect, no matter where you choose to do it, or if you happen to blend aspects of your life, like I do.   

Realize that advertising can help you.  Spin your phrases in new and different ways.  Let me walk you through some of the vocabulary that has helped me along the way.  

“I have a non-traditional work week” explains how I answer emails and write blogs at 6 am, run errands during the week, teach classes in the evenings and see clients on the weekends.  And I often break for field trips or to toss laundry in the dryer.  

“I am not sure if my technology can support xxxx.  I’ll ask the IT department when they get in at 4 pm, and give you the answer tomorrow”.  What this means is that I have to ask my tech consultant (my patient spouse) technological questions.  He is much better at answering them than I am.  And I really will follow-up tomorrow.

“I need a hard stop on this meeting at 2 pm” (per MM) may mean I have a client coaching call at 2:15, or it may mean that I have to be at school by 2:45 to drive the Beginning Band carpool.

“I am working remotely today” may mean I need a change of scenery and I am working from Starbucks.  “Working virtually” is similar to working remotely, but it likely means I am working from home via the internet.  (thanks MM!) 

“I am available after 9 am” either means I have an early morning networking meeting or I drop off my sons at school at 8:30, and won’t be back home until 9.  

“I spent yesterday laying groundwork / creating infrastructure” is what a friend and client refers to as “Sitting on the Couch” (thanks D).  Perhaps you spent your time connecting with clients, building relationships, creating tracking spreadsheets or thinking through your processes.  It just happened to occur from the comfort of your couch.  

“Let me run that past the finance / accounting department, and I will follow-up with you tomorrow”.  Again, my ever patient accountant husband.

“Let me run that past the Board / Focus Group”  means I need to ask a question of my trusted circle of network partners and friends, or perhaps post a question to my Facebook community.  They all rock!

For the record, I don’t use my dad’s idea of “Planning Sessions” (a.k.a. A Nap after he got off shift at the Firehouse).  Though my own Strategic Planning Sessions often occur during my solitary inter-state travels. 

I occasionally have “interns” (my sons) help me with projects, and I tried to call a trip to our favorite local breakfast spot for Chocolate Chip pancakes a “Holiday Office Party”.  My accounting department is known for attention to rules and details, though, so that did not fly…

So, no matter what you call them, or where you complete them, your work and efforts are impressive and deserve respectable titles.  So far today, I attended an on-line Continuing Education Class, confirmed my clients for this week, completed client correspondence, logged my weekly hours in my tracking spreadsheet; wrote my blog and newsletter, and checked-in with my on-line community.  Now I need to get “some work done remotely” (a.k.a. go to the post office, bank and Target).