Building a company from the ground up is a lot of hard work, and one of the most difficult parts is often acquiring the right kind of habits. Learning new habits is never easy, and that holds true for some of the financial habits that you’re going to need as an entrepreneur.

    To get started on the right foot, here are the 4 most important financial habits that you should try to develop:

    1. Understanding the value of your time

    As you start to run your startup you will find that there are always too many things to do and not enough time to do them. Effectively time will become a valuable commodity in its own right, and one that you cannot afford to waste. It is important that you learn to prioritize your workload early on, and fully appreciate the value of your time and how it is best spend in order to grow your startup.

    2. Planning for the worst

    Make it a habit to always plan for the worst case scenario, and never assume that everything is going to work out perfectly. Acquiring this habit will help you to come up with a better budget, manage your cash flow more effectively, and generally make better financial decisions in the short and long term.

    3. Setting realistic goals and targets

    Having goals and targets is crucial as it will provide you with a yardstick by which you can measure your progress and evaluate how you’re doing. As far as your finances go it will enable you to figure out whether your revenue growth is on track, and whether your projections and forecasts are accurate – but its benefits extend to other areas as well.

    4. Keeping tabs on all expenses – small or large

    Arguably one of the most important financial habits you will have to acquire is starting to track all of your expenses regardless of how small or large they may be. As a business it is important that every dollar and cent is properly accounted for, so any expenses need to be recorded – preferably with documentation such as receipts and invoices.

    Make no mistake, there are other financial habits that may prove useful – but these are the 4 that you should focus on immediately. It may seem tough initially, but as you begin to consciously incorporate these habits it will get easier.

    If you funded your startup using loans then having the right financial habits is not only useful – but essential. When managing debt of any kind it is important that you’re able to stay on top of your finances and able to keep on top of the minimum payments while slowly repaying the debt.

    That being said good financial habits are their own reward for startup entrepreneurs and could very well end up making a world of difference. By adopting the right approach to your finances, you’ll find that your startup’s finances are a lot healthier and you’re able to make better business decisions too.

    Richard is an experienced tech journalist and blogger who is passionate about new and emerging technologies. He provides insightful and engaging content for Connection Cafe and is committed to staying up-to-date on the latest trends and developments.