Is this you?
Overwhelmed, frazzled… ‘tired but wired’ and unable to sleep at night?
Is your business one bad month away from going under? Perhaps things are going well but you feel as though everything will fall apart the moment you look away.
It may feel like every other business is travelling without speed bumps, while the road you’re on is full of potholes but the truth is you are far from alone. The vast majority of business owners are shouldering stress and feelings of overwhelm.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. With a little groundwork, you can build a foundation which will put your business in the black for the long term and allow you to take a break from time to time.
Here are 7 ways to remove the overwhelm your business creates
#1 Prioritise your work day
This can be a hard habit to form but try to make it part of your routine to write down what you will focus on tomorrow at the end of each day.
In the morning, get these urgent tasks out of the way first. Don’t procrastinate and don’t let unimportant things interrupt you. It may mean avoiding email until lunchtime but you’ll feel a lot more in control.
#2 Stay focused
How much time are you spending surfing the web or doing unimportant activities? Using an app like Pomodoro to keep focused on tasks can mean they take less time to complete. Schedule regular breaks so you don’t burn out but be strict on yourself not to waste time during the day.
#3 Generate more sales
You can’t have a business without sales but so many entrepreneurs get distracted by shiny things that they fail to make this their priority.
Of course, generating more sales is easier said than done but without a plan, a strategy and regular reviews, you won’t get anywhere.
There’s no better time to get started on this than today. More sales will give you better flexibility and less financial stress, so long as you allocate a portion of the profits for yourself and don’t let them get swallowed up by your business.
#4 Reduce people problems
People are complex and diverse so ensure better collaboration and teamwork by implementing systems. Establish a best practice for doing even the most menial of tasks and review it regularly so people don’t have to constantly ask for help or butt heads about how things should be done.
#5 Automate
Imagine having a 24/7 sales and marketing team who make money for you while you sleep.
This is what automation can do for you. It takes a while to set up a digital lead funnel but you only have to do it once and it can work around the clock to engage with your customers and generate sales.
Automating things like payments and following up on invoices can also give you back time in your day.
#6 Get a coach
As the saying goes, “You don’t know what you don’t know”. You’re an expert in your field but how good are you at running a business?
A coach will point out what’s sitting in your blind spots and motivate you to take action. They will guide you in the right direction, based on years of experience, trial and error. Relying on this type of professional is worth the expense and will deliver incredible light-bulb moments that can transform your business.
#7 Stay educated
Another saying: “The more you LEARN, the more you EARN”. By educating yourself about the best practices for marketing, sales, team management, systems, processes and financial management, you can drive your business further. Replace that mindless TV show with a podcast about business growth a few times a week or take a single day to attend a business education seminar. Even small tweaks to the way you do things can generate a higher percentage of income which can compound and lead to incredible growth.
Ready to learn more about being a SMART business owner and reducing overwhelm? Book your ticket to 52 Ways, Australia’s most popular FREE business workshop.
