6 Strategies To Beat Entrepreneur Overwhelm
There is a pervasive myth that others seem to believe regarding being an entrepreneur. One that I'm sure you can relate to. It goes something like this:
"Oh, how wonderful. I'd love to run my own business. All that flexibility and control over my schedule! I'd be able to spend time doing X, Y, and Z."
And therein lies the myth of running your own business. Sure, I have the flexibility to work at 10 pm or 6 am (always the former, I don't do early mornings), to avoid the rush hour commute to meet with a client, to travel, or to work on weekends. The reality (for me) is that being an entrepreneur and running my own business is the hardest I have worked in my whole career.While corporate life can be challenging, at the end of the day – and there was always an end of the day – I went home to my family, my paycheck arrived on time, and things were OK. The work got done.As an entrepreneur, the work never stops. There are always ideas for new programs and products. There's the second book I want to write. And then another invitation to speak at a conference. The client who specifically requests to work with me. Hiring new talent. Sending invoices. Responding to emails. Returning phone calls. The list of things ‘to do' never ends. And I love it. Being a successful and busy entrepreneur is the most fun I have ever had. The best job ever. With, thankfully, the best team ever.However, as my team and business grow, I have to re-evaluate my role and re-assess where I spend my time and energies. The "I do it all" approach is no longer effective or scalable. I am learning to delegate, to let go, and to operate in a new way. I'm taking back control so I can perform better. I'm taking back control so we can perform better.If you feel like you are being pulled in a million different directions every day and your to-do list usually rivals War and Peace in length, it may be time for you to take back control and perform better, too.Here are six tips that may help:
Create Focus
For the first few years of running SkyeTeam, I didn't have a plan beyond paying the bills. I took every opportunity that was presented to me, and I moved from one ‘shiny object' to the next. As long as we were having fun, learning, and exceeding our customers' expectations, it served us well. This year I took back control so that we could perform better. We created a strategic plan (on one piece of paper) that details the areas of the business that we want to focus on for the next three years, and the results we want to achieve. Creating focus and ensuring that everyone on the team understands and is aligned around this strategy has proven transformational. Our success – and that of our clients – is accelerated as we now have a clear filter for the projects that we should be working on – and those that, while fun, are potential distractions. Our approach is two-fold: it's focused on the business goals, and also our individual goals.
What are the business goals you are striving for?What are the personal goals you (and your team members) are striving for?
Change your answer
I am quick to say, "yes" to requests that come in. Requests from clients, and those from people who simply want to ‘pick my brain.' What inevitably gives is the time I spend at my desk creating powerful content for our sessions. What gives is my time with family and friends.I took back control to perform better by turning up my turn-down skills. Instead of saying an immediate "yes," I have learned that I have to give myself permission to say, "Let me think about that" or (heaven forbid) an immediate, "No." It wasn't an easy adjustment. I had to learn to say no with style. But having a clear focus allows my team and me to identify better what we should be saying, "yes" to – the opportunities which help us to achieve and further our business and personal goals.
What do you need to start saying, "no" to?How will you say, "no" in a way that preserves the relationship?
Ask for help
I have previously written about my independence and self-reliance: traits that have helped me to be successful. But these very same traits have also held me back at times as I tried to go it alone. Success is not a solo sport. We are all dependent on others to achieve our goals. Even as a solopreneur, I was dependent on my client relationships, my board of advisors, my allies. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness – it is a sign of strength. The more people who have a vested interest in helping you succeed, the more likely that success is to be achieved and maintained.
What are you successful in spite of?When (and who) might you ask for help?
Throw a Worry Party
I've never spoken to an entrepreneur who hasn't experienced angst and worry about a business move, ranging from a few butterflies in the stomach to a whole squadron of butterflies flying formation tricks. My ‘worry meter' rose considerably in the early days of launching the business. I took back control and perform better because I no longer suffer alone. When I feel those first knots in my stomach, I share my thoughts with my trusted advisors, my allies, the people who can provide perspective, advice, and support as needed.
What is on your worry list right now?Who is your ally, the person you can turn to for advice and guidance?
Hire Professionals
Trying to do everything yourself may result in amateur-looking results. Just because I can do something doesn't mean I should. I'm using a professional bookkeeper instead of spending hours every month reconciling the various bank accounts. I can invest that time in something that helps to grow and move the business forward. Or, how can I save time by outsourcing tasks like hiring meal delivery service, a house manager, or transportation on demand to be able to be productive during drive and commuting times or simply just to be able to enjoy a night out to recharge such as options available at https://www.limofind.com/tx/amarillo-party-bus-rental/.
Where should you be leaning on professional help?What is one thing you need to focus on, and will focus on when you hire your first professional?
Take a Vacation
In our first year of business, I never switched off. My family took a road trip, and I stayed at home because "the business needs me." True… but the family needs me, too. Also: I need me! Taking a vacation has, for me, been one of the most powerful ways of taking back control. Time off provides me with an opportunity to recharge my batteries, gain perspective, and generate more ideas to add to that infernal to-do list. Stepping back and taking a vacation allows me to step back into the business with a renewed vigor and excitement.
When was the last time you took a vacation or short break?What will you do to include regular vacation time into your life?
Being an entrepreneur doesn't mean that you have to do it all. Success requires that you take back control and do the right stuff at the right time. And the rest of the ideas and to-do list? You can do those tomorrow.