As small business owners, we are responsible for everything and everyone in our company. That’s a massive responsibility.
Like lots of small business owners, I started a business because I was good at something. I didn’t actually know how to run one.
Looking back, the good thing was that I didn’t know what I didn’t know. Like lots of small business owners, I generally found out that I needed to learn something when things went wrong!
It’s pretty stressful when things go wrong, and over time I devised a few success strategies that helped me to improve my resilience. I went on to build a multi-branch, award-winning service business with 28 staff and a $12 million turnover:
#1 Get the week off to a flying start
I took 15 or 30 minutes each week, before Monday morning, to plan my objectives and schedule activities for the week ahead.
Planning ahead meant I could arrive at work on Monday and just ‘get started’. I felt much more powerful and in control of my week.
I liked to spend Friday afternoon with the team in the office, so it worked well for me to plan the next week on Sunday morning after having a break and relax on Saturday.
#2 Focus on the important, not urgent
Now more than ever before, if I’m not careful, my day can be continually interrupted. Messages pop up on my computer screen and phone and disrupt my thoughts with sounds as well.
As a small business owner, it’s vital to be able to concentrate. I’ve gotten into the habit of turning off all non-essential notifications on my ‘phone. Sometimes I leave the ‘phone in another room for 2 hours so I can’t hear it at all, or I put it on ‘flight-mode’. I get more done and have a much smoother day.
#3 Take it easy in the morning
To avoid the stressful morning rush in heavy traffic or packed public transport, like a lot of small business owners, I leave home a little earlier.
I’ve always preferred to travel outside peak hour to arrive at work in a more relaxed and focused state of mind. Exactly what most small business owners and entrepreneurs need to start their day![/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_youtube id=”xwsmTxWLUcE” width=”800″ height=”450″ autoplay=”no” api_params=”&rel=0″ class=””/][fusion_text]
#4 Energy in equals energy out
Processed food is very hard to digest. It doesn’t give us much energy but uses lots of our energy to break it down. That’s just the energy that small business owners need to keep their business ahead of the crowd and to make money.
It took me a few times of being sick and out of action at my business to learn to eat natural ‘power’ foods that gave me energy and vitality.
#5 Help your body keep pace with your head
For all those small business owners who don’t like exercise and are sitting down most of the day, I understand. It was always really easy for me to say I was ‘too busy’ to exercise but I learnt that lesson the hard way too.
Long hours sitting at a desk lead to health issues and that’s stressful for any business owner who needs to be fully functional all the time. Walking just 30 minutes a day really lifts my spirits, clears my head and energises me. Now I enjoy it and regret it if I miss a day.
#6 The power of choice helps small business owners
After employing my first few staff members, I realized that, as a small business owner, it was my job to know everything about the business. And, if I didn’t know, I had to look like I knew until I found out.
There was so much to do and learn it was overwhelming and stressful. This famous quote…
“you can do anything, but not everything” David Allen
…was the turning point. I learnt to say “no” by writing down my ‘no-fail’ goals.
If something fits in with my goals it’s easy to say “yes” if it doesn’t fit in, it’s easy to say “no”.
As one of the world’s millions of small business owners, what do you do to get more done with less stress?
To your business success!
