The 5 Routes to Making Owning a Business Easier on You
Ensuring that we have an efficient small business in place is not the easiest thing to get our heads around. The reality is that when we are running a business by ourselves and we are the only employee, efficiency is the name of the game in every way. But what does it really take to make a solo business owner's life easier? When you are plying your own trade, you've got to ensure that you are able to work smart rather than hard. Let's show you some ways to keep yourself thriving.
Know the Little Technological Tricks
This is something that so many solo business owners don't consider until they hit those problems. One of the biggest issues many business owners have is the fact that technology lets them down at the last possible second. This results in missed meetings, lost opportunities, and, of course, a whole heap of frustration. If you are in possession of a MacBook, you need to know how to remove viruses and malware and ensure that these little problems don't stump you at the last possible second.
We struggle to have a worthwhile relationship with technology, so if we know the little problems that can occur at the last possible second and understand the best tools, whether it's antivirus software or knowing that Excel formula, we are going to make the whole approach far more efficient.
Have a Number of Working Processes
One of the biggest problems we all have is thinking that we just need to find one working process that actually benefits us. The reality is that when we are working on a number of projects at any given time, we've got to develop a wide variety of working practices to ensure that we are making life far easier for ourselves. For example, if you are full to the brim with meetings on one day, this means that your other practices are going to fall by the wayside on that day.
But if you can find ways to double up and remain productive, even though you are out and about or waiting for a client to turn up, this is going to make things easier. When you incorporate a number of different working processes and you pull one out of the bag based on a certain situation, whether it's you working at home or you are sitting in a restaurant waiting for an already late client to turn up, you've got a way to keep yourself ahead of the curve, rather than wasting an inordinate amount of time that you've got to work later or this weekend to catch up.
Understanding What Makes You Thrive
Similar to finding a variety of different working practices, you also need to understand what inspires you at any moment. The whole notion of productivity is not about following one working pattern, but about understanding that with every task comes a simpler way of doing it. There is an abundance of tools that you can use to make life easier, especially when it comes to marketing. There are plenty of automation tools that you can use to your advantage, but you also need to remember that as good as it is to organise and automate as many practices as possible, this doesn't mean you are putting your inspiration and hard graft into the company. Therefore, you need to make sure that when you are working, you are doing the things that are beneficial for your business at that moment in time.
A lot of people apply the Pareto Principle, or “the 80/20 rule,” to these types of situations because it gives them a greater sense of clarity. The Pareto Principle is about understanding that 80% of the results come from 20% of the effort. Therefore, if you are stuck with boring admin and you cannot automate it, what can you do? The fact is that these things need doing so that you can make the process more fun. You can do it by listening to music, but you could also learn more productivity techniques like the Pomodoro technique. There are parts of running a business that is incredibly boring, so, therefore, you've got to get the most out of each moment. This means that you won't just get the work done, but you are going to realise that the business is benefiting from every single input, which will give you far more inspiration to keep pushing forward.
Use Your Freedom Wisely
A lot of people start their own businesses because they want to become their own boss, but they invariably find that there's a lot more work than meets the eye. You will find that you are working more often than not, which can have a bearing on your home life or family life. Therefore, you've got to understand that your free moments are like gold dust. Spending time with the family or using it to catch up on some essential self-help books are all things that can ensure you get a greater hold on what free time is.
Lots of people believe that when they're not thinking about the business, they are wasting precious time or energy. You've got to compartmentalize in this respect, which is easier said than done, but when you start to realise that the moments of freedom you have can rejuvenate your efforts, you will benefit more from them in every aspect of your life, not just in your business.
Find the Right Health Practices
Because you are running a business, you are working a lot more than the average person. Therefore, you have to make sure that your body and brain are working together effectively. When it comes to diet or exercise, there's a wide variety of practices, but you have got to choose the right ones that work for you.
Rather than overdoing it in the gym so you feel exhausted, you've got to find that minimal effective dose that gives you the energy to keep going back, which is going to improve your strength and, therefore, your stamina and endurance. We have to make life easier for ourselves because running a business is far from it. Try some of these and see how it helps you.