If you’re in business, you have a commitment to position yourself to experience growth no matter what. As easy as that sounds, there are times when life throws you a curve ball or two and it becomes more of a challenge to keep the needle standing… let alone moving. It is during those times that you have to have a “come to Jesus” conversation with yourself – you know, whip yourself into shape so that all that you’ve worked for isn’t sacrificed because of one season of distractions.
Lord knows that right now I’ve got a lot going on – I’m planning a wedding, selling a house and building a new one and oh yeah, I’m still running my thriving profitable business. So I’d like to say that I know a little bit about how to manage distractions and build a business at the same time.
Takiyah isn’t faring so well. Check out her question, which I’m featuring in this week’s episode of Incredible Factor TV:
“Hi Darnyelle. I’m at a point in my life where there is a lot going on – and I’m trying to juggling it all without sacrificing the quality of the work that I do for my clients but I admit, I’m distracted. Help!”
Check out my response to Takiyah’s plea:
As I share in the episode, when there is a lot going on it is easy to get distracted, but in the face of new and exciting things it’s imperative that you have an operational infrastructure to allow you to live and work in a way that is fully supporting.
When I am working with my clients at Incredible Factor University®, I am constantly sharing the significance of operational infrastructure and systems. After all, systems make success predictable even in the face of massive change, action and distraction. Taking the time when “things are going well” to create systems prepares a business and business owner to offer themselves a measure of grace when life happens.Now, life happening doesn’t have to be all bad – take my life right now for example. All that I’m experiencing is uber exciting – marrying my best friend this fall, building our dream home and selling the home where I’ve lived for the last 12 years. This is all good stuff, but it is distracting none the less. But because I have a great team, strong systems and an operational plan, our business goals and delivery standards are not in question. And I want the same for you. Here are my 5 keys:
1. Give your business the same respect you gave your job (when you were happy to be there.) What I mean is set a beginning and end to each day. Sure, some days may be more heavily focused on life stuff, but make sure that you create weekly plan sheet and account for all deliverables, meet with your team and get their help and buy in to ensure all that must be done gets done. Side bar: this will also help you to enjoy your down time more.
2. Set new boundaries with your family and friends. If your family and friends are anything like mine, they think that you have all the time in the world for whatever they need you for. You do, after all, run your own business! LOL! Of course you and I know that nothing could be further from the truth. So be sure to let your loved ones know what the rules of engagement are. And, if it’s time to work, be honorable and work. You’ll feel much better that you did. Be sure to review your schedule objectively so that you don’t spread yourself too thin.
3. Work in time pockets. This is one of my biggest productivity hacks. Versus planning to conquer the world in one day, I know my limitations. I am great in 60 minute pockets of time. So if I’m working 6 hours on a particular day, I will probably tackle 4 things. I will work for 60 minutes and then take a 15-minute break. This helps me to get tons more done than if I forced myself to sit at my desk all day like I did when I worked in corporate.
4. Re-assess your team. If you don’t have a project manager or customer service/ client care manager, now might be a great time to hire one. Both or either of these roles will give you a level of confidence that when you are away, things are still happening for your clients. With the right people in place, your business will continue to operate and grow. As you re-evaluate your team, think of it in terms of three core teams – a operations team, a talent team and a sales team. Each of the three teams has a defined purpose and their purpose roles up into your whole purpose and ensures operational efficiency at all times.
5. Consider cutting back on programming. This year, I decided not to do my large annual event that I typically hold in the spring. I knew that this summer would be a little hectic with all of the planning, etc. so I forewent the big event to give myself some space and to not have to focus on onboarding 30-60 new clients all at once. Doing that would have sent me to a place I’m not quite ready to go, LOL. So I had to make a decision and a sacrifice to better position my business so that I can give it the time and attention it needs. Sure, doing something like this might be scary if you don’t have a plan, operational effectiveness and a strong team to support you. But once you set those things up, you can give yourself the space.
6. BONUS: Take time for you. If you’re not living with a self-care plan, now is definitely the time to create one. Be it a weekly massage or mani pedi, be sure that you take some time away from everything for yourself. Keep your exercise plan tight during this time too because everything depends on your physical wellbeing.
While you can’t always predict when distraction is going to arise, if you’ve set your business up to serve you, you’ll be better prepared for the onset. This is just one of the ways I help my clients build businesses that serve them. Feel distracted, and need a game plan for managing through it? We should chat. Right now, I’m taking on new clients on a case by case basis, I’d love to chat to see if now is the right time and we are the right fit to grow your business, period.
©2017 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved. Darnyelle A. Jervey, MBA, The Incredible Factor Business Optimization Coach and Mentor, is the founder of Incredible One Enterprises®, Incredible Factor University® and the Leverage Your Incredible Factor System®, a proven step-by-step program so you experience financial and spiritual abundance in your life because of your business. For more information and a FREE audio CD “7 Critical Mistakes Even Smart Entrepreneurs Must Avoid for Clients, Connection and Cash Flow!” just fill out the form below.
