You often hear people talk about the difference between working in your business and working on your business. When you are working in your business, you are focused on running your day to day operations, working with clients, creating new products, paying bills, managing your social media, marketing, etc. This is where you wear all the hats in your business.
Working ON your business involves forecasting long-term growth and development plans, setting revenue goals, and establishing ways to extend your network. This is the time you spend on the work that can take your business to the next level.
Both types of focus are necessary when running a business, but it’s easy to get caught up in the minutia of the daily tasks and never get around to setting a long term plan that you can reach for. That essentially places you in the role of scullery maid, instead of being the Queen of your castle.
So the best solutions for making sure that you are wearing your tiara more than you are donning an apron include the following:
Putting YOU at the Top of Your Priority List
When you regularly sacrifice yourself for everything else that needs attending to in your business, you will eventually run out of energy to give to the most important tasks — those that generate revenue and growth. You must commit to nurturing your number one business asset, and that’s you! When you take the time to take care of yourself, then you have what you need to run your business in less time and with much better results.
Knowing the Difference Between “Yes, I can” and “Should I?”
If you are a solopreneur, then this debate is even more challenging for you, since you are accustomed to wearing all the hats, all the time. But at some point you need to determine what your time is worth, and whether or not it makes more sense to outsource some of the basic and tedious tasks, to free you up to focus on the big picture. If you constantly keep your nose to the grindstone, never looking up long enough to see where you are headed, you run the risk of missing great opportunities that come your way.
Keeping Your Eye on the Big Prize
If you don’t have a destination in mind, then how will you know where to focus your efforts and energy? In order to sustain business growth, you must establish long term financial goals and the incremental steps necessary to achieve them. It’s important to maintain a present-centered focus, but you must always have one foot on the path to your future. Creating a vision of the future of your business, that you can see yourself achieving, is the motivation you need to get you beyond the challenges you face each day with the little things.
These are just a few tips that you can begin implementing right away. You will soon more regularly find the free time to make some decisions about the future of your business.
© 2012 Reece International LLC/Dr. Shannon Reece. All rights reserved.
Peak performance psychologist and former competitive athlete, Dr. Shannon Reece is a leading authority on how smart women can launch and grow their business in a man’s world, leveraging their unique strengths to drive peak performance. Her website, educational products and speaking engagements are built around the fundamentals for success which include, putting yourself at the top of your list of highest priorities without guilt, transforming your fear from a liability into an asset, and understanding that being competitive is not about conforming to the status quo.
Great article! I love the part about putting yourself first. It’s so easy to forget that part when you are in the thick of a project. Thanks!
Thanks for your comment, Lisa! So true, for women especially — we are always the first, and seemingly easiest thing to knock off the priorities list to care for others. But what women forget is that at some point, if they continue on this path, they will have nothing left to give. To operate at your best for those you love most, you’ve got to make your self-care #1. Thanks for reading!
Valuable points, Shannon. They are easy to digest and SO important. I especially appreciate the idea of “yes” vs. “should I?” That’s a wonderful distinction which can easily send us in the wrong direction if we are not aware. Thank you for sharing your wisdom and experience.
Thank you, Linda! Sometimes that is the most difficult question to answer with our best interests in mind. But to be truly successful we must curb the urge to do everything ourselves, rather than have the courage and vision to delegate. Thanks for reading!
Great article providing the important balance of working in and on your business! Thanks for sharing!
Denny, thank you for your comment! When starting out, many solo business owners get caught in the rut of constantly working in their business — never carving out the time or creating the necessary systems that enable them to work on their business. But once you start to see the benefit of that shift, you never want to go back to the hamster wheel.
Great actionable steps from Shannon, as always. Tip No.1 is Sooooo vitally essential in life & business; after all, if we imagined ourselves to be a high-end super car, would we fail to take the time to refuel it or schedule in regular ‘service’ breaks? I think not, unless we really wanted to pay dearly down the line. During these ‘service breaks’ we could also address the other tip of Shannon’s – know the difference between the ‘I could & ‘I should’ stuff…like sure ‘I could’ take my Ferrari off-road, but ‘Should I’..? Is there a better way to do this? Of course, once you’ve played that scenario out, you’ll the have plenty of time to set your own internal ‘GPS’ so you drive in the right direction down your road to success, where you can enjoy the journey & all of the little planned landmarks along the way. Thanks for the insights Shannon & Dr Daisy for hosting this insightful article.
Grant, The Brits are so eloquent.
Thank you for your wonderful summary of my post. I love the super car analogy because how we choose to “fuel” ourselves mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually is so important. I know some people, who should give the same attention to their own well-being as they do to their autos. It all boils down to priorities, and the need for each person to set ones that are meaningful to him or her, rather than what the world or others might dictate. Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts!
Great post! 3 things that every Mom needs to remember, especially if they are trying to build a business. I get so excited about new products and packages because it’s fun, but I have to remember to “establish long term financial goals and the incremental steps necessary to achieve them”. That was a great statement to bring me back down to the present. Thanks so much.
Hi Sally! I have enough of a challenge keeping up with everything on my plate without children, so my hat goes off to women who manage a business and a busy household! I know the lure of the shiny objects, and have to work to keep my eye on the prize every day. Having specific goals, and a clear map to your dream makes it much easier to stay on track. Knowing what your objective is for each day prevents you from just filling up time with non-revenue generating and non-essential tasks. Thanks so much for sharing your comment!
Great tips as usual!
I know that I tend to get way to many things going at once and exhaust myself in the end with little to show for it.
Thanks for your comment, Kendra! I know exactly what you describe because we love to try to do it all, even when it’s impossible to do it all well. Scheduling time for me is the only way that it actually happens. So find time to recharge each week and you will be amazed at how much more productive you are when it counts.
Thanks, for sharing an Amazing article! The part that resonated with me the most is, “Creating a vision of the future of your business, that you can see yourself achieving, is the motivation you need to get you beyond the challenges you face each day with the little things.” This is so true and I try to do this on a daily basis in the morning as I am writing in my journal. It helps to keep me centered and focused throughout the day!
Hi Susan! Thanks so much for sharing your journaling strategy for staying on track toward your goals. When you start your day with the right attitude and focus there’s no limit to what you can accomplish in your business. I tell my clients that they must decide in advance of their feet hitting the floor in the morning how they will see their day unfold, no matter what life throws their way. We can either choose to be reactive or proactive, so I love that you are taking the latter approach.
Great article Shannon! As a mom we can be in the thick of it all too often forgetting to step back and work ON our business and life. It all meshes together so it’s so important to really be the queen, step up to creating the kingdom we desire. If we spend too much time working in the business we miss so much. I’ve found that I have to get plenty of help from others. Many hands make work light. Thanks for reminding me to be queen!
Donna, Thank you so much for your comment! So glad you liked the article. Yes, we all have to remember why it’s important to be queen of our business and home castles. It’s not for the tiara and other other perks, rather our production. It’s all about being at our best to transform and impact lives with our gifts. And there are so many within each of our kingdoms who need to experience our gifts in action, so they can start using their own.
Great article. The one I always forget is putting me first. I constantly look at what would be good for others. Thank you again.
Christina, Thank you for your comment! Indeed, that is the one person most women “forget” to put first, but that doesn’t mean that a shift can’t take place. When looking for what would be good for others, remember that when you are operating at 100% you are giving your best for others. And what could be better than that when there are lots of people counting on you?!
Start with baby steps, see the results, and you will be encouraged to do more for yourself. It’s not about being selfish — it’s about achieving peak performance where it matters most. 