Develop a Strong Network
Stepping into the world of entrepreneurship is as rewarding, as it is challenging. A strong network of like-minded individuals can provide support, knowledge, a fresh perspective, and access to new opportunities. Focus on developing and maintaining good relationships with fellow business owners. There may be an opportunity to collaborate, even with others in your industry, on a larger project. Knowledge and insight is valuable business currency. Aim to share and give, as well. The best relationships are mutually beneficial. Look at this as an opportunity to give you insight into subjects you could use now or in the future.
Be intentional about maintaining the relationship. Nothing is worse than exchanging business cards with someone and not hearing from them, until they need something two years later. Share relevant articles and consistently provide updates about your business and new projects.
A network-focused approach is also helpful as your business expands and you build out your team. The best vendors, suppliers and even employees typically come from within your network or those of business allies. Leverage the knowledge and skills of others by delegating or outsourcing tasks. This allows you to grow your capacity and maximize your time.
Plan What You Can
Calendars are great tools to manage your time. But, it goes beyond simply putting a meeting on your calendar. Creating a plan will give you a clear direction. Setting the intentions for your day. Helps you to optimize your time and keep your focus on that day’s agenda. Otherwise, you risk the potential of being disorganized and distracted from the task at hand.
Manage your calendar in a style that works best for you, whether it is pen and paper, your phone or a task management app such as Wunderlist or Trello. So make sure to take some quiet time at the end of the workday to plan what needs to be done the following business day.
Consider establishing time blocks, where you dedicate a certain amount to time to complete a task uninterrupted. For example, block out 2 hours to work on next week’s presentation, schedule a 30-minute time block to respond to email or plan for the next day. This allows you to focus and enter a state of flow. Projects will progress more smoothly and be completed quicker.
Be realistic in the amount of time it takes to complete a project. Break down the steps and add those to the calendar, too. This will reduce anxiety and procrastination and allow you to work on a project over time.
An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure. Identify the things that can often trip up your morning or day. Create reminders and prompts to reduce problems that can be prevented. It can be a simple checklist before a major meeting or a reminder on the door to make sure your child has all of their books, homework and lunch before leaving for school. It is also wise to build in a cushion of time for emergencies and the issues that randomly pop-up during the day.
Prioritize Your Time
When building a business, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the ever-growing list of tasks on the “To Do” list. Cut the list to 5 key things. I like to call it the “To Do Today” list. As long as I complete 3-5 of those things, I consider the day a success. There is only so much time and energy in a day. Give yourself some grace. You are more likely to see effective results.
Distractions can suck the energy out of your progress and momentum. Have you ever caught yourself looking at Instagram and before you know it you have spent at least 45 minutes just scrolling? Time is the only resource we can not replenish. Once it is spent, it is gone. Learn to better manage your time by limiting and reducing distractions. Another approach is to schedule the distraction as a mental break and put a time limit on it.
Productivity is a good thing, burn out is not. All work and no play makes for a boring entrepreneur. Find a hobby that is not related to work that allows you to preserve a sense of self. Work and our personal lives can easily become blended. This can affect your energy, creativity, motivation, and even your interpersonal skills. Make sure to block out some me-time,down time, and self-care. Use this time to clear your mind and release the tension from the day. This can take the form of exercise, a creative hobby, dinner with family or friends, catching up on your favorite series, or just sitting in a park enjoying the sunset and a breeze.
Redefine Success
As an entrepreneur, you are stepping out to gain success on your terms and your definition of that should also take that same approach. Success is deeply personal and can only be defined for you, by you. Success takes many forms and can look like being able to take your kids to school each day, working remotely from anywhere in the world, or being able to provide for your family. Don’t be afraid to re-define success.
Big or small, each accomplishment gets you closer to your goals. Celebrate those successes no matter the size. Focus on progress and the lessons learned along the journey.
Final Thoughts:
You have the power to create your dreams. Manage your time well and prioritize the people and activities that mean the most to you. Pursue success on your own terms. The world we once knew is transforming. You have the opportunity to determine how you embrace the change and make it work in your favor.