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Busy is the new black. But it’s dragging us down and there’s now an overwhelming number of individuals looking for help to be ‘less busy’.
When you’re running a small business (or even a large one!) you’re juggling many responsibilities. Many entrepreneurs find themselves, at some point, on the brink of burnout. And the very passionate desire that they had to create a living from something they love, over time becomes overwhelming and less enjoyable.
We all want to live with joy and have fun. And many entrepreneurs make the mistake of believing that their ‘business’ is the problem – falling into the trap of believing they’re growing too fast / not fast enough, that they need to set better strategic plans, or invest in better software that will automate processes, or hire more team members.
And yes, these can seem like viable solutions if you feel run off your feet and want to work smarter, not harder. They are also important decisions that need to be made in order to build a viable business in a healthy and sustainable way.
And … while I am not dismissive of all of these components, the key that many entrepreneurs I work with miss is this: In order to keep their businesses running smoothly, they must also take care of themselves. First. And foremost.
Life balance, happiness, feeling like you’re on top of your game… I hate to break it to you. But these don’t come from external factors. They are all ‘inside jobs’ and they come from one simple life strategy: Simplification.
Instead of figuring out how to make ends meet, work on having fewer ends!
Okay, I can hear what you’re thinking. Easier said than done, right? You’re already knee -deep in a thousand and one commitments and responsibilities, as well as problems that require solutions.
And I don’t disagree, one of the most complicated life skills to master, is to ‘keep it simple’ and we need to apply it across all areas of our lives – not just career and work.
Why? Because when we simplify, we stop feeling overwhelmed, and we can focus better.
It’s difficult trying to minimise tasks and ‘to do’ lists, to work out what’s necessary and what’s not, and what’s important …. And ‘keeping it simple’ is a skill we all have to actively practice in order to improve every single day. But the results are worth it.
Life isn’t complex…
One thing that I have realised on this journey is that life isn’t complex at all. It’s us humans who make it so! When I figured this out, I set myself a goal to spend more time on things that matter, rather than things that don’t.
Making the distinction between the two, is partly an internal process – slowing the mind, setting an intention for the day and committing to myself to stick to it. It’s also partly an external focus – and these are not things we can always control – but for most of us they make up a large part of the things we need to do – children, partner’s needs, work focus … it’s all a juggle. But we need to choose what we want to prioritise in any given moment. And when we consider them all carefully, we find that some things we think we should do, are actually totally expendable in order to keep our lives simple.
Accept that things and people are imperfect…
Entrepreneurs, in my experience, tend to be perfectionists. It’s the single biggest driver in most people who start their own business – having a big vision and wanting everything to work out just the way they planned it in their heads.
But the thing is, none of us are perfect, and as soon as we accept this fact, life becomes a whole lot easier. What’s more, once you can accept also that you, yourself, are not perfect and nor do you need to be, then the pressure comes off!
Perfectionism is not the same as being the best you can be.
All of us have different directions and different values in life. We’re good at some things and not others. What’s important, is that we stay focused on what we truly value.
In order to simplify, we must first identify what it is that we want to dedicate our time and energy to, the things that are meaningful to us and are aligned with our personal aspirations and values – those things that give us exuberance, energy and delight!
When we’re absolutely crystal clear on that, we need to ditch all of the other complex things that we think we need to do…. But which drain us of our time and energy.
This stuff really is just excess baggage – so in order to help you simplify, consider some of these helpful life strategies.
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Mind your own business.
One of the things that can take up time and energy is getting involved in other people’s drama – sure you want to be a supportive friend, or a helpful neighbour, and a great boss – but you need to have firm boundaries so that you can save time and focus on you!
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Stop expecting to please everyone around you.
It’s quite empowering to be detached from problems that don’t concern you.
There are certainly times when you need to be completely present for an individual, like a friend or loved one, or a team member to give them the space to talk and be heard, but most of us are guilty of getting involved in other people’s problems just because …. why? Habit? You like the gossip and entertainment? You want people to like you?
Only you can be really honest with yourself on this one. But once you know why you get wrapped up in stuff that’s best avoided, then you’ll find this habit easier to let go.
I’ve pretty much always been a bit of an expert in carrying around other people’s baggage… because I want to help them change, it’s my job, but also my skill and passion. But in reality, it’s time consuming and it’s not effective for me, or for the people I think I’m helping because people need to experience their own life …. And they are responsible for figuring their own ‘stuff’ out.
While it is my job to advise and assist when people ask me to, (I’m a coach, after all) it’s not my job to figure out other people’s lives. It’s really empowering to let this go. I like to be needed, most of us do – but when we figure out that we can let most of other people’s drama go, then we can dedicate more time and energy to keeping our own lives on track. And we have less distractions.
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Follow your heart.
Learn to say ‘No’. This is indeed a biggie. How many times have you said ‘yes’ to something and then spent the lead up wondering how the hell you’re going to get out of it? We’ve all been there. What’s the trick? Be brave – follow your heart – say ‘I’ll think about it’ or I’m really not sure but thank you for asking me.’ Honour yourself and your needs.
Being true to yourself brings a myriad of rewards – life becomes more enjoyable and the people in it respond on a more authentic level. Really, it’s that simple because when you’re not taking care of you, you can’t give your best self to others …. So, just explain …. ‘Let’s catch up when I’m less stressed/busy/tired…’ True friends will understand.
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De-clutter and make space for yourself.
There is nothing more satisfying than decluttering your wardrobe, your office and even your kitchen – there is something highly therapeutic about getting rid of ‘stuff’.
Former President of the USA, Barak Obama, was known for having a fairly bland wardrobe that consisted of the all the same suits and shirts, all in complementary colours. Why? As President he spent his days having to make big decisions, so in order to simplify and maintain focus, he elected to take choices out of his wardrobe. It meant one less thing to worry about ahead of a big day.
Remember: ‘less is the new more’.
When you start to simplify one area of your life, watch the impact it has on other areas – you’ll soon start to see that having/doing less actually means more.
It is difficult to let go, of stuff, of people who drain us, of old habits …. The trick to making it easier is to focus not on what you will lose, but what you have to gain.
The best is yet to come …
When we open up ‘space’ in our lives, we let in something new.
So – grab a journal. Spend some time auditing your life … do you have too many things on your to do list? What can you delegate? What, in all honesty, really doesn’t have to be done? What area of your life causes you angst or a lot more time than you really want it to? How can you change this to simplify and free up more time?
Make priorities, set aside time, slow down. These are all excellent personal mantras.
When we keep things simple, it has the wonderful effect of giving our cluttered and scattered brains a rest – and it is only then that we can truly begin to tap into our greatest power – our thoughts.
And if you’re an entrepreneur this is incredibly valuable because you’ll find yourself thinking less about the business you’re in and more about the business you want. Having mental ‘space’ and blocks of time means that you’re free to tap into those creative juices that drove you to start your business in the first place. … Because when the mind is quiet, the ‘inner voice’ can finally be heard and it has lots of wonder in store for you!
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