Most of the time, we have a set deadline for our goals or duties at work. These are usually predictable and in rather smooth timeframes, for the most part. Then there is crunch time – a favorite among those professionals in the design and tech fields. This can be anywhere from close to the end of the year, to the big event where your company holds the most profit-for-punch at a conference, like G2E or CES. If you’re just starting out your small business, you could be running all of this yourself. If so, you may feel overwhelmed. I’m here to tell you – it’s time to re-think your design.
Your design can be anything. It could be the physical design in the website, in the brochure, the logo, or even stationery. What I am talking about here is NOT that. I’m talking about your habits… your flow… the routine you have built over the years. If you’re overwhelmed, the design of the life you have created is flawed. D It’s time to set your priorities straight and create the best possible lifestyle you can, with the current resources available to you.
- Take stock of your resources. Reach out to your local designers and friends. Most contractors work on word of mouth referrals, and on top of that, consultations are usually very affordable. Sometimes all you need is a little direction from a service to get you on the path to success. They may even handle the design of your work flow to help you see the more efficient (and affordable!) ways to succeed.
- Find ways to reduce overwhelm. It slows down business and burns out the dream before it gets there. Reach out, learn from friends and maybe even shell out a couple bucks to get some feedback on how to best structure your time.
- Delegate more. When business get stuck and business operations bottleneck because of you, then you know it’s time to delegate more. Delegation is the most under-used task by small businesses. Most think it’s because they can’t afford delegation. With a little delegation, those who have been stuck in the habit of taking on all the work themselves find that they are even more productive when they can focus their energy on what they do best instead of doing mediocre work.
In the end, you want the best thing for your company. Listen to your instincts. If you are constantly depleted of energy and focus, then it will show in your work and in your team. It’s time to work smarter, and implement processes to help you and your team shine in the areas they know best. Your business will flourish when you take the time to step out of the day-to-day overwhelm and examine operations from a fresh perspective.
