I thought about calling this blog post “Working to Your Strengths”. But you know what? When you work to your strengths, you really are playing to them. What’s work when you’re in your dream job? And how can you create your dream job? By playing to your strengths…
Have no fear, you can minimise your sorrows with some tweaks to your business! Think about how you do your work and the systems you use. Are you working in ways of your choosing, or have you picked up habits from past jobs or from society?
Do you work 9am – 5pm in your self-made business? Do you force yourself out of bed too early for some god-forsaken reason? Have you stopped and thought about it before?
I “officially” work 9am – 5pm (by that I mean, that’s what my hours say on Google & Facebook), but in reality I allow myself to work with my go-with-the-flow lifestyle. For instance, I’m writing this at 10pm on a Monday because I do my best writing and get into a flow more easily later at night. I am also partial to a sleep in. As long as you get your work done, when it happens is up to you.
Sickened by emails chains? On edge at the ring of an unexpected phone call? You have control. Use the contact methods that you prefer to use.
Since I stopped giving out my cell phone number, I’ve been at ease. I message, email, Zoom… you name it but I don’t do phone calls anymore. What’s one less method when I’m openly available as it is? My dream clients are happy with that, most of them have similar preferences! I wouldn’t have it any other way.
What do you do regularly that could be done automatically by utilising technology? Plenty of tasks can be done for you at the push of a button. It’s a great time saver (and I find automation super satisfying, yet to find someone to geek out with on this 😂 ). Automation works particularly well with the more repetitive tasks, like emails and accounting.
Set boundaries with the people you work with. You can do this with your clients and your team if you have one. First, you need to get crystal clear with yourself about what works for you. Like your hours, how you can be contacted, what you do and don’t do. Once you’re clear with yourself, you can be clear with others. Express your boundaries clearly and upfront.
Communicating how your business works is best when you’re completely honest to yourself and everyone around you. Trust your intuition as well. If you feel the red flags of a potential boundary crossing, speak up or take bold action. It’s truly okay to work with yourself, rather than against.
Damn straight, if you don’t like bookkeeping or social media scheduling, there’s no shame in getting some help. If the tasks you’re focused on are aligned with your passions and skills, you’re going to be a much happier and more efficient business owner! Leading to you and your clients enjoying the whole business experience. And who doesn’t want that?
Delegating doesn’t have to be expensive either. As small business owners, we can’t always afford to hire a permanent staff member, or we simply don’t need someone that often. In the age of working from home, there are an array of options online to consider. For instance, the completely online accounting solution I use charges 1% of what I earn, when I am paid (so I only pay them when I’m earning). You can also hire contractors or freelancers for one-off jobs or short contracts. This way you can easily fit the assistance you need into your monetary and time budgets.
Tip: When it comes to automating and delegating, try listing ALL of your business tasks in one place. Then you can categorise them into what you love to do, what you’re good at, and what you dislike/don’t want to do. This will help you figure out what to do with each task. Whether you want to keep doing it or find another way to get it done that will make for happier days!
Get your ducks in a row. This means different things in different businesses. Maybe you have high and low seasons that you could improve? How can you regulate your workflow so that you’re steady throughout the day/month/year?
For service-based businesses like Glow Creative who work with multiple clients at different times, it can mean scheduling. I regulate business by scheduling projects in advance. For product-based businesses, perhaps you could run majority of your promotions or ad campaigns during slower months to even out sales. These ideas help to ensure a steady workload over the year and to reduce overload.
When we play to our strengths by working in alignment with ourselves, we’re happier and more productive. This leads to attracting the kind of clients we want to work with (because they get us)!
Be your authentic self in business and I believe you’ll find your version of success.
I am a self-employed web developer & graphic designer. Helping small business owners to bask in their glow by following their passion is what I love to do. I enjoy spending time in nature, reading great books, and eating a lot of pasta.