Get Organized.
You’d be surprised by how much mental energy is used to manage the chaos. Yep, we get it. “Conquers of Chaos” and “Master of Mess”, but when there’s a lot riding on something, say your business… You know, the thing that supports your livelihood? It’s something to take a look at… but don’t just stare at it, take action.
Check it —
Grab a piece of paper – now. We’ll wait. Okay, now that you have your paper, think about what you use on a day to day basis in your working life.
These things can include your office/desk space, your digital files, customer files, unwanted emails/newsletters, back-office closets. Oh yeah, we went there.
Once you have a solid list of things that can get a little messy, prioritize each item by either importance or frequency of use. Then, do the one in the worst condition first. Just get it out of the way
(Pro tip: this also works in your personal life, so while you’re at it…:)
Step into 2021 with a new kind of confidence and leave all that 2020 baggage with you – sh*t, who wants it anyway? “Bye Felicia…” ~Craig aka Ice Cube
Shore Up Weaknesses.
In a world that feels like everything can be done in your own strength, take a step back. Everyone has weaknesses, especially in your craft or business. You can fortify the weaknesses with your strengths, while it may not feel natural at first, things will improve.
Do this —
Grab a drink of your choice (alcoholic or non, we don’t judge) and think about each area of your business – accounting and customer service to technology and team and list all the things you know should be improved.
Now, you DON’T have to do it all at once. Don’t get nervous. But take a look at the things you know deep down that if you address would make a world of difference for your business’ health.
(Pro tip: take each individual you work with aside and ask them the same question. What area of the business has room for improvement? See what commonalities are there and then you know the key areas to start with. This will also make employees and partners feel like they are involved in impactful change and that they have the ability to make an impact.)
Have Something To Work Toward.
If you’re catching on, you may begin to realize we’re talking about goal setting here. And if you already knew that before we said that, congratulations! Gold star for you.
But seriously, pick something that’s going to challenge you. And, it doesn’t always have to be money. Most people pick money goals because you can’t really make a BMW payment by starting a post-sales survey, but over time if you know what makes your customers happy and unhappy, that car payment becomes a part of that goal, right? You bet it does!
Get Someone To Hold…
…you accountable. Yeah, we got jokes. But not when it comes to getting things done.
You see, having to be accountable to take action often helps those who suffer from “Structured Procrastination”. Yes, it’s a thing. We didn’t make that up.
In short, it’s the art of making to-do lists. But accomplishing tasks that don’t actually make a difference in your business. It’s the art of doing marginal tasks. So while you’re certainly “busy” you’re not really busy doing important things that are actually a priority. It’s like doing all the things you “want to do” or feel like doing versus doing the things you know actually need to get done.
So what’s the fix? You could hire a coach, people on your team, form a group of like-minded professionals who will all hold one another accountable — whatever. You’ll find more success.
Progress Over Perfection
Choose progress over perfection and you’ll get so much more done. Now, I know we typically don’t have surgeons reading this blog, because their work requires perfection. In business, we have the luxury of doing things in the high 80% or mid-90% completion and can adjust on the fly and improve as we go. Don’t get stuck in perfect — it’s a trap — just like growing up! 🙂
If it were easy, everyone would do it. Call us anytime, we’re here to help you with your business goals, (347) 921-2047.
brandbliss is a no-nonsense branding, growth marketing, and business strategy agency dedicated
to helping our clients grow, innovate, and succeed in the modern marketing ecosystem. We are located in Yonkers, NY.