How to Take Back Control of Your Business
How to get from overwhelmed to focused and in control
Are you overwhelmed with things to do?
Do you have lots of ideas about things that you could do, but you’re not sure which to go for.
Or are you trying to do everything at once, and making slow progress?
Here are some ways that you can get focused and back in control:
1. Take a break
I know – we all fight this one. It is such a counter-intuitive idea – you don’t have time for a break! But ask yourself this: how many times have you woken up with an idea, or had a lightbulb moment in the shower? Our brain continues to chug away in the background when we’re doing other things, and we often have our most creative thoughts when we’re not actually working.
If you can’t see the wood for the trees – go for a walk / cycle / mooch around the shops – whatever you find relaxing. That hour or two may save you much more time in the long run.
2. Decide what is most important & urgent
This can be handy when you have a To Do list as long as your arm. What should you work on first?
It’s tempting to do the easy thing (or the one that lets you faff about on social media) first, but that’s not necessarily going to have the most impact. So what will?
Try drawing out this simple 2×2 matrix, and split your tasks out into urgent/not urgent and important/not important. It forces you to compare tasks – they can’t all be equally urgent and important.
This is a vital way of looking at things if you want to really make a difference in your business.
The new course you want to launch, or the complete overhaul of that sales page can always be put off, because they aren’t urgent. But if you schedule them in and get them done, your business can move on significantly.
Which brings me onto:
3. The one thing
Look at your week ahead, and schedule one thing in for each working day. One thing that works towards moving the needle in your business – a bite-sized step in the right direction.
Maybe it’s to rewrite one small section of a sales page, or list out the content of one part of your new course, or re-write your Instagram bio to better reflect what you do now.
If you see yourself taking a small step each day towards the most important changes you want to make to your business, you will feel much more in control.
4. Nail your strategy
I left this to last, as it is the one that will take the most time and effort. But it’s also the one that will make the biggest difference.
Stop and take a look at the big picture. Where is your business going? Where do you want it to be …in 12 months, in 3 years from now? It’s unlikely to be hugely different from where it is now, unless you make a strategic plan to get there.
Imagine having a clear plan of what you are going to do, and when. No more lists of great ideas, without knowing where to start.
Imagine having a clear focus, and being confident that the plan you’ve created will take you to where you want to be.
Below are some resources to help you do just that:
Resources
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- Read about the step-by-step process you can use to do this yourself: 5 Steps to Take Control of Your Business.
- Take the ‘How in Control of Your Business Are You?’ Quiz. Find out where you are, and then I will send you some emails that step you through the process, so that you can do it yourself.
- Get help – if you’d like my help to do this (or want me to do the numbers for you), take a look at my Business Strategy Pitstop programme. By the end of the programme, you will have a clear path to achieving your goals. No more overwhelm and indecision – a clear route to success.
How in control of your business are you?
Take the Quiz to find out…
