|
Small Business Resources
I love my business, but I fear I might start burning out. I am busting my hump, which I really don’t mind, but I don’t seem to have much time for anything else in my life. I’m the chief, cook and bottle washer. I have ok employees, but they just don’t care the way I do, which means I have to stay up worrying about everything. Should I fire them, downsize, or see a shrink or all of the above?Ok, first breathe. I don’t have enough info here to give you advice on firing or downsizing, but first try to identify the problem before pulling out all the big guns. As for a “shrink”, I am all in favour of people getting whatever help they need to succeed. Therapy can be extremely valuable in clearing away the underbrush and helping you deal with challenges in an emotionally healthy and balanced way. In the meantime, there are some proactive things you can do. First, use the personal time management log and track your time for 3 days, with incredible specificity. By that, I mean track how many minutes are spent answering joke emails, going to the bathroom, having lunch, talking with clients, working on files, doing billing. Absolutely everything. Then ask yourself which of those activities truly “had” to be done. If there are activities that, if omitted, would have no negative consequence, then stop doing them! If there are activities that you can delegate, do so. Next, plan your day. I know, I know. That takes time. However, when you do it regularly, 10 to 12 minutes of planning can save you over an hour the next day. Third, engage in what is called “strategic recovery”. This comes from a book called “The Power of Full Engagement” by Jim Loehr. Basically, find an activity that refreshes and grounds you. It might be going for a walk, it might be going for a shoe shine, it might be playing with a pet. Make sure you engage in this activity every week. The one thing it shouldn’t be is watching tv. The idea is that your mind and your emotional fortitude are like muscles. They grow by being put under a certain amount of stress, but only if they are afforded an opportunity to recover. Next, try to manage your expectations. Your employees are employees. They are not entrepreneurs. You are of a special breed. If they were like you, they wouldn’t be working for you. They would have their own businesses. Finally, and probably the most important (and perhaps difficult) things to pay attention to are your thoughts. If you are becoming emotionally stressed, it may be because you are interpreting events from a slightly negative perspective. Remember that you live in a great country, you have the ability own your very own business, you have clients, you have many other things. If you look for gray, you will find it. If you look for colour, you will find it. Focus on the things you do have and embrace the challenges as opportunities to grow as a person. And then, have fun.
You have a question for our expert Warren Coughlin? You too can
ASK A QUESTION!
|
| Coupons Deals Expired Deals Features Freebies Forums Links Retailer Ratings Marketplace Canadian Price Comparison |
Copyright © 2000 -
RedFlagDeals.com, a division of Clear Sky Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
(Terms of Use, Privacy Policy)
