LIF *lucky it’s friday* March 12, 2010
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We all need time to just sit back and relax and to put our work and business stresses aside, you’d go crazy (or crazier) if you didn’t!
Running your own business does make it harder to simply relax and not think about work because it’s yours, you are responsible for pretty much everything about the business. It can take over your whole life if you’re not careful. I know it has for me but I am trying a lot harder now to have the weekend as a no work zone. Now, it doesn’t always work let me tell you. I do still find myself answering emails on a Sunday and even doing up orders but I am getting better and normally I only do this if I’m trying to delay doing housework, eeeeek!
To help me switch off from my business I *try* and keep everything up to date, such as paperwork, bill paying, filing, stock ordering etc throughout the week so I don’t have anything hanging over my head during the weekend and dreading Monday. It is much easier to enjoy your time away from your business if you know there isn’t a weeks (months!) worth of data entry and filing waiting for you on your desk. If you can’t get everything done before you have a break (which btw should be every weekend) at least organise it so it doesn’t look quite as intimidating. This can just be putting things in piles with post its, having trays for various things ie filing, bills to be paid, new products etc Also, if you are realising that you can NEVER get everything done each week/month then maybe it is time to outsource. What are things you don’t particularly like which always get pushed back and back but is still always on your mind. It could be your filing, your accounts, data entry Can someone else do it for you? Can it be done ‘virtually’ by someone else? Do you have a neighbour or friend who wouldn’t mind working a few hours/days a week?
You might think ‘but I just can’t afford it’ I know I did this for a long time before I realised I was spending (well, wasting) so much time, not only doing these things but also worrying about them. So I finally hired someone to do my books, and let me tell you it was such a load off! I love knowing that at the end of each month all my accounts are up to date without me having to stress about it. It’s also made it so much easier to really see what is going on within my business, how things are *really* going.
We use Tilda Virtual and they’ve been great!
Other things you can outsource:
Your newsletter - how often do you send one? This was something else I would put off and then when I finally did get around to doing it, it would put together quickly without much thought at all. A waste really. So what did I do? Yep, I hired someone to do them for me. Brilliant. I just send them a brief outline of what I want included ie new products, specials, up coming events (like Easter) and they put it all together for me, easy and inexpensive! We use Clever Streak. They can also look after your blog plus social media like Twitter and Facebook.
So don’t think, just because it is your business, you have to do EVERYTHING yourself. There are so many wonderful businesses out there that can help you. Sure, there are times when you will be super busy and won’t be able to get away but when it gets like this you still need to have a break even if it for just an hour. It’s amazing what a clear head can do!
Everything won’t fall apart if you’re away from your computer or, heaven forbid, you actually turn your computer off! Organisation is the key and not sweating the small stuff.
Now, turn off your computer (and your phone!) and go spend time enjoying yourself. BREATH & RELAX.
ps: I haven’t worked out why every word ends up with a capital letter, very strange, but I will take my own advice and ‘not sweat the small stuff’.
pps: The gorgeous images are from our new range of Greeting Cards!
