One of the things I love about my clients is that they are all “in”. They’re excited about their work and they’re passionate about their ideas. They love their businesses (sometimes) as if it were one of their children. And they spend a lot of time working.
That’s the good news.
The bad news is that many don’t always feel like they’re getting anything done … despite the long hours and hard work. They’re pretty sure they’re being inefficient and feel like there’s never enough time.
And that’s exhausting.
The antidote?
1. Get clear about what you’re trying to accomplish. I see clients every day who are heading in 15 directions all at once. They jump from one thing to the next and back without any clear destination, always chasing the next shiny object. The best way to do this is to take time to make measurable goals that are easy to articulate. For example:
- “In 2023 I want to increase revenue by $30,000.”
- “I want 10 more monthly retainer clients or I want 50 new donors.”
- “I want to delegate 10 hours of work per week to an assistant.”
2. Make a plan that supports your goal. If your goal is to increase revenue by $30,000, identify five or six activities to support that objective. This might include raising prices, community outreach, attending more networking or peer to peer events, writing a newsletter, consistently posting on social media, publishing on LinkedIn, etc.
Be deliberate about this. This is how you are going to spend your time.
3. Set up support systems. In order to know whether you’re carrying out your plan, it’s important to track what you’re doing. Part of my plan to increase revenue this year is to attend at least one networking event a month, meet with one new person every week, and publish my newsletter every other week. There’s no way I could track my progress in my head, so I have an excel spreadsheet to track my success each week.
Am I flawless in my execution? No.
Does it help to see what I’m actually doing so I can make mid-course corrections? Absolutely!
4. Don’t be afraid to say no. If you get a request that’s not aligned with your goal, it’s important to say no. If you have a bright idea that’s also not aligned with your goal (no matter how bright) it’s equally important to say no.
For example, one of my tactics for growing my revenue this year is attending virtual and in person networking events. I am also planning for informational interviews with small business owners and organizations to listen to their ideas on how they plan to grow and prosper. However, I can’t be all things to all people so I am creating connections with people that excel at different skillsets. This way we can refer each other and in the end help more people.
Do your goal setting and planning in quiet. Also, do it separately from your day to day activities. Be clear in your language and remove any ambiguity. Stick with it, even when you’re feeling short on time or energy. Be sure to add time to keep updating your systems.
In the end, you’ll feel more focused, get more done and enjoy your business a lot more than you thought you could.
Things I Can’t Live Without: Canva Pro!
Where have you been all my life? I used to struggle designing flyers and marketing material in MSWord. What a waste of time and energy, not to mention frustration! Canva Pro is a game changer and I highly recommend you give it a try.
As a virtual assistant, Canva Pro is an essential tool that I rely on to assist my clients with their design needs. One of the ways I use Canva Pro is to help my clients establish a strong visual identity. Some of the best elements of the app is the ability to keep your business on brand with colors and fonts. Also, having the option to change the size of the design to fit Facebook, Instagram, business cards, letterhead, stickers, t-shirt, e-book cover, newsletter, and much more!
You can start a free one month trial, but I bet you will get hooked and upgrade to Pro.