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Are You Suffering From Entrepreneurial Overwhelm?
By Stacy Karacostas
Expert Author
Article Date: 2010-05-21
"Understand that the right to choose your own path is a sacred privilege. Use it. Dwell in possibility."
- Oprah Winfrey
Are you overworked and overwhelmed by trying to grow and run your business? If so, you can count yourself as one of the thousands out there suffering from what I call Entrepreneurial Overwhelm. And I understand firsthand just how exhausting it can be.
The thing is, all too often this is a monster of our own creation. The good news is, if you created it that means you can also create a new, different and better business reality.
It's your business, you make the rules.
If you don't want to work nights and weekends…Don't. If you don't like answering phones or emails…Don't.
These days, there are almost as many business models as there are businesses. You can still do one-on-one consulting or coaching, or own a brick and mortar retail business. But you don't have to.
Author Tim Ferris showed us all how to work a four-hour work week in his book of the same name. And while a four-hour work week might not be a reality for you-or even something you want because you love doing what you do-a 40 hour work week absolutely can be. Or a 30-hour week. Or even less.
Below are five business boundaries you can set to start getting your life back right away…
1. Business Hours - Set ‘em and stick to ‘em. If you are always reachable 24/7 people will take advantage of your time. And you won't ever have a personal life.
With a little planning you can set your work schedule any way you want. And if what you offer is unique and different from the competition (that Unique Selling Proposition or USP we marketers always harp about), or you're perceived as the expert, clients will be happy to wait because they want YOU.
2. Work Hours - Same goes for working. Because, especially if you work from a home office, it's easy to get sucked in to working at all hours.
Schedule time to take care of yourself, de-stress, get some exercise, and spend more time with your significant other, kids or friends.
Work/life balance is critical to your success and happiness. Besides, are you really a success if you can't make time for the things that are truly important in this world?
3. Being Connected - Unless you're a doctor on call, few things are so important they can't wait a couple of hours. And you never do your best work if you're constantly distracted by emails and phone calls.
Instead, reacquaint yourself with the wonders of voice mail. And only answer your emails 1-2 times a day. Or hire someone else (Virtual Assistants are great for this!)
Doing this lets you be proactive instead of reactive all the time. You'll be amazed at how much more you get done when you aren't always jumping to do what everyone else wants you to do.
4. Availability - Especially when you're not making enough money, it's easy to try to pack in more work, client meetings or speaking engagements than you truly have time for. Sure you might end up making it all happen, but at what cost to your life and health? Not to mention the quality of your work and your reputation for being on time.
It also makes you seem overly hungry for work, and therefore not very good at what you do. Because if you were that good, you'd be in demand and unable to take on new clients at the drop of a hat.
Don't book every client or project into the first available time slot. Give yourself at least a two week buffer because other things always pop up.
5. Types of Clients - When you take on anyone and everyone as a client, you know you're bound to get some that are a bad fit. These people always cost you more money, time and frustration than they're worth.
Instead, figure out what type of person you enjoy working with out of those most willing, likely and able to buy from you. Write down all
the characteristics and traits that describe them-both business and personal. Then prescreen potential clients with a 15-20 minute phone call, or a written questionnaire, to see if you think they're going to be a good fit for you and what you do.
Don't be afraid to fire someone you're not happy working with. Life's too short for that. Plus, nature abhors a vacuum. So you're sure to get a new and better client soon once you clear that space.
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About the Author:
Practical Marketing Expert Stacy Karacostas, founder of SuccessStream Sales & Marketing Solutions, specializes in taking the stress, struggle and confusion out of growing your small business. She's the author of the 2-page marketing plan workbook Putting Your Business on the Road to Success, and The Small Business Website Bible. Stacy also writes the fun and informative Marketing Junkie blog and Bright Ideas weekly newsletter.
For more practical, business-building wisdom help yourself to a copy of her free report The 7 Deadliest Small Business Marketing Sins... Are You Guilty?
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