Category Archives: Time
The Importance of working ON your business as well as IN it!
Business Tip: Make time to Work ON your business as well as in it!
Hey guys,
Something I’ve learnt in more than a decade of business as a Web Designer & Business Mentor, it’s important to work ON your business as well as IN it.
For me, Working ON and IN my business has had different meanings at different times. However in a nutshell, if you’re only doing one not the other you run the chance of creating imbalance or feast and famine in your business.
So what on earth am I talking about ?
WORKING ON YOUR BUSINESS:
Working ON your business could include things to improve your business and gain more exposure:
- Writing a blog post
- Sharing an update on your social pages
- Planning out content for your website
- Creating ideas of how to market your business
- Making changes to your website
- Doing product or service research
WORKING IN YOUR BUSINESS:
Whereas, working IN your business usually includes doing the tasks to make revenue:
- Creating your product or service
- Engaging with your customers about their orders
- Following up on accounts/ collecting payment
- Tasks that are needed to keep your business ticking
Because every business is different. Finding that perfect balance between: Doing enough Marketing VS. Selling / Making / Delivery enough products or services, can be challenging.
Here’s a couple of things you can do:
- Schedule time in your diary at least once a month, ideally if you can, once a week , to work ON your business. Look at ways to grow your following, market your business and look at how you can improve the business – what information do your prospects need to know right now?
- Whilst you’re working IN your business keep a running list of things you could do – sometimes it can be hard to come up with ideas in the moment so keeping a list of ideas can be super helpful.
- Keep track of your progress. After you’ve spent time working ON your business take 5 minutes to summarise and track your progress in a journal – today’s session I did XYZ and I had these additional ideas. So next time you go to sit down and work on your business you’ll have a starting point rather than having to reinvent the wheel again.
Business Mentoring Hunter Valley | Australia
One of the many things I love about my business is that it allows me to help you with things just like this! Working ON your business can be a little daunting and it’s great to have someone who has a technical background however is down to earth and can help you overcome obstacles.
If you’d like to have a chat about your business and see how we can work together on your business to help market and grow your business, please visit our Contact Us page or send me a message via our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/nataliecrowedesigns
3 Top Tips for getting UNSTUCK
My 3 steps to getting unstuck:
1. BRAIN DUMP
- First clear your mind of mental clutter in order to be able to function correctly
- Set timer & complete NCD Brainstorming Worksheet
2.DECIDE & ACT
- Sift through your list and decide on up to 3 tasks.
- Set timer and work for 33 minutes, Take a 6 minute break
- Rinse & Repeat
3. REWARD & CELEBRATE YOUR WINS
- What’s something you could reward yourself with today ?
- This doesn’t have to be elaborate – could be a COFFEE or a new book /stationary, Longer Hot Shower, To go somewhere nice to have lunch. Sit out in the sun for half an hour for lunch break. Take the dog for a walk or the kids to the park after work etc. Simple things.
STEP ONE
– Create mental space to process:
Brainstorming Exercise / Brain Dump – Clear the mental clutter:
Things you’ll need:
- Timer – You can use your phone or actual timer
- Either our NCD Brainstorming Worksheet or just a piece of paper
- Pen / writing apparatus
Let’s do this! BRAIN DUMP
Print out a few of your worksheets or grab a few pieces of paper and write 1 to 10 down the side.
Set your timer to 5, 10 or 15 minutes and once you turn on the time proceed to write out as many ideas as possible until that time stops – DO NOT STOP WRITING until the timer goes off.
The purpose of the activity to to write down ANYTHING that comes up in that timeframe. It doesn’t have to be solely business. Your ideas DO NOT have to be thought out or coherent. Just get them down on paper.
It could be :
- Must order stock,
- Book an appointment,
- Do the dishes,
- Call Cynthia about XYZ,
- Feed the cat.
- Ideas for content for your blog
- Business ideas..
ANYTHING that’s holding space in your mind.
Once the time goes off – take a minute catch your breath, and check out all of the notes you’ve put down. Even if you completed this for several days; you could potentially come up with 100s of ideas to work through. Granted not all of them are going to be usable or practical but it’s now clear space in your mind.
STEP TWO
– Decide & Take Action:
What can you start working towards today?
Things you’ll need:
- Timer – You can use your phone or actual timer
- Your completed NCD Brainstorming Worksheet or notes from step 1.
Let’s do this! DECIDE & ACT
Take a look down your list. What 3 TASKS can you start working on today?
Note – If there is nothing on that list that’s worthwhile working on. Rinse and Repeat Step 1 – Brainstorming “What can I work on today?”
Write down your 3 TASKS so you’re clear on what it is.
33 Minutes On and 6 Minutes OFF
Your brain works in funny ways and we’re wanting to harness it’s capacity. You focus better when you’re on a timer and you know that you’re working towards a goal.
Our goal today “How much can I get done of Task 1 / 2/ 3 in 33 minutes.
Obviously you can repeat this process multiple times for each task. But it’s having a structure to follow that delivers results.
WORK TIME – 33 Minutes GO GO GO!
- Set your timer to 33 minutes.
- Leave your timer where you can see it.
- Get stuck into the work you need to do for that task.
When the timer goes off its BREAK TIME!! Well done for sticking to your agreement.
BREAK TIME – 6 Minutes GO GO GO!
Now reset your time to 6 minutes .
Go do something physical:
- Go get a coffee.
- Go to the bathroom.
- Walk outside.
- Take a breather.
When the timer for the 6 minutes is up. Head back to the office. Start again.
RINSE AND REPEAT :
- WORK TIME – 33 Minutes GO GO GO!
- BREAK TIME – 6 Minutes GO GO GO!
STEP THREE
– Reward yourself / Acknowledge your efforts:
Celebrate your wins! Be proud of yourself – Enjoy your reward.
Even if you DIDN’T get everything finished today. Even if you only worked through 1 or 2 task on your list. The mere fact that you showed up and followed through with your decision and took action is AMAZING. You totally deserve your chosen reward and you should definitely celebrate your wins!!
If you did take action today we’d love to hear about it. We have dedicated FACEBOOK GROUP for like minded business owners and we’d LOVE for you to share your news!
Natalie Crowe Designs Business Support Group on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/groups/ncdsupport/
If you’d be interested in discussing your options for Business Mentoring or getting some assistance with your website and online presence please feel free to pop us a message via the CONTACT US page, add us to skype: NatalieCroweDesigns OR instant message our Facebook Page – http://www.facebook.com/nataliecrowedesigns
Call Back Policy
Something that all small businesses need to do is put into place a policy or strategy as to what they’re going to do in relation to dealing with follow ups and “calling clients back”. How many hours a month are you wasting?
One of the biggest issues I’ve seen as a part of my own business is the extended time spent chasing up clients who show expressions of interest in your services but time and time again, one call, two calls, a few emails etc social media connections, later, you look back and see a massive time loss during chasing those clients and their business.
After analyzing how many hours in a given month, We recorded a minimum 5-10 hours a month of accumulated time, following up calls or chasing clients for information. Due to this, Natalie Crowe Designs has initiated a new policy in terms of Call Backs and follow ups. In the instance of a first consultation we contact the client twice, if we can’t get hold of them, they’ll receive an automatic email notifying them that we have tired to contact them however we have been unsuccessful, should they wish to organise a scheduled appointment to discuss how Natalie Crowe Designs can best help them, please feel free to contact us on – 0423285233 or reply.
Imagine what could be achieve with an extra 5-10 hours a month up your sleeve!
Time to set this weeks goals
As a means of focusing on being more productive, I’ve started pre-organising my week. Scheduling events if I can help it and working with my time more efficiently.
I have been working on a list of tasks to complete which I have been diligently working on, however whilst completing client paid work and my Search Engine Optimisation course, it’s been a slightly heavy workload.
‘They’ believe that you should in order to achieve something you need to take ACTION and realistically unless it’s life threatening, you should really only be spending 30-90 seconds to make a decision. You can always CHANGE that decision if it’s not working out. But 90 second tops!
I made the decision this morning that I was going to take action and make a move on some of the tasks I had been procrastinating on for my own business and needed to make a move on for my client’s businesses.
5 Main Goals for this week.
1) Review & Complete outstanding modules for the SEO Course we’re completing by 5pm Thursday
2) Update NCD website with new portfolio items to generate more interest in the business.
Posting 20 updated client project photos by 5pm Tuesday afternoon.
EDIT: ACTION TAKEN – I have completed the main part of this goal, but I’d like to style the gallery to make it more visually appealing. Portfolio can be found here
3) Create achievable to-do list template to aid productivity:
You can download our basic template here: Monday To Do List
We have created individual files for each day, but it’s just a matter of going in and changing the day.
4) Review and recreate NCD questionnaire with more focus on goals and benefits of our services rather technical jargon – Goal : to be more user friendly – by Wednesday 5pm
5) Write Minimum 2 new blog posts before 5pm friday.
although we’ve successfully completed this goal TODAY, I’d like to continue to post twice a day, and modify the goal from posting twice a day to sharing minimum of 2 blog posts a week.
Bonus:
6) By 5pm Friday I will have a schedule drafted for 22nd – 27th of October.
This is in addition to our regular client work.
