Being Effective at Running Your Business Doesn’t Have to Be Hard
Want to stay on top of things and feel in control? Follow these actionable tips.
Running a business can be hard work. We all know it. A mountain of to-dos to climb, work to get done, people to pitch to, and myriad other things are constantly on your mind.
Juggling priorities. Keeping tabs on the work, and the team. Improving the product roadmap, testing features, getting feedback.
Every single day.
How do you keep on track, steering clear of the brain fog that has been holding you back from achieving mental clarity?
Mental clarity leads to focus. Focus leads to a state of flow. Which facilitates ‘deep work’, and getting things done right.
Follow these simple steps to get there.
1.Prioritize ruthlessly. Get clear on what your top 3 priorities of the day are. It helps to think in 3's, and will force your mind to trim down and consciously pick out what matters most right now. You may juggle 100 different things in your workday, but think hard: which are the key activities that will move the needle in the right direction? Drop the rest (for now).
Just doing this should help you make feel better, and a little calmer, already. A sense of lightness and resolve comes from being more in control.
Which comes down to being clear on your priorities in the moment.
2. Remove clutter. A simple technique you might find very useful is the following. Imagine that you are sitting at a table. The table is littered with paper, notes, post-its, and general clutter. These are your scattered thoughts, the ‘I need to do…next’s etc.
Make a conscious effort to clear up that table. Brush it all off, letting everything fall by the side. Then, replace that one thing you need to focus on right now at the centre of the table.
Now, you have a clear space. A new slate.
Mental clarity — more power to you!
3.Switch your outlook. Think differently about the challenge you’re currently faced with. Yes, you are overwhelmed. Drowning in data, a constant flow of information and pulling from outside sources demanding your attention. But here’s the thing. You can take action.
It’s all on you. Cards are on the table (hopefully a clear one, by now). Just how you decide to fill that space, is, well, up to you. Make a proactive decision on which item on that list you are going to cross off next.
By actively choosing what to turn your attention to, you will strengthen what psychologists call your internal locus of control. Which often leads to increased levels of personal motivation and drive.
And you’ll need a lot of that, if you are running a business!
Charles Duhigg poignantly describes this in the opening chapter of his book, “Smarter Faster Better: The Secrets of Being Productive in Life and Business”. As he explains, an internal locus of control is “when I believe that I’m in control of what happens to me, and that I have full authority and control over the choices that I make.”
You do have full authority. See the opportunity in the situation for you to take charge. And be in the driver’s seat.
💡Key Takeaways:
- Learn to prioritize ruthlessly, using the ‘rule of 3’ when possible.
- Create a clear mental space, a mind free of clutter.
- Be proactive and make your own decisions around what to take on next.
I hope you've enjoyed the read.
How are you managing to stay on top of your business and broader life?