Finding Time to Thrive While Growing Your Business

If you look at my social media, you will find a lot of posts celebrating different leaders and encouraging business owners to build systems so they have time to live the life they want to live. “Thrive” is one of my brand words – and helping business owners find time to thrive is a large part of why I’m in business.

There’s another side to business ownership, though – a side that a lot of us don’t like to talk about. Owning and growing a business is hard, and sometimes, there’s just not a lot we can do about that, at least short term. Sometimes, it’s just busy and stressful. I get it – I’m growing a business too!

However, the stress and jam-packed schedule should not be a constant thing. This is where far too many business owners find themselves, though. The out-of-control calendar and stress levels slowly become “normal” until we’re not sure how to break out of them.

There are days that are hard – days that you’re drained, days that you feel the weight of the business on your shoulders. Your mindset suggests that you should work harder and longer to keep up, and that’s something that can be challenging to overcome. No judgment here – it happens to me too! When it does though, I have to remind myself of 5 things that help me reset.

#1: Take a Break!

I know this seems counterproductive, especially when your to-do list seems to grow by the minute. If you power through, you can conquer that list and get back on track, right?

Most of the time, this just doesn’t work. Yes, powering through can help you get those last couple of tasks checked off, but when you’re trying to tackle a huge project – or worse, a ton of unrelated tasks – powering through will only result in getting further behind.

The simple truth is, you get less done when you’re exhausted. Not only will your ability to focus be affected, but you may find yourself snapping at your team, making impulsive decisions, and suffering from headaches. Over time, fatigue can also affect your health.

When you feel the urge to just power through, ask yourself: is it really worth it?

According to studies, scheduling in breaks can actually make you more productive. You give your brain a chance to reset, get the blood flowing, and return ready to take on your next project!

#2: Delegate!

When we get busy, business owners tend to fall into an attitude of “I have to do it all.” For some of us, it’s a control issue, and for others, it’s just a stress reaction. There’s a reason you have a team, though – use them!

Knowing what to delegate (and how to do so) is a skill that every business owner needs to learn; we actually have full modules dedicated to delegation in our Business Mastery College. Our Culture and Management Coach works with business owners and their teams on a regular basis to help them build skills.

Delegating starts with an intentional choice. You’re choosing to hand something over and trust that your team can handle it. Having strong systems in place will help a lot with this, but it is a choice that must be made.

#3: Find Something You Enjoy

When you get bogged down or start to feel burned out, turn your attention to a mini-project that makes you happy. For me, this might include taking time to work on my business – refining systems and finding solutions. (That really is my happy place!) If I have more time, it might mean taking some time off to paint or knit or enjoying a concert online.

Simply being able to focus on something I enjoy is enough to help me recharge and break out of the stress mindset. Then, I’m ready to get back to work!

#4: Eat That Frog

Eat That Frog is a book by Brian Tracy, and it’s one that has had an impact on my life. The premise of the book is that instead of eating the frog (taking on a challenging project) all at once, you break it into pieces.

Take some time to prep your brain by breaking your project into pieces, and then get started. This might mean dictating an email or memo, jotting down your thoughts, or getting with a team member to talk it through.

To tackle your project, don’t tell your subconscious that you’re going to complete the whole thing – just choose to get started.

#5: Celebrate the Wins!

How often do we focus on our challenges instead of our wins?

On days that are hard, looking at your wins can keep you focused. Taking a few minutes to look back at your testimonials can keep you focused on the difference you’re making in people’s lives. Thinking about the growth and development of your team can show you the progress you’ve made over time. Reviewing your financial statements can bring your growth clearly into view.

Be intentional about finding ways to celebrate. Even in the most stressful of moments, there’s always a silver lining!