Running a business is an exhausting journey, the demands and pressures can sometimes be difficult to explain to those who haven't experienced the journey first hand.
The day to day graft, and pressure to build a profit, sees many business owners inadvertently neglect their personal well being. The skill of ‘looking after yourself’ should not just be a background consideration, but a critical strategy to support the long term sustainability of the business.
By developing a focus on your own well being, you may find yourself en route to increasing productivity, efficiency, and developing a working culture more likely to encourage creativity and innovation…. without a conscious thought about it.
Time management is often the first area to falter in the busy world of entrepreneurship. The discovery of new opportunity (magpie syndrome??), or the need to firefight can easily provide a distraction to an otherwise organised business owner.
Implementing, simple but effective (and usually free) time management systems, can help you to prioritise tasks, and reduce unnecessary stress caused by tight or missed deadlines. Allocating dedicated time for breaks is vital to keep thinking clear, and reduce the possibility of future burnout.
Maintaining a balance between work and personal life is also vital. It is important to set clear boundaries both for yourself (and your team) to allow you to disconnect and recharge outside of work. There is something notable about the drive home, use it as a decompression chamber to reflect on the day’s activity.
Engaging in hobbies, exercise, or spending time with your friends or family encourages creativity and will help you gain fresh perspectives and motivation - that can be reinvested back into the business.
Creating a personal development strategy isn't just about your personal future wellbeing, it will significantly improve the chances of success and longevity of the business itself.
It is commonplace for business owners to (rightly) dedicate their ongoing attention to marketing strategies, pricing strategies, customer service/retention strategies, and financial planning strategies, for example. The addition of one extra structured strategy should not be a big ask.
We all make better decisions with the benefit of time, thought and calm, right?
Do not let the poor creation and implementation of five strategies, be the result of the lack of a sixth.
By implementing effective time management strategies, balancing work and personal life, and introducing healthy ‘day to day’ working practices from day one, you will be well on the way to protecting and nurturing the most unique element of your business, YOU.
The BIPC Northamptonshire's Build Your Business programme Module 5 (Personal Development for Business Owners) explores behavioural changes business owners can implement to support their own health and wellbeing. This module also provides a limited number of free 1:1 mentoring sessions. For more information visit: Build Your Business | BIPC Northants (bipcnorthamptonshire.co.uk)
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