Contributed by the team at The Elevatory, part of the Career Money Life Supplier Community
One of the key issues that surfaces again and again with women in business (particularly those with children) is the lack of time they have. There is a real scarcity mindset around the time available in the day given all the things that need to get done.
BUT… in spite of this you’ll actually see some women killing it in their business whilst others consistently struggle and fall short.
So, it begs the question what separates these groups of women?
The answer – the difference lies in how they approach, manage and see time.
Yep – at the crux of it, your ability to make things happen actually comes down to your mindset and your beliefs.
Ever told yourself ‘I don’t have enough time’ and then been caught up in three-hour Facebook scroll? #busted
If you are finding there’s always an excuse as to why you don’t have enough time – let’s bust some of those common myths and get you thinking about what you can change and control … or even where you need to let go of.
#1 – THERE IS NOT ENOUGH TIME IN THE DAY
Now we all have the same amount of time in the day… but what you get done and where you spend your time comes down to what you value.
So, if your business isn’t getting the attention it needs right now, consider asking yourself is something else more of a priority?
Ie: Do your kids come first? If yes, that’s totally okay– accept it and own it and work around it and perhaps lower those expectations
That said, we also ask you to check in and make sure you’re not doing what’s expected of you vs what you really want for yourself.
Ie Is what you’re doing really important to you or someone else?
Because all too often we see women caught up trying to meet societal expectations around childcare, looking after the house and more .. rather than sharing the load or pushing back and focussing on their hopes, dreams and needs.
#2 – YOU CAN DO IT ALL ON YOUR OWN
Let’s be honest, you cannot do it all on you own. You may think you can, that you are super woman, but if you think and act like this, you’ll drive yourself into the ground, nothing will get done well … and it’s likely to impact your mental health.
So, if that means that you’ve got to up your childcare days or have your partner take the kids out every second Saturday so you can work uninterrupted, then so be it. Or maybe you can develop a circle of babysitters, or close friends that you can call on. Whatever the case you want to create a support network that understands your commitment to your business and what it means to you, so they are part of the journey with you.
Alongside this as your business grows, you’re going to need to outsource and get help here too. Your focus needs to be on the high pay off activities that will grow and sustain your business not social media, admin or website fixes. So, in time you’re going to need to build a team VAs, tech support, you name it. And in letting go you’ll have more time to focus on what matters, whilst ensuring your business can begin to run without you too! #winning
#3 – I SHOULD HAVE ACHIEVED MORE BY NOW
Ok, now this is a big one.
We see a lot of people that come to us early in their business journey with a huge expectation that they should be making a lot of money already.
Yes, we live in a society where everything is fast, fun, furious, expected right now, but very few businesses will hit the jackpot straight away.
We see business as a marathon not a sprint. Lots of considered action everyday will get you there. Focus, belief, patience and action.
Furthermore, you really do need to check in and make sure you’re doing the right things and taking right steps. Because a lot of movement in the wrong direction will have you treading water or worse still haemorrhaging money.
Unfortunately, many start-ups walk into business arrogant around what they can achieve and ignorant about how much they don’t know and the impact of both.
It’s crucial you plug yourself into training and support – to ensure you are approaching your business from a place of strategy and insight and focus on the areas that matter… then you follow on with a plan [ see below].
#4 – I DON’T NEED A PLAN
All too many businesses owners wander about their day without a clear plan or direction and wonder why they’re not getting anywhere.
Trust us you’re going to get where you want to go a lot faster if you have a plan.
Our recommendation is you start with a couple of really big goals to achieve across the year, and then you break them down across the quarters of the year, so you have some perspective of what needs to be done when. Then, you hone in and focus on planning out the next 90 days in detail so you know what you’re doing each and every day.
A plan is essentially the steps to reaching your goals … otherwise you get stuck with a big dream and anxiety around the how.
As we said small consistent action every day will lead to big results.
#5 – I HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING
This is one of the beliefs that dominates for many women. And it often starts after having a baby when we also experience a bit of a loss of identity. As such we begin to search for purpose in what we do every day … and voila we’re doing it all in the things in search for significance. The problem becomes when we continue on with this belief and behaviour when we have a job and a business… cue overload
So, lets us ask you this…Do you really have to do it all? Or have you just linked significance and purpose to all you do?
Are you stuck in a cycle of perfection where you’re trying to be and do everything for everyone?
Likewise, would the world end if you asked someone else to do it instead? And do you really enjoy doing it all? I mean who enjoys doing the washing and the cleaning?
#6 – I WILL DO IT TOMORROW
If you want to do it tomorrow .. we ask you to consider why? What are you avoiding?
An example we see often amongst our students is business numbers avoidance. They don’t know how much they’ve spent or invested in the business; they don’t know how much money that the business has generated, they have no idea. And yes, it can be a gruelling task but these things you need to do them day in and day out.
Ask yourself what’s the cost of not doing it? How are you treating your business by avoiding this task?
In the example above – real insight and data into what’s working and equally as important what’s not, plus missing out on knowing where you can maximise profits…
Thought… Your future is created by what you do today not tomorrow.
WE COULD GO ON…
Ok, so we could go on about busyness habits, taking responsibility, valuing yourself … you name it. But we feel this is a good starting place to get you thinking about how you’re approaching your every day and your business.
Our aim here is to really help you raise your conscious awareness around what you DO and how you ACT to help you realise how much power and influence you have to get the results you want.
Moving forward why not try stopping yourself when you feel time poor or stressed and asking yourself better questions around what you’re doing and why… along with getting focussed on finding a way to make things happen … because all of this will put you in the position to create change and a different outcome.
The world is waiting for you to kick some goals lady! Go make some time.
The Elevatory work with female entrepreneurs who want to take their life and business to the next level.
Their tribe are hungry for answers, ready to learn and willing to take action to make things happen for themselves.
They appreciate the importance of doing things right and being diligent, but equally they are ready to play BIG, take risks, and break boundaries in their business. And if you’re ready to get serious results then you’ve come to the right place.
Need more info before taking action? Career Money Life partner with amazing providers such as The Elevatory in providing transitioning employees with business startup coaching and advice. Book a demo now or contact us to learn more about our offerings.
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