Hi! Today I want to address a challenge that most entrepreneurs face at one point or another – and of course what you can do about it.
When you have decided which direction you want to take your business, there is a lot of work to be done. Not only do you need to prioritize your tasks, but you also need to keep ticking those boxes at a steady pace.
| Also read: The one question to ask yourself when deciding what to prioritize in your business
Finding the motivation and confidence to keep pushing forward day in and day out can be a BIG ask! After all, we are not machines, we have good days, bad days and everything in between.
Feeling overwhelmed up to the point where you get nothing done? That just makes you human.
As complex as we are, we don’t handle having a lot of choices. The more choices available to us, the lower the chances are we will be able to make one.
If you fill up your to-do list so it looks like Santa’s wishlist it WILL be hard to know where to start.
Even worse, it can be paralyzing. A week later you are no closer to finishing anything, a month later you are about to give up altogether.
How can you fix this?
By realizing a small step is better than no step. Think about your day to day life, how much time is it realistic that you can spend on your business? Are you going in full time from the get-go, or are you building it up part-time while having a day job?
Except for intensive periods and projects (more on that below) I aim to have 5 tasks on my to-do list for my business every day.
Whether that sounds like a lot or a little to you, keep in mind that it depends on the size of each task. Does one task take 2 minutes to complete, or 5 hours?
In addition to prioritizing my tasks according to how important they are, I also balance them by workload.
Few tasks on your board to cross off mean a greater chance to finish them.
If over time you notice that you consistently manage to finish your 5 tasks every day and you still have time and energy to spare, you COULD add one more task.
OR: Spend that time on something that will inspire you, like podcasts, reading books, blog posts, connecting with other people.
Launches and other urgent projects
A few times a year your workload may be greater than normal, and your to-do list might have 12 tasks instead of 5. Those periods are fine, as long as they are limited to 2-4 weeks for each project.
Am I saying be lazy and don’t put in the work? No, definitely not. Being an entrepreneur IS hard work, but burning out is going to get you frustrated, tired, and keeping you from doing your best work.
A small step today will be a giant leap in the future (yes, I stole that one, sort of).
Work as smart as you can, by prioritizing right and saving time where you can. Are you finding yourself spending a lot of time on certain tasks? Can they be automated? Look for time-saving solutions and improve your workflow whenever you get a chance.
Keep moving forward, always.
