Do you wish you could simplify your business? You’re not alone! Running a business can be tough. Whilst it may all look amazing on the front end, you may often find yourself struggling to keep up with the background elements. And it can be incredibly stressful and overwhelming.
But the answer is to simplify. And that can feel almost impossible – but it IS achievable. Here are 15 ways you can simplify your business and ease that overwhelm and stress.
#1: If you want to simplify your business, prioritise everything
Get super organised and prioritise everything. You cannot hope to tackle your tasks if you don’t know which are the important ones. Use a project management tool like Asana to help you manage and prioritise your tasks and projects.
#2: Create a list
Lists are great because they get everything out of your head and give you space to think. Writing everything down will also provide you with focus – you can then prioritise everything on your list and transfer things over to Asana to be prioritised.
#3: Schedule your time
There’s no point prioritising anything if you’re not going to get a handle on your available time. Use a calendar to schedule your tasks, so you can see what you’re working on and accurately plan out your day.
#4: Clear the clutter to help simplify your business
Get organised and clear the clutter. A tidy working area will do wonders for your creativity, productivity and mindset. So clear your desk and your work area and clear the clutter in your business and personal spaces.
#5: Get focused
If you’re looking to simplify your business, you need to get focused. You’re just going to feel overworked and overwhelmed if you cannot learn to focus on the task at hand. Here are five simple tips to help you stay focused when working from home
#6: Create boundaries
Boundaries are essential if you want to simplify your business. This isn’t just about shutting the door when you’re working; you also need to establish boundaries and standards within your company. This includes your working hours, response times, client expectations and also your work ethic.
#7: If you want to simplify your business, embrace routine
Not everyone loves a routine, but they do help you simplify. The more routines you have in place, the less thinking time you need. A routine enables habits, and habits can help you run your business more efficiently.
#8: Start saying no and say it more often!
It’s not always easy to say no to someone, especially if you like to feel needed. But if you’re looking to make your life easier, you’re going to need to learn how to say no.
#9: Learn how to outsource
Outsourcing is the quickest way you can simplify your life. When you outsource your business tasks, you free up your time to focus on those tasks that only you can do. But don’t just stop with your business. Look to outsource household tasks, such as cleaning, cooking, shopping, and even childminding and dog walking!
#10: Drop perfectionism
Perfectionism doesn’t exist, and if you’re aiming for it, you’ll be disappointed. So give yourself a break and learn how to drop it.
#11: Fall in love with procedures to help simplify things
Procedures are your friend in business. Look to create SOPs, templates and workflows to help you simplify and streamline your business. If you’re not sure what SOPs are, check out this recent blog post: What are Standard Operating Procedures and why do I need them?
#12: Stay in the cloud
Cloud-based apps are incredibly useful to your business. They enable you to work from multiple devices, and they simplify how you work. The benefits of using cloud-based accounting software in your business
#13: Turn off notifications
Looking to simplify your business? Turn off notifications on your phone, laptop and PC! Not only are they distracting, but they also keep you in permanent work mode. If you want to really simplify things, remove work apps from your mobile devices altogether or have a no-tech detox on a regular basis.
#14: Monitor your KPIs
Track and monitor what’s important to you. The critical elements that matter are usually leads, conversion rates and sales. Don’t overwhelm yourself by tracking anything else.
#15: Know what you’re going all-in on
Running your own business can often mean you get sidetracked by everything that needs doing. New ideas, technologies, strategies and goals can come along, turning your head and diverting your attention. But no matter what you’re using, what strategy you’re following or which goal you’re aiming for, go all-in on that. Look to focus solely on it for 90 days before you decide to make any changes. It keeps you from getting lost, but it also helps keep things simple.
Are you ready to become the CEO and delegate your operations? Click here to find out more about how working with an Online Business Manager can really help you take your business to the next level.