(Tips for Launching a Business That Lasts)
We’ll Answer
Why can it be stressful to start a business?
Why is it important that I learn how to fight fatigue while starting my business?
What are some steps I can take to fight fatigue?
Let’s say your friend has an important gala to attend in 6 months. She wants to look and feel her best for it, so she decides to start getting in shape now.
She wants moral support, though, so she asks you to join a gym with her. You agree and accompany her the first day she goes. She’s excited and full of energy.
She’s not sure how or where to start, so she looks to you for advice. Basically, she wants you to be her free personal trainer.
What kind of exercise regime would you choose for her?
Let’s find out
When you’re starting a new business, it can sometimes feel like you’ve put yourself through an over-the-top fitness regime at the gym.
It’s easy to run yourself ragged and fatigue yourself to the point where you can’t function properly and run your business effectively. That’s because, let’s face it, starting a business can be incredibly stressful.
You have to think about your business idea, how to execute it, fundraising, budgeting, expenses, sales, marketing, etc., etc., etc. to infinity.
On top of that, your new business is often deeply tied to your dreams and your passions. So, its success or failure can have a huge effect on your psyche.
That being said, there are steps you can take to prepare for and counteract the emotional, personal, and physical stress that comes with starting a business – as well as help yourself find more energy and optimism.
The first step is making sure the people who aren’t involved in your business understand your business.
Help family and friends appreciate what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. For example, Flora tells family and friends that she loves art so she’s starting an art gallery that will bring affordable, accessible artwork to her community.
Next, tell them how you run your business each day and how it affects you. Flora tells friends and family that she gets up at 5am to talk with international art dealers, runs her gallery until 7pm, and works on marketing plans until 9pm.
When friends and family understand what you’re going through, it’s easier for them to be empathetic and know how to support you. It also helps you realize that you’re not alone and there are people you can rely on.
Another way to fight fatigue is to take breaks. This may sound obvious, but business owners often exhaust themselves by working 24/7.
Set up time in your day, week, month, and year to step back, relax, and recharge. That doesn’t mean you have to take a pricey vacation snorkeling with rare albino whales – it can simply mean doing something that isn’t work.
You might reserve a half hour each day to eat dinner and read a book, or take a day off to visit the park with your family, or go to the movies with friends once a month.
When you return to work from your scheduled break, you’ll do so with more energy, passion, enthusiasm, and focus.
TIP
You can also find support from other business owners. Look for local or online communities like smallgiants.org where people are talking about owning a small business and sharing their advice, learnings, and challenges.
Getting organized can also take a huge weight off your shoulders.
Get the important details of your business out of your head and into a document. Record your budget, keep track of your expenses, use a client relationship management system, and organize your email inbox.
Don’t feel like you need to do all of this manually, either. There are a variety of tools that can help you get organized. For example, software like QuickBooks can automatically record and organize your sales and expenses.
You can also take steps to get your day-to-day duties under control and running smoothly.
Set a flexible schedule that gives you roughly enough time to finish your tasks and provides direction during your day and week. Instead of wondering when you’ll have time to do something, decide that you’ll do it at 12:30pm every Wednesday.
Also, develop processes. Find effective ways of finishing tasks and write them down so you aren’t starting from scratch all the time. For example, create a standard follow-up email you send new clients or a template for blog posts.
If you’re working with other people, don’t be afraid to delegate. If you’re worried that other people won’t know how to accomplish certain tasks or responsibilities, write the process down for them.
Finally, learn to say no. Starting a small business often means taking on all the clients you can or working yourself into the ground. Saying “no” might mean a little less money, but it’ll give you the energy you need to do your job.
DO THIS NOW
The last thing we want you to do is to stress about remembering all the information in this lesson.