As we come to the halfway point of 2022, take a moment to answer this question, have you stopped at all these past 6 months to enjoy the view?
By that I mean have you been in create mode, sprinting from goal to goal while juggling the day to day business ops. Perhaps always feeling like you have to strategise to keep up with what’s going on around you.
As entrepreneurs we can fall into the busy trap. Not just with what goes on behind the scenes, but that you have to be constantly working on and launching your next big thing.
But launch after launch and constant service or product creation, or just optimisation, can lead to business burnout. Your business, like you, will begin to feel the strain. Results may fall, momentum may slow down and you may notice cracks appearing in your once perfectly oiled machine. This is due to you moving too quickly without letting the new product or service and associated systems integrate properly into your business operations.
Whenever you introduce something new, you need time to test, tweak, test again until you get the system refined, the launch is only the very start of making your new service or product a success. So often, after the launch and first sale it’s considered to ‘work’ and that’s it. You’re on to the next!
I’m here to break that cycle! Businesses work better when they, and you, rest for a while!
Your business will need time to adjust to the new level you have just reached. Your business foundation will need to be adjusted for the new systems and processes, you may need to expand your team and you may need to work your schedule differently to deliver what you need to. All these things take time to settle in.
I call it internal integration.
Letting both you and your business find the new balance, to maintain productivity, momentum and an exceptional client experience.
Constantly creating isn’t sustainable. The urge to do this is often rooted in thinking the business will stall, you’ll lose your edge, and you won’t keep up with the competition. You’ll go from being top of mind, to being forgotten. But I don’t believe this is true. There is so much more to running a successful business than creation and promotion of your services.
You’ll already have marketing, content creation, email marketing and social media strategies in place, so when you’re not creating and launching, bring your focus back to those and engage with your audience.
And take a breath.
Enjoy the view of what you have created and how well you’re going to make it work. Give it the attention it deserves to make it a success. As CEOs we wear so many hats, that successful strategy and execution of a goal is something that should be celebrated! It’s not just a tick in a box, it’s a big business move.
So slow down and enjoy the view.
Slowing down is essential to boost productivity and creativity, so your business will actually work better if you take your foot off the gas. The Fast Company recently wrote an article about how it’s scientifically proven that it’s essential to do nothing!
It’s widely documented that our brains need downtime to generate our most creative and innovative ideas. The fact that you might get your best ideas in the shower, on holiday, or exercising are not coincidental, it’s because you have taken a step back from the day to day. Breaks are essential to achieve your highest performance, even if it can feel counterproductive when you’re on a roll!
Next time you have reached a goal, stop. Give yourself and your business that downtime to internally integrate at a pace that works for you before you start on your next goal.
Need a conversation to calm your chaos as you move into Q3? This is for you!
