I’m Too Busy to Fix What’s Making Me Busy

A year ago this week, somebody told me she wanted Fridays Off like I have. She was the first person who ever said it back to me. I reconnected with her last month. Still no Fridays Off, still working five and sometimes six days a week. Her words: I'm too busy to fix the stuff that's making me busy.

QuickBooks studied 1,300 entrepreneurs and asked what success would look like. You'd think they'd say big gobs of money. They didn't. The winner was profitability without their involvement. Freedom. That's what we're all after but if we don’t change the way we CHOOSE to work, we’ll never get there.

If you’re overwhelmed and need to act, here’s what to do:

For a limited time with a limited scope work when you don’t normally work. Pick an evening, a Saturday, or pull an emergency afternoon: If you were sick, you could cancel this afternoon’s meetings. Your business is sick. Reschedule them - everyone will understand.

In that precious new time created, get after one recurring task or problem that is taking up your free brain space. Evaluate the work and consider: revising the scope, delegating the work, automating it to Claude, hiring a contractor, or even stopping the activity. It might not be essential! DO SOMETHING to cut down the amount of time it’s taking from you.

If you could free up even 1 hour each week it’s worth the exercise. The hour compounds moving forward. Once complete, look for the next item on your list and keep this process running.

You’re not built to run at max capacity all the time. If you’re doing that, it probably means your work sucks. I mean, how COULD it be great if you’re barely getting it all done?

Our business is the product of our choices and if you’re not happy with the situation you’re in, choose to act in a different way to change your weekly environment.

Good Luck!

Today’s Sponsor

Tweet of the week

Three Things I’m Thinking About This Week

• Trend: Revenue Up - Customer Count Down - The economy is showing an interesting pattern. I’ve reported on it during Businessing and confirmed it now with two other Mastermind members: Revenue is up but customer count is down. How can that be? Inflation. If you’ve been raising your rates to keep your profit up despite rising expenses, it would make you feel like you’re getting ahead without selling to more people. Check your revenue against customer count year to date. Would you see the same pattern?

• One Week Until the Flood Gates - Our professional network will collectively wake up in just about a week. Most kids are back at school/college. Labor Day is just a week away. On Tuesday, September 8 we will universally “get back to work,” which means it’s opening day for business! I want you to take a minute and consider what your “campaign” or “lead story” is going to be this Fall. Be ready for your prospects and clients to re-engage with you. Think about this NOW.

• 18 (!) Days until #SBOC26 - Small Business Owners Community Conference - The Countdown is on for the 6th annual Small Business Owners Conference sponsored by Athena Legal Solutions and Money Masters Bookkeeping. In the past 2 weeks, we’ve sold Sixteen tickets to the event. - Get your ticket now!

Today’s Sponsor

Now, GO SELL SOMETHING!