What to do when running a small business becomes overwhelming
Managing a small business or your own law practice can sometimes become overwhelming for a whole variety of reasons.
For instance, attempting to wear too many hats – especially those which are not a particularly good fit – can quickly deplete any energy you might have to accomplish those things that you are really great at.
Failing to delegate is another tripwire that can do you in. Hiring good people and letting them flourish within their skillset is a much better way to ensure you protect your own agenda.
Being overly ambitious – a trademark of the entrepreneur – often leads to saying YES to way too many projects and also creates a to do list that is unrealistic. And that of course can result in diminished personal and family time, insufficient quality time for what you really need to pursue, and – ultimately – burnout.
Trying to adopt every alluring new marketing, management or technology suggestion that comes down the pike can scatter your focus over too wide of a territory so that you fail to get the most important tasks accomplished.
Creating Balance
Running a small business requires that you create a balance in all things that allows you to move your ship calmly through the waves.
Here are a few thoughts to consider:
Take care of yourself
Being busy does not equate to being successful. Business owners who find joy in their work allow time out to take care of themselves, spend time with their families, and indulge in silence, creativity and learning. Being disciplined about carving out time for yourself ensures you bring a rested and fresh perspective to your work.
Evaluate your workload
Set a specific time each month or quarter, to take a step back and evaluate where you are investing your energy. If something is bogging you down, perhaps it’s time to offload that to someone who is more adept at that task so you can focus on what matters.
Identify the gaps
Small businesses rarely have the luxury of being able to plug a full-time person into every position. This means one person may be juggling two disparate workloads, or you may be trying to step into the breach to do the work yourself. Take an honest look at what tasks are being performed well and efficiently and which are being handled haphazardly because your staff doesn’t have sufficient time to manage all that may be assigned to them.
In our modern work culture, there are plenty of opportunities to offload specific tasks through outsourcing. Outsourcing can help you keep your business on an even keel and give you the time and energy to focus on the larger goal of building your business to meet future demand.
Positively Balanced provides customized bookkeeping and reconciliation services for attorneys and title agents. Since we are a boutique company that is independently owned, we can customize our services to match your business needs and demands. Call us today to learn how we can fill the gaps for your small business.