3 ways to work smarter not harder when starting a business

Starting a business can be all consuming, never mind all of the things in our personal lives that we have going on. Some may go from working a job with set hours to working when our clients need us. One of the best pieces of advice I received in the early years of starting as a self employed Realtor, was to never stop prospecting. Even when you have 5 people you are working with, you need to continue doing the things you did when you had no one.

http://www.valiant-design.com/design/cool-backgrounds-for-tumblr-flowers

So horray! Your now self employed, you have some clients on the go and you are continuing to do the things that helped you get the business to begin with, wait, why do you feel guilty all the time?  You know that feeling or thought that is constantly buzzing around you, following you around, saying you should be working, why aren’t you working, what about these clients where will you find your next ones?  It can be utterly chaotic as you know or will soon find out. Here are some tips that I picked up along the way that will help:

1.  Networking- Try joining a networking group, that way you have a set day each week that will kick start your day, and motivate you for the rest of the week. You can associate and mingle with other professionals that can help you grow your business and vice versa. The key to networking is focus on what you can give people not on what they can give you. It’s the law of recipriocity. BNI is a world wide group with 100’s of chapters,
http://www.bnicanada.ca.

galaxybackground.com

2.   Organization is key- Every woman needs a day planner. When I do not get to everything or something comes up I easily switch the task to the next day. Its best to have those ideas in a day planner rather than floating around in your mind repeating itself like a stressful mantra.

3. Scheduling- Set specific days, at least two a week where you strictly work on your business not in your business. These are great days to plan your branding, meet with a website person, take a mortgage broker out for lunch, talk with your accountant about more efficient ways to keep your accounts more organized. Don’t forget that day off, scheduling one day where you do not work is an absolute necessity for everyone’s sanity. What is the point of working as hard as you do if you are not enjoying yourself.  Then there are the days that are strictly working with clients, set those days ahead of time.  These are the days your focused and in the work zone. We are left with a couple of days left for errands and to do lists.

Having set days to work, brings balance and peace of mind that you are doing the things you need to do to continue being a success. Because success is not just about sales and running around unhappy in nice shoes. Although that is a lot of fun too. Believe me your clients will appreciate and notice a more organized and relaxed you, which goes a long way in building trust. Our clients want to know that we can handle the business they give us, and will give you more referrals if you are relaxed enough to take the time to get to know them.    

Good luck!

http://galaxybackground.com/flowers-tumblr-photography-lovely/