I have a confession. I overwork myself all the time. There, I said it.
I have to be reminded on a weekly basis to either slow down, sit down, stop multi-tasking, or to enjoy some “me” time. I have a really tough time relaxing knowing that I could be passing up an opportunity to grow my business, somewhere, somehow. But let’s be honest: that could lead to pure insanity. So what do I do to lighten my load and steer clear of checking into a mental hospital? I simply ask for assistance.
I have learned that I cannot forge the path all by myself as I expand, gain more exposure, and begin to sell products and programs. Think about a time you tried to do three tasks at the same time. Your results probably weren’t thorough, fully thought out or clear. Why continue down this path when there are many ways to spread the work out?
What can you do? Consider one (or more) of the following:
Hire an intern … now.
It took me a bit to find one, but once I did, my admin tasks were brought down to a manageable level. Look at local colleges and high schools to employee an intern at little or no cost (in exchange for college credit).
Use a virtual assistant.
This was a new resource to me but helped when I needed it. I had my VA tweak new client forms and help with social media exposure. Try oDesk or ELance to post a job and a set price. You can pick among thousands of experts, internationally, to complete your task.
Get a mentor.
Mentors are absolutely essential in owning a business. They offer guidance, advice, ideas and referrals that could get you thinking differently. I used a man who was top dog at a government communications company who came and spoke to my media class in college. We kept in touch and over time I learned things from him that helped me become a more confident entrepreneur and he urged me to play a bigger game.
Get a business coach.
How else will you know what you’re doing wrong and right? I currently use SCORE, a free business coaching service out of Washington, DC. I’ve created a long-time relationship with my SCORE counselor who has helped me get really clear as to what it is I want out of my business. Without his help I wouldn’t be progressing, or moving forward. We meet two times a month.
Get an accountability coach.
This is a great kind of coach to have. An accountability coach essentially holds you to your word. If you say you’re going to find two new clients, organize your desk and write three blogs this week, then this coach will help ensure those things are completed. If you don’t get them done, then you could explain why those goals were not met and perhaps strategize on how you can do a bit better next time.
These coaches and assistants that I use do more for me than any business class or book could ever teach. These are real people with real experience. I find that there isn’t any other way to learn than to just be thrown into the mix. I came across all of these people on my own, after realizing that I couldn’t properly expand without the consultations of other experts. I don’t know everything and I don’t always have the answers so I set aside my ego and continue to learn from those who do know.
