Ever feel like you’re running in place?
Like you have a lot of activity going on but not making progress?
Like you take two steps forward and ten steps backward?
Like you’re busy, busy, busy but don’t have not much to show for it?
Hate that feeling.
When you should be focusing on your super-powers: the stuff you’re crazy great at, the projects and work that light you up — you get caught up in the trivial matters, details, and specifics.
And when you got bogged down in that stuff you spiral into a funk. It all seems hopeless, and besides you’ve noticed your house is a mess, your jeans are too tight and you begin to think how you’re not socking away enough savings, how you haven’t been a good friend and how you’re probably attracting disasters with your crappy thinking.
The wallowing continues and you wonder how everyone else makes it work, why it never works for you and maybe you just weren’t cut out for “flow.”
Or maybe it’s just me who gets a bit over-dramatic? 😉
But just in case it’s happened to you too, here’s what I’ve learned over the last decade.
It doesn’t have to be so hard.
When I started my company I was blissfully ignorant. “I’m GREAT at organizing and I want life on my own terms. YES – I’ll start my own biz!”
Little did I know the mental, physical and emotional turmoil I was inviting into my world (who knew breakdowns would be part of my weekly routine!)
Marketing, getting clients, creating contracts, packages, services + referral programs, invoicing, budgeting, Quickbooks (still the death of me), blogging, followups, email streams, PR, marketing campaigns…and more shake-me-to-my-core stuff to learn and implement.
I was a mess.
It took me years to realize that if I only had systems behind all this stuff, dare I say…it wouldn’t have been that bad.
But instead, I threw it all together by the seat of my pants, barely coming up for air, day after day after day.
(And don’t get me started on figuring out the mom thing on top of it all).
Today, things run differently because I’ve done THREE magical things in my home, life and biz. I’ve:
#1: Streamlined
#2: Systemized
#3: Automated
Lets talk about this for just a minute, shall we?
STREAMLINING. AKA: Making things easier.
That meant looking at the way I was doing my marketing, finances or programming. Or how I was handling my schedule, time or commitments. Or how I was managing my family, household or relationships. And stepping back and asking questions like:
- Is everything I’m doing really necessary?
- Is there any part I can take out? Or combine?
- Can someone else be doing this?
- Is this really helping me reach my goals?
- Is there a tech tool I can use to do this?
This is where you edit, delete, combine, outsource, re-jigger — whatever it takes to make things simpler and more efficient. Streamlining is divine. Less choices, steps and confusion means more clarity, creativity and opportunities.
Then came SYSTEMIZING. Hmmm hmmmm. LOVES me some good systems.
- What needed a process?
- Where was I using a process that wasn’t working?
- Where could I add a system?
- How could I document a system?
- Or better yet, teach someone else?
Systems are my happy place. They prevent tasks from falling through the cracks, keep you and your teams accountable, allow for flexibility and take the pressure off of worrying about what you might have forgotten to do.
And there’s rarely a piece of your biz, home or life that couldn’t benefit from a system. From your morning routine, to your marketing process to your meal planning. Systems rule.
Lastly, I’ve been obsessed with AUTOMATING. Taking those systems and putting them on auto-pilot. (I get goosebumps just thinking about it).
Like no more emailing back and forth to make an appointment. And instead using a simple calendar scheduling system.
Like no more creating follow up emails on the fly. And instead having templates in place.
Like no more writing, recording and editing videos myself. And instead outsourcing to a pro, so I just have to press “send.”
And so many other ways in which I’ve automated my systems so I have more time, space and energy to focus on what I love doing.
This is what I want for you. To create a “new normal” so you’re not stuck in busyness. Do more of what lights you up, motivates you and lights a fire under your ass. Get out of the seemingly endless and repetitive minutia, and create, discover, and ignite yourself so your biz and life feels fluid. Like you ARE in “flow” – without feeling overwhelmed.
Your first step?
This week, schedule time in your calendar to “streamline, systemize or automate” one part of your biz or life. (Because you know one will effect the other). I do this every week.
Use this time to identify one thing that you could make easier. Do something different this week that will help you get closer to your goals.
Stop running in place…and start sprinting forward. Once you’ve decided how you’re going to simplify your life this week, leave me a comment about it below and let me know what’s up.
I can’t wait to hear about it.
And if you don’t know what to streamline, where to systemize or how to automate, THIS is what I’m a best at.
Hop on the phone with me and let’s figure it out together. I know it’s in you.
Click here to schedule some time for yourself with me. Tell me your challenge, I’ll give you my recommendation. It’s as simple as that. Remember, I’m all about keeping it easy. 😉
Love,
Mridu
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