How to work ON (not in) your business

All business owners eventually come to a crossroads when they have to ask themselves: am I working ‘in’ my business or ‘on it’? 

Working ‘in it’ means you’re giving yourself a job handling daily tasks, getting absorbed into small details and not allowing others to take responsibility. Maybe you have no time to think about the long-term plans, but instead focusing on the here and now, tomorrow or no further than next week! 

Whereas, working ‘on your business’ is a whole different ball game. Your purpose is all about looking to the future; identifying those growth opportunities, preparing your business for retirement, setting out a strategy of how you’ll achieve where you want your business to be in 2 years, five years or even ten years! This means you need to create new processes, build stronger relationships with employees, clients and suppliers, plan new initiatives, and increase marketing to your audience.

In my experience, most business owners get caught up in the details that aren’t necessarily their priority. But how do you make the switch from in to on? 

Take a look at my key tips for thinking about the bigger picture and ensuring all your energy goes into working on your business.

Delegate Your To-Do List

At the start, a business owner has to wear many hats, but eventually, they have to wean themselves from the business’s mundane day-to-day aspects. So they can gain new clients and discover innovative ways to stand out from their competition. While it’s hard to let go of specific tasks, it’s a necessity to see growth.  

It’s essential to hire people who have skills you don’t. Identify your strengths and weaknesses and actively pursue help that will allow you to step away from the day-to-day operations. Every time you start a task, think to yourself, can someone else do this just as well as I can? If the answer is yes, pass it on to that person. Delegating will not only help you free up your time but build a stronger team that is confident in your absence. 

Automate

If you have repeatable processes taking up way too much time, it’s time to automate and create more efficiency. Many businesses have room to simplify their operations; you just have to identify the areas that need improvement. Look for apparent tasks that take up a big part of your day; it could be digesting reports, keeping track of new business, dealing with complaints, or processes that are out of date but are comfortable for your employees.

Pick the easiest thing to automate first; it will not only be the first stepping stone to more efficiency but give your team a little taste of what to expect going forward. You must also have buy-in from your employees; some will worry the change will affect their job. Talk about the benefits to your employees and plan for them in your business. Have honest communication with them about how it will improve their current role and pave the way for them to grow into senior positions.

Whether you want to increase your social media presence or update your processes, lean on tools and templates to build consistency across the team’s entirety. Create new and efficient ways of working, and you’ll free up your time to focus on growth. 

Think Long-Term Plans

When you’re in a vacuum, it’s easy to get hung up on the number of daily tasks that must be completed. It’s even harder to find the time to picture what you want to achieve long-term. 

I would suggest writing down annual and monthly goals with tangible actions for yourself and your team to work on. Without a plan or clear vision coupled with appropriate action, your business will be stationary and could eventually be overtaken by your competition.

Don’t forget to communicate your vision to your team, if you’re all on the same page and working towards a common goal; you’ll get there quicker.

Take Time Out

Most business owners are guilty of it, they eat, sleep and breathe their business, it’s all they think about. But, it’s important to take time out and reset. If you’re the first one in and the last one out every day, take some time away from the office or implement set working hours. Whether it’s having your work phone off after a certain time, or not answering your emails as soon as you wake up, have boundaries, so it doesn’t creep into your personal time. Not only will it help you step away from distractions and focus on what’s important. But it will also send a message to your team, allow them to be a bit more independent, and not bother you with every tiny detail.

To work ON your business, you need to evaluate what you’re doing now. Push towards a more efficient and automated workspace, delegate to your team and step back so you can see your business vision clearly. Only then can you drive growth and become a more impactful leader who develops themselves and the business.

If you want to make changes, give me a call to discuss how I can help: 07801 399508 or send me an email at [email protected]