Here’s what we’ll cover
If you feel as though you need to control your business, you aren’t alone! I’ve been thinking a lot recently about how to control the seemingly uncontrollable in business now that we have just entered our third lockdown.
It can be tough to control your business when it seems like everything is working against you but I’m giving you my top four tips on controlling the uncontrollable in your business. We discuss big picture plans, building yourself a strong financial position, guilt-free rescheduling and avoiding over-committing your calendar.
So if you could do with a little more control is something you need, then tune in!
Links and Resources
- Checkout the Simply Smarter Numbers website HERE
- Checkout the Podcast HERE
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Here’s the shownotes
I’m a little bit of a control freak, my husband will agree with that and I’m comfortable enough with the label, it’s worked for me for a lot of years now. BUT covid and these freaking lockdowns are doing my head in.
For months in 2020 I kept thinking Feb 2021 things will quieten down, my older girls will finally be able to move out and head to uni as they had intended to in Feb 2020, my youngest will be back on the school bus at 7.40am every weekday. The house will be quiet. No internet issues, no home-schooling, our kitchen was running flat out for hours everyday while everyone prepares their own food. The shopping list and the bill to go down, it was huge. My office is right by the laundry which was in full swing nearly all day everyday. They mostly cook their own food, they mostly do their own washing, everyone gets along well. But I really needed some quiet space to do some work.
Feb 2021 came. The girls had moved out, school was back, the house and my office was so peaceful for 2 weeks. Then off we go again. More lockdowns, more disruption. I’m not complaining as there are people way worse off than us.
But I’m thinking if this lack of routine and lack of control is doing my head in, it must be doing the same to others.
So I’m working my way through controlling the uncontrollable.
And here’s what I think.
1 – Have big picture plans. It’s 100 times easier to focus on what you need to do to today and tomorrow when you are clear on your big picture outcomes. I talk about this in a podcast a couple of episodes before this so look it up if you are interested.
If you need to make snap decisions in your business because of outside pressures then always look up to that big picture plan and make decisions in line with those big picture plans.
Using new team members as an example – If you’re planning to bring on a new team member but the business world has you drowning in uncertainty right now maybe take a step back, look at your big picture plan and honestly critique how this new team member is going to help you achieve your ultimate goals. Is there a different hire that can help you get there faster? Is this really a luxury hire that in all honesty you’re not quite ready for.
Feel more in control of the uncontrollable by making every business decision with the end in mind – your big picture plan.
2 – Build yourself into a strong financial position. What does this involve? Knowing what you’re worth – your net wealth. All of your assets, less all of your debt. Why?
A strong financial position gives you the luxury of choice and time. Repeat after me – A strong financial position gives you the luxury of choice and time.
Comfortably choose to take time off in a hurry if the world throws you a curveball when you’re in a strong financial position.
Comfortably invest in the office space, the team member, the upskilling, the business coach when your competitors might not be able to.
How you get to that strong financial position is different for everyone. Do you need to plunge profits into debt reduction, investing outside of your business, investing in your business, making moves to build a business you can ultimately sell.
What moves are going to help you build your overall wealth and give you the ultimate luxury of choice and time.
Control the uncontrollable by building your wealth, building a stronger financial position. This is a long-term play but if you don’t start today when will you start it? I’m presuming you want to be in business for a few more years? Where can you be in 3, 5 or 10 years if you start working on building a stronger financial position today?
At a more granular level –
3 – Introduce guilt-free rescheduling. When you find yourself cancelling client appointments because you suddenly need to head to your kids school and help them bring home books for home-schooling or an emergency dental appointment or the dog gets sick – be ok with that.
If you’ve got the right clients, they’ll be cool with that. Reschedule without the guilt. Life always has and always will just get in the way sometimes. The right type of clients will get that and are critical to help you control the uncontrollable in your business.
If you’re not attracting the right clients – why? Is it your offer? Your branding? Your marketing? Is your pricing too low?
4 – Avoid over-committing your time. Leaving breathing space in your calendar.
Hairdressers are a good example of this. Think of our hairdressers who are fully booked up into the late evenings or weekends for weeks in advance. What happens when their kid gets sick, there’s a snap lockdown and they are forced to close their doors? It’s stress-city. They have to make a bunch of apologetic cancellation calls, promise to work all weekend to make it up, it’s disappointed clients and a stressed business owner.
If you are completely booking yourself out with clients or other commitments there’s no room for error. All lights have to be green. No room for illness. No room for family issues. No room for impromptu long-weekends away.
The other side of that coin is by purposefully leaving space in your weekly calendar and you do manage to get the perfect fit client you have the option to slot them in now – sure, they might have to pay a premium price to secure that premium place in your calendar but you have the choice.
Control the uncontrollable by leaving some breathing space in your weekly calendar.
