Happy Monday, First name / friend!
It’s often easier to show up for a boss than it is to show up for our own businesses. It’s simpler to conform to an existing structure than to build something new.
We fear failure. When we work for someone else, they get the blame if things go sideways. They have to deal with the fallout. As independent business owners, it’s all on us.
We can let our own unproductive habits slide. There’s no outside source to hold you accountable, beyond your own need for money.
And we have another, sneakier problem: decision fatigue. Everyday, we have a million tiny choices. Unlike employees at larger companies, very few of those choices are made for us. For many people that is a) exhausting, and b) overwhelming.
Let’s try to take some of the over out of that whelming.
Prioritize planning. An excellent way to increase your decision fatigue is to do everything on a whim. Don’t plan ahead, don’t document your procedures, don’t stick to anything. Make the same decisions over and over again — that'll stress you out more. If, on the other hand, you want to reduce your fatigue, plan. Set standards for how you want to operate, so you only have to make those decisions once.
Resist shiny object syndrome. So many of us fall prey to pretty things — new systems! New tactics! New everything! And sometimes those can be helpful. Before you engage, though, ask yourself, what purpose does this serve? Find solutions to existing problems; don’t create problems just so you can use the shiny solution. It’s okay (and actually better, usually) to keep your processes simple and streamlined.
Don’t reinvent the wheel. You do not have to be revolutionary to be valuable. If you know an existing process or system works, use that.
Know thyself. The way you operate only has to work for you and your clients. It does not have to make sense to others. So take time to evaluate how you work. What gives you energy? When, where, and how are you the most productive, most energized, and happiest? What matters to you?
The way you operate will likely shift over time, and there is room for experimentation. But starting from a place of grounded calm can help you reduce the mental clutter.
