If only I could....
I find that when I have a diary full of my client's work, I do have to juggle everything, from doing the school run, to meeting clients, being visible on social media and attending networking events, which we business owners have to keep up with.
It can be a nightmare at times and all it takes is to ask for a little help. I tend to do the school runs for my daughter but if I have an appointment during these times, I know I can pass this task back to her. I'm also lucky that I do have support in the office which I co-share with "Harmonize Collective" in Bradford, and they are willing to step in and help out whenever I need.
Being your own boss and being the sole person in your business, it can get lonely and feel like there is no business support you can turn to. So you end up with the household chores, making sure everyone's fed, children still have their bath routines and may be in the evening you can get back to your work and do a little bit more before bedtime.
The experts say that working on your computer and the like before bed does disrupt your sleep patterns and you should to start slowing down in the evening, reading a book etc to help us sleep better. They're not in the real world, are they?
Does it have to be this way though, rushing around like a mad person trying to keep on top of chores and business? What can you do to ease the stress? Do you sometimes think, if only I could get some help.
Obviously, depending on your salary there are after school clubs/childminders who could help with an hour or two collecting children after school.
May be there are two or three really close friends, may be mothers who are in the same position as you and need the extra time, one or two days a week. Perhaps you could get together with your trusted friends to arrange a rotation to look after each other's children for an hour or two after school during the week.
What about considering hiring a cleaner/housekeeper to keep on top of those jobs you just haven't time to do. You may only need them for one morning each week or month, but whilst they are cleaning you can get on with your work.
Do you have an accountant, if so, have you thought of using a bookkeeper too? You may only need a monthly arrangement with your Bookkeeper - you could collect all your receipts (even if it is a carrier bag full) and they will sort this out for you, being in line with your Accountant's needs. This may take your bookkeeper half - full day a month, but this will help you with saving time in the long run.
Do you find you have to make a lot of 'phone calls. but every call takes 10 minutes because you know them at the other end of 'phone, but all you want is a quick answer so you can get on with the day's tasks? Then try bulking the calls you want to make either in that day or if prefer, do it all in one day during the week. It does save time in the long run to chunk together similar tasks rather than splitting them up during the week.
Perhaps you might feel that these type of calls and mundane work can be carried out by other people rather than yourself. If it is for sales leads then there are specialist sales orientated business owners out there that can do this efficiently. May be you just need help with social media, making those calls so you don't get side tracked and being kept on the 'phone to your client, or may be you want to create a document/proposal that looks professional rather than just dropping a note in an email.
Using a virtual PA is an excellent way to create space in your busy business life. They work with you to get you back on track, and again the opportunity to partnering with VA could be just for the morning, the whole day/week - you choose to fit in with your business budget. If that saves you time, then I'm sure you will find it worthwhile.
So what I'm trying to say is, don't think you are on your own, think if there are other ways that can help you to save time during your day or week and don't be afraid to acknowledge that you do need a little help every now and then.
Bye for now.
Kathryn | 07918 667509
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