The Entrepreneur Lifestyle: from ideas to impact
The life of an entrepreneur or business owner is fast moving and ever changing.
In order to keep on top of things, self-reflection and ongoing accumulation of advice and ideas is important.
At Diane Butterworth Ltd, we got our heads together and discussed what we felt our top tips were, when it comes to managing time effectively, keeping focused, growing our business and maximising productivity.
‘Do Now’ vs ‘Delegate’
Sometimes, it can honestly feel like everything is urgent. But there is a big difference between ‘important’ and ‘urgent’.
It can be very hard as an entrepreneur to delegate as, by the very nature of being an entrepreneur, you are very hands on, ready to roll up sleeves and get the job done. However, to expand, you need a trusted team and you need to learn to feel comfortable delegating some tasks.
What has worked for us, is dividing tasks into four, clear categories:-
- 1. ‘Do Now’ - a task which is both urgent and important
- 2. ‘Delegate’ - it IS important but NOT urgent and it can be handled by others
- 3. ‘Schedule’ - an important task which is not urgent. It does however require your specific attention later
- 4. ‘Delete’ – some tasks aren't important or urgent and can be deleted and forgotten
When you put some thought to it, some tasks require no action at all and can be immediately deleted, some are important but really not time-specific at all and only a very small proportion actually require your immediate attention and action.
Conquer Task-Switching
Small distractions might seem harmless, but constantly shifting your focus from one task to another can seriously impact your productivity.
When you switch tasks, your brain doesn’t immediately “reset,” and it can take a significant amount of time to fully regain your concentration on the original project. In fact, according to a University of California Irvine study, “it takes an average of 23 minutes and 15 seconds to get back to the task.” It’s not only frustrating to lose that momentum, but it can be detrimental to your work performance.
Fortunately, there are many ways to train yourself to refocus after getting off track.
Aim to minimise these switches by dedicating uninterrupted, focused blocks of time to complex work. Log out of your email, put your mobile phone in another room and stick a sign on the door if you have to, but do not let anything distract you from the task you have assigned to your block of time.
The 1-Minute Personal Introduction
Networking is central to growing any business, but it doesn’t always come naturally to everyone.
Our team at Diane Butterworth Ltd, all agreed that saving time and energy by having a pre-rehearsed 1-minute personal introduction can help you get to a meaningful conversation, much faster.
Practice saying exactly what you do and who you help. You could include a few key company credentials and a success story or statistic and have a business card at the ready.
Being able to summarise what you do concisely, also demonstrates confidence and clarity and people are more likely to want to work with you.
Humanise Your Interactions
Networking and meetings can often feel transactional. Instead, strive to humanise these interactions.
People buy from people. Genuine relationships can lead to stronger and more reliable professional connections. Don’t be afraid to acknowledge when you don’t know something, for example, as it shows humility and that you are curious and interested. An authentic conversation builds trust, especially when you demonstrate that you are not afraid to open up and show your feelings.
According to The Telemarketing Company, you are 4 times more likely to book a meeting if you establish a personal connection with a buyer. And, they go on to report that a relevant and engaging conversation can increase the chances of a response by 800%.
Digital transformation and advances in technology have brought buyers many benefits, including greater choice, speed, ease of purchase and convenience, not to mention cost-savings for the businesses themselves. However, the customer experience will always require the empathy and social connection that only occurs when people get together and talk.
Combat Imposter Syndrome
Many accomplished individuals secretly battle with feelings of inadequacy, despite their achievements.
This “imposter syndrome” can hinder your growth and confidence. According to research by KMPG, 54% of women have experienced imposter syndrome, compared to 38% of men. 75% of women in leadership roles have experienced it. But, the good news is there are ways to silence it!
You can start by recognising that you are feeling imposter syndrome and ‘name it to tame it’.
It will also help to know that these feelings are very common and most of us experience them at some time in our business journey. A great way to overcome it is to look back on how far you have come, celebrate your accomplishments so far, and lean into a great team who support one another.
Review and Reflect
At the end of every few months, take a moment to look back on your progress and reflect on what worked well and quickly move on from what didn’t work so well.
Keep practising the categorisation and prioritisation of tasks against chunks of devoted time as it will take a while to train yourself to do this, but the results and the quality of output will be fantastic.
Finally, always remember to show your human side with clients and your team and express your leadership style supportively and compassionately. You will quickly benefit from professional relationships which keep your business thriving for years to come.