Is Taking On Too Much Sabotaging Your Business?

We’re lucky here in North Carolina, where March really does feel like spring.  The warmer weather puts an extra spring in my step, and I suddenly feel like doing more than usual.

I feel like cleaning, organizing, planning, and taking on new projects.

I find it difficult to let my ideas and projects sit undone.

I want to take it all on.

But what I’ve finally come to realize, and am still reminding myself, is that I can’t take it all on.  Well, I can, but there are consequences to that – ones that don’t turn out well for me personally or professionally.

Are you also a doer?  Do you find it difficult to resist the urge to do it all?

While this sounds counter intuitive, I want to share how resisting the urge to “do it all” is actually be the best thing you can do to build your business.

This is a lesson I’ve had to learn the hard way.

When you’re in the early years of growing your business, it often takes putting in long hours because you’re learning and doing everything for the first time. You’re developing programs, creating content, figuring out how to best market yourself. You’re learning new technology and what goes into running an online business.

There’s nothing wrong with working hard, as long as you’re enjoying it most of the time.

With that being said, I do feel that we can be our own worst boss sometimes.  We are so committed to our work, that we often demand too much of ourselves.

It can feel like we have to do it all right now.

This is where I’ve found we get into trouble.

When we take on multiple projects at the same time, it’s almost impossible to do them well.

Having been in the situation, I can say that it’s definitely possible to do a decent or a “good” job with multiple projects at the same time.  But, I’ve found it’s next to impossible to do an extraordinary job when you’re focus, time, and energy is split between several priorities.

When I first started health coaching, I was very motivated to build my business quickly. So I took on many things at once. I wanted to be in action. I wanted to be able to tell myself that I was doing everything I needed to do.

This made me very busy, which made me feel like I was doing a good job.

The truth is that by spreading myself so thin, I didn’t put enough attention to any one thing.  From the outside you would never have picked up on this.  I was able to hold it all together, meet deadlines, and get done what needed to.

But what would have happened if I had focused on quality rather than quantity?

When we allow ourselves to focus on one main priority at a time, it allows us to be more creative.  We have more time to …

… think and explore.

… put ourselves in our audience’s shoes and carefully craft an email.

… tune into what’s working and what’s not working.

… promote and craft a speaking engagement.

… put that something extra into a program that you become known for.

… follow-up with a potential partner and have a thoughtful dialogue that creates an amazing opportunity.

What if by giving yourself permission to focus on one thing at a time, you were able to get extraordinary results. And what if, ultimately, this meant you’d end up having to take on less?

I know this sounds easier than done, and this is something I’m still working towards.  It’s a muscle that you can tone over time.

How can you make smart decisions when it comes to determining what to take on?

First, by taking on one thing at a time, you’re not necessarily saying “no” to another project.  If the project is a priority for you, it’s simply about determining WHEN you’ll work on it.

You might have three projects you’d love to work on. To get them all done well, determine when, on your calendar, you will have enough time and energy to fully focus on them.

There will, however, be projects or opportunities that you’ll want to say “no” to – at least for the time being.  Some of those projects may be ideas you’ve generated, such as writing a book or being more active on Twitter.

And, there will be times that you turn down opportunities that other people approach you about, such as participating in a telesummit or co-creating a program with a partner.

In order to know what to say “yes” to, think about what your top two goals are for your business right now. They may be things such as:

• Bringing in revenue quickly
• Building your list
• Getting systems in place so you can work more efficiently
• Creating new content that will enable your clients to get even better results

Projects that get a “yes, let’s do this right away”

If one of your primary goals is to bring in revenue quickly, you’ll want to say “yes” to projects that will help you reach this goal.  This could be launching a new program, creating a special promotion for your list, or a speaking engagement that you can use as a platform for selling a program.

BONUS TIP: When considering what to say  “yes” to, consider projects that are bigger opportunities, tap into your strengths and passions, and feel fun to you. I also like to fast track projects that will be quick and easy to implement, while at the same time offer the potential of big results.

Projects that get a definite “no”

These are projects won’t help you achieve your primary goals, don’t feel like fun to you, and will take a lot of time and effort.

Projects that get a “maybe later”

These are projects that will help you reach your primary goals, but may require more time, planning and effort.  They may be projects that won’t give immediate results, but offer long-term potential.

Toning your “one thing at a time” muscle

Before you say “yes” to yourself or someone else, take some time to consider which category the project falls into.

Ask yourself…

Is this something you want to fast track and work on immediately?

Is this something that sounds interesting, but will be a distraction from your primary goals?

Is this something that you definitely want to take on, but prefer to wait one, two, or more months when you have completed other priority projects?

What projects would you like to fast track in the next three months?
Share your thoughts and questions below, so I can support you.