Often, when we launch our business, we have a really clear idea of what it will look like. We throw all of our energy into that start-up process and getting the business off the ground, and after that there is so much to do, so many hats to wear, so many plates to spin.
Starting a business takes years. There is a seemingly endless list of plans and systems to implement, mistakes to make and learn from, and a team to grow. It’s no wonder many businesses are still considered start-ups after five or even ten years, and many of these have had large investments.
What matters in this process of running your business is that you don’t lose your intention. You don’t want to float down a metaphorical river, feeling busy but floundering and taking the opportunities presented to you (or not) without a clear reason. You want to be aboard your business boat, steering it in the direction you have chosen and planned out.
Making time for working on the business, not just in the business
One of the most important things you can do as a business owner is to step away from the business. It’s also one of the hardest when you feel that time is always against you and your to-do list is endless. But you need that perspective. Sometimes, in the stress of running a business, just being busy makes us feel a little bit better, like we must be achieving something because we have so much to do. But are we doing the right things? If we never take time out to write and review our business strategy and goals then how do we know that the things we’re doing are making a difference?
12 tools you can use to run your business with intention
Often you won’t have anything to benchmark your business efforts against apart from your past KPIs; after all, it’s hard to know how well another business is actually doing, and no business is quite like yours. But you’ve got to know you’re making progress, and this isn’t going to happen if you always feel like you’re chasing your tail. Make time in the short term to use these tools, and it will pay dividends (quite literally, hopefully) in the long term. It’s your business—you are in control.
1. A one-page business plan
If you have had the tenacity to start a business, you can definitely write a business plan. It’s great to get the ideas out of your head and onto paper. This process alone can give you some stark realisations and make you feel accountable.
It doesn’t have to be long and it doesn’t have to follow a traditional structure. Write it your way. A good way to start is by listing all your achievements so far, what’s gone well and what hasn’t and what this means for task prioritisation going forward. If you focus on this, your values and goals will come naturally. But don’t focus too much on goals; rather, improve the systems that will get you there. Make sure to revisit and rewrite your business plan at least once a year.
2. The ‘Traffic Light’ tool
A useful thing to use after you’ve done a business plan. Think about:
RED – what needs to stop?
GREEN – what could you be getting on with and just doing? (There is nothing stopping you and it aligns with the business intentions).
AMBER – what would you like to be doing but don’t feel ready for yet and why not?
Regularly evaluate if these activities are creating value and impact.
3. A to-do list app
It sounds obvious but having a written to-do list is a good way to analyse and prioritise what needs to be done. Use a tool like Trello to split tasks into different boards by days, weeks, months, etc. When you start to organise them better, it doesn’t feel endless, and you can review whether they really need to be done or not. Create a ‘done’ list too, that you can move completed tasks onto—it will help with motivation.
4. A list of all your weekly ‘done’ tasks
This ‘done’ list can also be reviewed so you can see,
a. if all of the tasks needed to be done, and
b. if all of the tasks needed to be done by you.
Don’t try to do all of the roles in your business, but think carefully about the tasks you want to outsource. Accountancy and admin are the two that often make sense first, and outsourcing to freelancers can be a sensible first move before employing people.
5. A calendar for time-blocking
Create a dedicated calendar for blocking out time for your tasks by assigning an estimated time to each. Don’t forget to include time for planning, strategy and reviewing. And don’t forget to include time off and holidays. This will make you realise if there’s enough time to do everything you want to and show you that if you are doing other things, the time has to come from somewhere.
6. A pre-written polite decline
Owning a business is an open invitation for time suckers who would like to sell you something or pick your brains. It can be hard not to feel bad if you say no, but what else could you be doing with this time? Get used to deleting and ignoring unsolicited mail (they are sending it to hundreds of others too) and create a pre-written polite decline note that you can whip out and send for any opportunities that don’t align with your priorities.
