What’s your to-do list look like? Is it a mile long? Filled with things for your business that need to get done? Plus activities for your kids? A few errands you need to run? A commitment you made to volunteer? A coffee meetup with a potential client? And then a few more things that require your attention?
Do you also find that you are suffering from:
According to Scripps Health, if your list sounds a lot like this and you’re experiencing some of these physical signs of stress, then you’re probably suffering from Superhero Syndrome. Yes, it’s just what you think it is! It’s a person who feels pressured to do it all. And if this is you, you may be getting it done, but you’re probably not getting it done well. Because there is a definite difference between doing it all – and doing it all well. And, while your to-do list is long, do you know what else I notice? I notice that there’s no time on that list for you to spend a few minutes focusing on yourself or even taking time to catch your breath. It’s all go-go-go! With no space for anything that may come up (including a glass a water or trip to the bathroom!) So, while I don’t want to add to your to-do list, there are two words I want you to keep in mind this year: delegate and prioritize. Try these on as your two new superpowers. Let’s start with “delegate.” This one can be hard – because like most people, you probably don’t want to give up control. (**Yes, I see you nodding. And I completely understand.**) But delegating is a superpower every successful business owner has in their arsenal, and you can, too. When you are able to delegate, you are able to free yourself up for the tasks that no one but you can handle, or the tasks where you are strongest, or the tasks that are going to propel your business forward. It also allows you to be supported by others who share your vision and will work to make you better. (BTW – If you need some practice in delegating, check out Forbes’ article: “Three Rules for Effective Delegating.” The three rules are easy to implement and you may find you don’t need #3 when you have the right people supporting you!) And then there’s your second superpower – “prioritize.” Now, I LOVE a good list or plan. L-O-V-E. And they definitely serve a purpose. But, if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that my list does me no good if I do not spend some time prioritizing things. In December, I spent some time prioritizing the goals on my business plan for the upcoming year – and it felt amazing to have it done. It’s so beneficial to have those goals prioritized and in a form that allows me to easily look at them so I can remind myself what I’m working for. Additionally, each day, I quickly prioritize the tasks that need to get done in my Momentum Planner – and I always start with the “big things.” When the big things get done early on, you set the tone for your entire day. And let’s not forget to balance between the urgent and the important. (It’s really easy for Superheros to think it’s ALL urgent – when in reality – it’s not.) So, are you ready to add “delegate” and “prioritize” to your superpowers this year? How are you going to make it happen? Please comment below. I would love to hear from you.
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With New Year’s Eve and Day still to come, it’s fair to say that we’re still in the holiday season.
And, while you’ve been busy trying to make the season joy-filled, fun, and memorable – it’s probably fair to say that it brings with it a fair amount of stress. After all, you may have college kids who have descended upon you and are trying to live their college lifestyle while in your space. Or school-age children who have a few weeks of break and are constantly raiding your refrigerator and expecting you to entertain them. Of course, you have work that doesn’t stop because the holidays are here. And let’s not forget about the expectations that we set for the holidays themselves – and they may be even higher this year as you work to make them extra special. It can be a LOT. And the family dynamics can certainly get a little out of whack during these times. Even though we want them to be happy and fun, you can find that there are moments of intentional silence, anger, heated arguments, and tears. Nobody wants the holidays to be like that. In fact, nobody wants any of their family time to be like that. But what it really comes down to is communication. (Isn’t that the basis for most things?) When it comes to family communication, there may be no one who does it better than Jeff Hanson of Dream It. Live It. Jeff is a coach for families dealing with addiction. People turn to him when they see their loved one heading down a path to self-destruction and they can no longer get through to them. He helps them to understand how to open the lines of communication and see the unique traits in their loved one that can allow them to turn the situation around and discover an alternative direction. While you may not have a family member facing addiction, opening the lines of communication within our families is something we probably all want to improve. Opening the lines of communication helps to avoid those feelings of hurt and anger and brings about healing when they do occur. Jeff has put together an interesting and engaging online quiz to help you discover your role in the family dynamic! Try it out for yourself -> “What’s Your Role in the Family?” (Only takes about 5 minutes.) When you get a few of those precious minutes, I encourage you to take the quiz (I took mine!) – it could be a great starting point to strengthen your family bonds and improve the ways in which you communicate with one another. And maybe next year will be a little less stressful when we all gather together again. Please comment below. I would love to hear from you. More and more people are online than ever before, and more and more time is being spent checking out websites, social media, and various forms of online content. Because this is happening, it’s important to look at what businesses need to know right now about thought leadership and content marketing.
Susan Rose is a visibility coach. She helps women entrepreneurs over the age of 50 increase their impact and income in 90 days or less by helping them connect with their audience in a way that increases engagement and builds loyalty. She helps women increase their visibility and become recognized experts, so they can have a greater impact and income by strategically positioning themselves as leaders. What do businesses need to be doing to stay visible to their clients and prospects at this point?You want to be creating content and using your social media to drive people to you and your business. People have more and more time to research you and your business. And they’re doing their research and spending this time deciding if your business is actually the kind of business that they want to buy from or work with. It’s not just enough to post to your social media. And, while engagement is good – it’s also not enough. It’s about demonstrating your expertise through thought leadership types of materials. These materials might be white papers, longer articles, e-books, or things like these. These materials show your leadership – no matter what business you’re in – and will drive people to you and your business. You might provide some education or training for people who are interested in your business. For example, do a webinar or online workshop to answer questions or address problems that people are grappling with. This shows people that you understand what they’re going through and can share answers and solutions with them. It’s really about all the content that is beyond the social media posts. Now may be the time to take a deep look at what you’re sharing on your social media and ask yourself, “Does it really show that I’m an expert in my business? Am I really offering people the materials they need to make an informed decision to work with me?” How do you make yourself/your business stand out online when there is so much out there for people to choose from? It’s probably been said by every marketing person on the planet but know who your target audience is. Understand who this person is. Understand who they want to buy from. Understand everything you possibly can about them. And then “talk” to that one singular person directly and in everything that you do. When you do this, it will resonate with the people you want to do business with. You will be making an emotional bond and an emotional connection with them. You will understand the challenges they are facing. You will understand their journey and how they’re going to evaluate if they want to work with you or do business with you. You don’t want to spend your time trying to talk to everybody. We all know that social media and the internet is flooded with free and/or cheap resources. But do they provide any value? Probably not. If you can understand what your target audience is truly searching for, you can attract them to your business and offer them the solutions they need. What role does emotion play when it comes to marketing?At one point in time, when it came to business and emotions – you did not mix the two. But that mindset has shifted. Emotional does not equal unprofessional. After all, we’re human beings seeking a human connection. We respond to emotion. We respond to beauty. We respond to feelings. If you want people to respond to you, you have to connect with them on an emotional level. Of course, this is not where you share all the negative things that you may be experiencing or get overly personal. But it is about being honest and authentic. For example, it can be about sharing your excitement about a new service you’re launching, why you feel connected to this service, and why you think it will be important to your target audience. Women are often taught to tamp down that emotional side of themselves, but it can be beneficial in business for creating a connection. If you’re wondering if it’s right to share some emotion with your target audience in hopes of creating a connection, start by telling your story. Start journaling, writing it down, or recording it. You don’t have to share it if you don’t want to – but start talking about it. This allows you to filter through it and decide what is appropriate and what might be too much. It’s about building that relationship with your target audience before you even talk with them or work with them. How are you creating a connection with your audience? Are you using emotions and authenticity to do it? Or have you avoided this out of fear that it’s not the right thing to do in business? 3 Action Steps
Connect with Susan Rose at http://susanrose.net/warm-welcome to receive her “Warm Welcome Email Templates.” Please comment below. I would love to hear from you. |
AuthorBeing an entrepreneur and business owner is hard! Once you have your business up and running it's not uncommon to hit a few snags: scalability, staff retention, launching growth projects, getting enough sleep! Archives
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