Founding a business is tough - this is how I am surviving
This week has been hard. Exhausting.
Something to do with darker mornings, shorter days, sick children, complex school runs and oh yes, having a business to manage.
Wading through mud may have been easier.
Founding a business requires energy
Times like these are tough.
Founding a business requires energy – not only in terms of workload but also for driving a business forward.
Managing a team takes energy. Making decisions takes energy. Ideas take energy. Just getting out of bed takes energy. There are no sickies when you manage your own business, only a long list of to-dos that need more energy than I currently have on offer.
But I’ve been here before. We all have low energy moments. Maybe we’re coming down with a bug (most certainly the case for me) or we’ve overdone it (also me) or maybe we’ve burnt the candle too brightly for one reason or another (yup, me too)!
So what to do in these moments of low ebb?
Panic.
Okay, that was a joke. That never works. Although I’ve tried it more than a few times.
Firstly, I try to recognise that I’m feeling sh*t and it’s normal. There is nothing to panic about. Things will still get done, even if it’s at a slower pace. And that’s okay.
We can’t all be on fire, all of the time.
Secondly, I look to see where I can seek support.
One of the best things I’ve done in my business is build structure.
And that structure involves other people, systems and procedures. It’s times like these when I realise their true value. When my chips are down, my team always steps up. When I’m under the weather, systems kick in, procedures still work and automations still run. I can walk away. I can take a break (even if I try to tell myself that I can’t!). All it takes is a little organisation, delegation and trust. It’s in these moments that the value of investing in your support system really comes into play.
Finally, I take a piece of my own advice. I write a list.
The act of writing a list is always cathartic even if you’re not a natural list maker. The calm in the storm. Pick off a task a day and you’ll still make progress. I promise.
So that’s my week. We’ve had lots of great stuff happen too. New clients, New team mates, exciting developments and opportunities. But until I clear the fog of exhaustion, you’ll have to wait to hear about them another day.
