Run Your Own Business? Here’s How to Make Your Life Easier

Pexels - CCO Licence

Hi lovelies,

No matter what industry you’re in, running your own business can be difficult. With long hours and complete responsibility, it’s not surprising that business owners feel the pressure. However, there are ways to make your life easier.

By working smarter, not harder, you can increase your downtime, operate more efficiently and increase productivity. In turn, you’ll be happier at work and be able to grow your business at a faster pace. 

Plan in advance
When there’s lots to be done, it makes sense to just get on and do it. Indeed, working hard is a key part of being a successful business owner. However, working without a strategy can limit your output and mean you miss out on important areas. 

By planning your day in advance, you can determine what tasks are really important and which ones can wait a little longer. Ranking tasks by importance and urgency is a good way to see what really matters and it will help to ensure that core business functions are always prioritized. 

Take a break
No-one can work 24/7 without suffering ill-effects, so don’t think you’ll be any different. Whilst starting a business does require long hours and almost constant availability, it’s important to schedule breaks too.

Whilst you may not want to take a full day off, ensure you have some downtime throughout the week. Business owners can often miss out on time with family and friends, so remember that your personal life matters too.

When you are at work, don’t try to work straight through. Not only will you lose focus, it will take you longer to get things done too. Instead, take a break every hour or two or schedule a break in between tasks to ensure you’re adhering to your schedule. 

Use automation
There are numerous ways to automate your business functions, and these are often the best way to make your life easier. With dedicated options for start-ups and SMEs, automating your advertising, bookkeeping or marketing is simple and straightforward. 

When you use Google Ads automation for enterprise agencies, for example, you can plan your PPC campaigns well in advance and monitor performance as and when you need to. Managing online marketing manually can be time-consuming, so why not take advantage of automation tools to streamline your workload?

Be prepared to say no
When you’re launching a new business, it can be tempting to say yes to every offer or proposal that comes in. However, you can’t please everyone all of the time. Furthermore, not every offer you receive will benefit your business. 

Learning how to say no is an important part of being a successful business owner and it will certainly make your life easier in the long run.

Enjoy yourself
Running your own business gives you the freedom to be creative and follow your dreams. Despite the difficulties and setbacks you’ll face, remember to enjoy your journey and make the most of being your own boss! 

Things Your Small Business Needs

Hi lovelies,

When it comes to running a successful small business, the truth is a success is relative! It is always essential to think about what your version of success is and try not to compare that with other freelancers or small companies. You are unique, and your selling points are different, and what you need in terms of cash per month is different too. 

The next thing that you should be aware of is that there are some things that all businesses need.

Cash 
The reason that so many small businesses close month on month is that they just can’t manage their money. When a lot comes in, they spend too much on new stock and don’t put enough away. And, this isn’t all about profit either - it is a lot about just merely not having cash to hand when you need it. If you aren't great at cash planning, then you are going to find yourselves closing shop very early. So, invest time in cash flow planning and always put some of your profits into an account to save for a time that you need it. 

Mailing List
If the world of social media when kaput tomorrow - what would you have left? Your mailing list. There are many software choices that you can use to manage your mailing list - you should look to find one that you can control with ease. It is always worth remembering that you need to have your address on each newsletter that you send out. If that isn't something you are comfortable with then, you might like to invest in a business address with physical office. So you are protecting your home address but still compliant with the rules. 

Talent
No person is an island, and some projects are just too big. When you are starting out, it might be helpful, and something that helps in the long run, to think about recruiting some freelancers to help when you take on larger projects. You can use online software like Trello, or Evernote to keep track of who is doing what, and when work has been submitted - and neither of them takes too long to master. This also means that you will be able to work at a much faster rate and produce a more diverse project outcome. 

Marketing Maketh The Company
Your marketing should always be driving your message. Who you are, what you do, where you can be found, and how you can help people. And, don’t worry - every business has more than its fair share of marketing faux-pas. You have time to learn how to get it right, and if you really can’t get to grips with it, there are thousands of freelancers and small companies that are fantastic at it. 

Peaks and troughs. There will be moments that everything becomes clear, and it feels like smooth sailing, and there will be moments that you feel like you aren’t getting anywhere. Both of those are essential in a small business. And, typically the harder stages are the ones where growth is happening!

Photo for collaborative post by Remy Baudouin on Unsplash

3 Easy Ways To Improve Your Productivity At Work

Hi lovelies,

Do you ever feel a little bored or uninspired at work? Some days does it feel that however hard you try, you just can’t seem to get into the zone and get productive? The good news is that this is pretty standard. We will all go through phases from time to time, whereby our energy and creativity levels are a little low. If you can relate, you’ll want to try these super easy ways that you can improve your productivity at work. 

Continue Learning 
Often your productivity levels will drop if you become disinterested in your role. Perhaps you used to love your job in the beginning, but now the novelty has somewhat worn off? Even those with what appears to be a dream job will face these kind of lulls at some point. The best thing that you can do if you feel stuck in a rut is to keep on learning. Read some new books related to your industry, attend a lecture, or watch an inspirational talk online. You could attend a networking event to meet like-minded people, doing so may allow you to reconnect with your own passions and aspirations. Learning new things can allow you to rediscover creativity, generate new ideas, and improve your confidence within your job.

Get organized 
Your workspace will have more effect on your mood and productivity than you realise. If your space is cluttered, you may find it hard to concentrate and feel relaxed. Messy environments can often create a feeling of claustrophobia, so make it your mission to organise your workspace in the best way that you can. Keep things minimal and neat to help you to improve your concentration. It’s a good idea to use a Document Management System or a Digital Management System, to make the use of your sources, docs, and data easier and more productive. These two systems are different and which one you opt for will depend greatly on your business and the types of sources that you use. You’ll want to do your research on DMS vs. DAM to determine which one is best for you. These systems can also be useful security wise, to protect company data. 

Reimagine your breaks 
Your lunch break doesn’t have to consist of merely eating lunch, scrolling through social media, or making small talk with co-workers if this isn’t helping you to relax. Why not try to reimagine the way that you use your breaks to recharge, find a sense of calm, or boost your imagination. You could try using your break to have a quick gym session or yoga, have a relaxing walk in a park, or read a book in a coffee shop. If you’re the creative type, you could use your break to do some writing or drawing? If you practice something that will get the endorphins pumping, calm you or give you a zest of imagination, then you’ll be far more productive when you return to your desk. Lastly, ensure that you consume enough healthy food to keep your energy levels high! 

Photo credit for guest post: Pexels

How Do You Best Protect Your Company’s Data?

Hi lovelies,

There's never been a better time to become an entrepreneur and start your own company; all the infrastructure is there, people are open to new ideas, there's much to work for. Alas, it's also never been a better time to be a cybercriminal: companies have moved all of their data into a digital space, and, as a response, a whole new black market has popped up. If a business isn't taking steps to keep their data secure, then they could find themselves in trouble. This can have a negative impact on the company's finances, but also the trust they've established with their customers -- if you compromise a person's data once, they're unlikely to give you any more of it in the future.

So let's make sure that this doesn't happen. Below, we take a look at a few tried and tested methods for keeping your data secure. 

Have a System
You might think that cybercrime happened because somewhere, there was a genius spending hours trying to infiltrate your system. In fact, the truth is much more straightforward -- it happens due to human error. If your employees make a mistake, then the entire network could be compromised. As such, it's important that you're teaching your staff how to conduct themselves when using your technology. That means things like strong passwords, no opening suspicious links, and reporting any problems as soon as they happen. You'll also want to ensure you can trust your staff by carrying out thorough background checks before bringing them on board. 

Stay Updated 
As well as employee errors, many companies are infiltrated due to one frustratingly simple reason: they effectively let the cyber criminals into their system without putting up a fight. Security experts are always coming up with new ways to keep criminals out, and then the criminals update their tactics; it's a cat and mouse game. To ensure you're benefiting from the work of the security experts, it's imperative that you're keeping your computers up to date. You'll also want to look up what's the best antivirus for Mac -- or whichever type of computer you have -- and ensure you have that installed, too. If you don't, the criminals can take advantage of your lax security measures. 

When on the Road
You might be in control of your security when you're in the office, but what about when you're on the road, traveling for business? Then it's a different setup altogether. Whatever you do, avoid logging into unsecured wifi networks; they make it incredibly easy for a person to access your sensitive data. You should also take steps to limit the chances of your device being stolen -- and also make sure you have a hard to crack password so that it's inaccessible if it is taken. 

Review and Update
You can't stay too complacent when it comes to your digital security. From time to time, make sure you're reviewing and updating your practices, and see if they could be better. If you don't know what to look for, then work with a security expert.  

Photo credit: Pexels.com