Let’s not beat around the bush — running a business is hard work. But just like people, it deserves some love too…even during those difficult moments. Why? Because when we run our businesses with love and not fear it makes doing so easier, more enjoyable, and sustainable so we can smash our goals and get that dream lifestyle.
Save the chocolates and flowers for yourself, and try out these 3 little acts of love you can show to your business that will make a big impact for the rest of the year.
Audit your brand to check everything is aligned
Everything evolves! Just like our lives, our businesses are not supposed to stay the same forever. This time of you is a perfect opportunity to check that everything is serving you well for the stage you’re at now, or the stage you want to move into.
Do your visuals match across all touch-points? What platforms are you on and do you actually want to be there? What is doing well, what needs a bit more work and is there anything you can take off your plate? Check that your social accounts, bios, content types, messaging, packaging, opt-ins etc all match each other, and your current business goals. If not, then you have the start of an action plan to realign things.
Put your breaks in your email footer
This sets instant expectations for both yourself and your clients to your availability well in advance. Firstly, think about how much time you’d like off this year and get them in your diary. Think about any holidays, events, birthdays you have this year. Schedule them now, even if you don’t have anything specific planned. It’s easier to change a date than to add one last minute and by planning work around these dates in the first place, you’re more likely to take regular breaks and avoid burnout or overwork.
**bonus: add them to your autoresponder or welcome pack for even more clarity.**
Set a business goal that relates to a personal goal
When you run your own business, it’s REALLY easy for your job to take over your life, especially if you enjoy it. Anyone else get in the zone and can work until it’s dark without realising it? It might genuinely be fun but it’s not healthy or sustainable. To combat this, think of a couple of business goals that directly support the lifestyle you want to have. Here are some examples:
- I want to make more time for a hobby, so I will not work Friday afternoons
- I want to move my body more, so I will take a full hour for lunch away from the office
- I want to have screen-free mornings, so I’ll only check my emails in the afternoon
By doing this even when you’re working hard, you are working on improving your personal life too! This in turn brings some extra joy to your work — it’s a circle of goodness!
Are you going to try any of these this year? Or perhaps you have some other ideas for bringing some love into your business…and remember, this isn’t just a Valentine’s thing, let’s love our businesses all year round!