Category: Processes

How Much Have You Changed Your Business This Year?

At the beginning of 2020, the last thing on my mind was a worldwide lockdown. I hadn’t thought about the potential difficulties buying everyday items in the supermarket, or not being able to visit my Mum. Attending networking events and client meetings face to face was cancelled almost overnight. Looking back, could this have been predicted?

Take the dog for a walk - best habit
Spending extra time with Missy is a bonus

After the initial shock, annoyance, anger and panic, things are settling down into the “new normal”. We’re in a world where we can be even more connected than ever before. Instead of travelling to see friends, we can meet virtually, via Zoom, WhatsApp, Facebook, Skype, Houseparty and many different apps. It’s not the same, but it is essential for us as humans to keep in touch with each other.

With travel restrictions, have you needed to work from home? Has this revealed hidden benefits, such as financial savings on fuel, time savings on not travelling, spending more time with family? Have you missed your daily commute? How much have you changed this year?

The lockdown has made me rethink my working day. One of the big changes has been to rethink my networking routine. Instead of attending face to face breakfasts, lunches and evening meetings, I can “teleport” all around the country and abroad. I can meet people virtually, exchange ideas, support and advice. I’m doing business with people I might never have crossed paths with.

Being at home more has given me extra time to spend with my family, including my dog. She thinks it’s great I’m around all day! On Fridays she comes networking with me at a specially themed “Dog Lovers Meeting” which I run as part of the 4Networking Online National (and International) Business Networking Groups. She’s not the only dog there either. Everyone at this themed meeting either has a dog, works with dogs, or just loves dogs! It’s great fun and business happens as people get to know each other in this relaxed, friendly setting.

I’m also involved in the 4N Sunday Sesh (the UK’s first Sunday 4Networking group) for those of us who don’t keep Monday to Friday office hours, and also the 4N NW Group aimed at people in the North West but open to everyone. Each meeting provides the opportunity to meet business owners and decision makers in many different trades and industries.

Perhaps the most exciting new development in my networking world is the launch of 4N Down Under connecting business owners in the UK with business owners in Australia. Imagine the travel time and cost attending a meeting in Australia in person. Yet we can be connected for less than the price of a Hungry Jacks!

These are some of the key changes I’ve implemented in the last few months. I’m spending much more time online in Zoom meetings than ever before. It’s working. I’m still able to speak with my clients and help them with their business strategies and streamlining. I can offer my accountability services virtually to business owners and there are now even more opportunities to promote my work with Arbonne, helping friends, family and clients with botanically based skincare, make-up and nutrition.

If you’d like to find out more about taking your dog networking, my Focus Guru services or just fancy a chat, please give me a call on 07756 772950 or visit www.getfocus.guru.

The 4 Best Ways You Can Market Your Business In 2020

As 2020 begins so does the marketing cycle. For many business owners it can be confusing to know where to start. What should you spend your budget on? How do you get the best value for money? Should you spend big on printed material, or social media, on networking or referrals? These are some top tips:

Print marketing is still one of the most cost-effective and versatile ways you can market your business. Think beyond postcards and flyers. Today’s print marketing includes your message printed on anything from tshirts, caps, mugs, pens to billboards and more. It includes adverts in magazines and newspapers. It includes advertising on the side of a car or a bus. If you can think of it then it can be printed. Print is one of the most personal and powerful marketing methods and it’s here to stay.

Another marketing method that’s greatly underutilised is social media marketing. A grey area for some business owners who worry their message won’t get taken seriously, or they think it gives staff an excuse to “waste time online”. But this is far from the case because whether we like it or not, we all use social media to find out about events, products and activities. We like and comment, share and tweet. With a little effort, posts can go viral, and end up across the world in seconds.

If you have the courage, face-to-face networking is an excellent way to promote your business. When you stand up in the room with the opportunity to say who you are, what you do, how you can help and who you’re looking to meet, the world opens up much wider than the 10, 20 or 100 people in the room. With a “face behind the product” other networkers can easily understand what your company does and recommend you to their colleagues and connections.

This leads into the fourth of the best ways you can market your business in 2020 which is through using genuine referrals from people who know you and your company. If you have succeeded with your print marketing, social media and networking, then the recommendations and referrals will come. Remember, giving a referral is just as important as receiving a referral. Everyone wants to feel valued. With a little planning you can introduce incentives to encourage people to talk about your company and refer business to you.

These are four valuable ways you can market your business in 2020. It’s important to keep your message positive and visible using a variety of different marketing methods. For more information on how to market your business, visit http://getfocus.guru/a-post-a-day.

Make It Easy To Schedule Your Social Media With “A Post A Day”

This is a new service I’m offering to help small business owners keep on top of their social media. Instead of posting messages on an ad-hoc basis, I can help to write and schedule your posts on a daily, weekly or fortnightly basis. It’s never been easier to take a hands-free approach to staying in your customer’s and prospective customer’s mind.

It's easy to stop social media overload
It’s easy to stop social media overload

How “A Post A Day” Works

It’s easy to get started with “A Post A Day”. With a simple phone call, I’ll ask questions about what you want to achieve with your posts, whether they are to inform, to educate or to entertain. We’ll chat about which social media platform will work best for you, whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, or multiple platforms. I want to be sure you get the most out of your posts so the phone call to research your aims and objectives is vital.

Why You Need “A Post A Day”

In social media today it’s increasingly difficult to stand out. By continuously posting new and original content the search engines will notice the steady stream of posts and award a higher status to your pages. Many small business owners simply don’t have the resources to dedicate the time and effort for doing all their marketing and social media in-house. If this is you, please get in touch and I will be happy to help.

How to Get Started

We’re all busy people so I’ve made it as easy as possible to get started with “A Post A Day”. You can get started today if you wish. I will run through the following steps and set up the scheduling to begin as soon as you’re ready.

  1. Phone call to discuss which social media platform(s) will be the most suitable for your posts.
  2. Choose the frequency, e.g. every day, weekdays only, weekly or fortnightly.
  3. Decide if you wish your posts to be informative, educational, entertaining or a mixture of these.
  4. Choose whether to add stock photography (or your own photos) to the posts, or use text only.
  5. With these ingredients, the content will be created, and the schedule set up for you.

That’s it. As soon as we’ve chatted, working with my team, I’ll create the content and show you for your approval. Then your posts will be scheduled to go online at the time intervals you have chosen.

Everything is posted using your own social media accounts giving you full transparency and control over the posts. By posting on a regular basis you’re giving yourself and your business the best chance of being seen by your potential audience.

In 2019 there were 3.48 billion people online and realistically it would be impossible to put your message in front of everyone. This is where the targeted posts make the most of your marketing budget. Using “A Post A Day” will take the stress out of your social media.

If you’re going round in circles wondering what to write or whether people will see what you’ve posted, please give me a call on 07756 772950 or visit http://getfocus.guru/a-post-a-day and let’s get started.

How 2 Litres of Water Helped Me Beat Decision Fatigue and Changed My Life

This blog is focusing on my personal journey which I talk about in presentations and in 4Sights at 4Networking meetings. I’d like to share some of the steps I’ve taken to get to where I am today. I hope my experiences will help you take control of your lifestyle, your time and your income. There are many opportunities available which easily fit around your current commitments.

Seeing plants fourish
Seeing plants flourish

It’s said on average humans make 35,000 decisions every day. Many of these decisions are made at home before we even think about going to work. For example, a typical man makes 3 decisions when choosing which shirt, trousers and socks to wear. In comparison, a woman might make 10 or more decisions including clothing, make-up, jewellery and accessories. That’s before choosing whether to have toast or cereal with tea, coffee or orange juice. So, it’s easy to see how the number of decisions each day adds up to tens of thousands of micro-decisions taking place every few seconds.

Can you imagine what it would feel like if each of these micro-decisions took several minutes to make? This is known as “Decision Fatigue” and it’s a sign our brains have become overloaded. Simple tasks become agonisingly difficult. It’s where molehills become mountains. It can feel like you’re walking through treacle. Over time, decisions can take longer and longer, until the difficulty of making a choice becomes painfully slow, causing stress symptoms, anxiety and depression.

One tip I can offer is to lay out the clothes you want to wear tomorrow as one of your last tasks before bed. In the morning everything will be ready, and you’ll have a few less decisions to make.

Our decisions have a huge impact on our lives. To do, or not to do, that is the question.

In my teenage years, I had an incredibly tough decision to make. At age 18, from a busy, active and energetic life, playing hockey at club level, swimming at county level, canoeing, playing the violin, viola and singing in voice choirs, always on the go, suddenly the backache I’d been ignoring became serious. I was given a terrible decision to make. To undergo high risk surgery or live the rest of my life in a wheelchair.

I chose surgery and after a successful operation on the 14th of October 1997 I spent 5 weeks in hospital relearning how to stand, how to walk and how to climb stairs. With the metal rods in my back, even now, I sometimes feel like a cyborg. My recovery took months of physio plus lots of support from my family and friends. Instead of the super-active lifestyle I was used to, I took up gardening, cycling and joined an orchestra. I made the decision to love the new life I had been given.

Around 15 years later, I aggravated my back slipping down some stairs. I was in agony. I had a beautiful garden that needed my attention, yet I could hardly move from the sofa. Without my care, the precious plants I’d nurtured from seeds would wither and die. They became my motivation.

Again, I had choices. Should I ask my husband to help water the plants? That was an option, but previous experience told me the plants would probably die. Should I give up? In this option, the plants would certainly die. The third option was to find a way around this. To find a viable solution.

I chose the third option. There would be a way around this problem. I just needed to find it.

To aid the recovery from my back injury, the best advice was to walk and to increase my walking every day. Once I was walking freely and unaided, I started carrying some weights around with me to build up my strength and resilience. I didn’t have traditional weights, so I made my own. I used a 2 litre bottle of water.

At first, I only filled the bottle enough so I could water one of my plants. I chose the one plant that meant the most to me. The one I wanted to help survive while I was recovering myself. Having given the plant enough water, I refilled the bottle, again just a small amount, but enough to water the next plant. It took time and patience, but in the second week I could fill the bottle enough to water 2 plants in one go. Then in the third week, I filled the bottle enough to water 3 plants. Then within a month I could fill the whole 2 litre bottle and carry it around. It was enough to make sure I didn’t lose all my garden.

It wasn’t extra money or time at the gym that helped my garden to flourish. It was the power of the 2 litre bottle of water. It gave me the strength to build up my muscles without straining my back. I regained my posture and my confidence.

Seeing the plants thrive in the garden reminded me of the power of water.

As humans, we benefit just as much as plants from drinking water. Keeping ourselves hydrated throughout the day is like putting fuel in a car. It’s like recharging a mobile phone. If you find yourself lagging during the day, if your eyes itch or you are easily distracted, take a few sips of water.

You’ll find when you’re properly hydrated, decisions are easier to make. You’ll have more energy and feel more awake. I can also recommend cutting back on tea and coffee, these drinks will dehydrate you during the day. If you need help remembering to drink more water, set an alarm or ask me to be your accountability buddy.

This is how 2 litres of water helped in my recovery from my back injury and gave me the tools to help my garden survive. Water has helped build my strength and my confidence. It helps maintain my health and has been massively beneficial for me in many ways. I believe every problem has a resolution and I enjoy thinking outside the box, finding solutions for myself and my clients.

What simple thing in everyday life has helped you?

“Rachael is an excellent 4Sighter! I recently saw her 4Sight at Leek Breakfast and her story really made me reflect on ways I can stay focused when working from home. I’m now more aware of the breaks I’m taking and I’m making a conscious effort to drink more water! Thanks Rachael!” – Sarah Spicer, The English Coach, Macclesfield.

If you would like to hear my 4Sight in person with more details about my journey, surgery, recovery, the plants and the solutions I find for others, please give me a call on 07756 772950.

Merry Christmas And End Of The Year Reflections

Over the last twelve months I’ve covered many different topics through the Focus Guru and RachaelChiverton blogs. Some of the blogs have been written to address common questions I’m asked about business and contracts and others have been about mindset, creating habits and making the best use of time.

End of year reflection, what have you achieved
End of year reflection, what have you achieved

Here is a re-cap of everything I’ve covered, from my Communications and Cashflow Workshop with James Perryman, to the business skills we can learn from our pets.

I’ve had some lovely feedback from clients in different sectors who are gaining huge benefits from the improved time management and streamlined processes I have helped to implement.

If I can help you or your staff with any business related issue, please contact me either by emailing rachael@rachaelchiverton.co.uk or by telephoning 07756 772950. I offer a free 15 minute consultation and will work with you to make small changes that make a big difference.

January

February

March

April

May

June

August

September

October

November

December

Thank you for sharing this year with me. As 2019 draws to a close, I hope to continue working with you, developing new strategies, boosting your social media presence, creating new habits and being accountable with sticking to them, writing your contracts and enhancing your processes and productivity. Let’s make 2020 your best year yet!

How To Schedule Your Social Media So You Can Spend More Time Doing What You Want

Social media is arguably the most powerful way to transmit your message around the world in seconds. From the moment you think it, you can type it, speak it, video it and within the blink of an eye your message is online for anyone to read, listen to or watch.

It's easy to stop social media overload
It’s easy to stop social media overload

If you want to be seen, social media is a great way to publish news about yourself and your business. Writing a post about taking on a new employee, launching a new product, or attending an event, are popular messages to broadcast.

As soon as your post is online, your message is instantly available to people in your circle of friends and connections. Using relaxed privacy settings, friends of friends can view your posts and, if you choose, your message can be broadcast to the world at large.

But, keep in mind your posts aren’t the only posts on the Internet. How will someone see your news above your competitor’s news? Why would someone want to follow your company? How will it benefit them?

If you want to be remembered, it’s important to keep posting new items, new stories and new news that your viewers can absorb. It takes time to remember someone and even longer if there are lots of things to remember at once.

With the quantity of information online, to be remembered takes consistent effort to keep your message at the front of people’s minds.

It’s no longer enough to post once a month as your message will be seen by several people, then pushed further down in their memory as new content from other people supersedes your message. Even posting once a week is having a limited effect for many businesses.

Building up a loyal following takes time and each time you post, the content must add value to the reader, the listener or the watcher. It must inform or entertain. Or both. You may remember the last video clip you watched, or the last Live you watched. Or, as quickly as you watched it, the content perhaps made you think or laugh, and then it was forgotten.

So, the consistency of posting then becomes important. Creating a post a day across different platforms is the consistent way to keep your message at the top of people’s minds. If they need a window cleaner, they’ll think of you. If they need a new car, they’ll think of you. Or an accountant, web designer, solicitor etc. they will think of you. Social media is available for every type of business.

If you don’t think you have enough news to share or are concerned people may find what you do boring, this isn’t the case. There is always something to write. It could relate to trending news, or an anniversary, or to something that’s happened in your working day. Your daily post could mention upcoming events, promotions, awards, functions, legislation changes, motivational quotes.

Anything that could be of value to your audience is worth posting.

But creating content isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. This is where I can help you with the writing and scheduling of your social media to free up your time for the things you want to do. Creating interesting, quality content and scheduling the consistent release of new news and information is a simple way to add lasting value to your social media presence.

Launching this month, I am happy to share my new service called “A Post A Day” which is available to individuals and business owners who want to enhance their social media presence with consistent quality posts every day.

For more information and details about signing up for a trial, please visit https://getfocus.guru/a-post-a-day or call me on 07756 772950 and I can answer any questions about this exciting new service available for your business.

Will Outsourcing Your Admin Help You Grow Your Business?

If you’re a small business owner, it might seem an extravagant luxury to outsource your admin. The thought of someone else filing your receipts, invoicing your day’s work or chasing a payment, might feel too small to warrant delegating to someone else.

You might feel you can do it better, or it just takes five minutes, they’ll make a mistake, it’ll take longer to explain, or think you can’t afford it right now. These comments are extremely common, but the reality is unless you’re superhuman, you can’t do it all by yourself forever.

How outsourcing can help grow your business
How outsourcing can help grow your business

There comes a point when it genuinely makes more sense to outsource the admin tasks than to persevere doing everything yourself. That mountain of paperwork can disappear off your desk. All those receipts you’ve stuffed in a box can be organised neatly by name and by date. You don’t need to worry about picking up the phone to chase for a late payment because it’s all done for you.

Warning Signs

From speaking with clients there are some common warning signs that the overload of admin is stifling the growth of their business. If you identify with any of these then outsourcing some of your admin tasks is definitely worth considering.

  • Have you missed meeting friends because you’ve needed to catch up with your paperwork?
  • Do you stay up late answering emails, sending out quotes, or doing your accounts?
  • Has your partner commented that you’re always working and they don’t see you as much as they would like?
  • Do you feel stressed about how much paperwork your business seems to need?

Left unchecked, these warning signs can escalate into bigger problems which can go on to affect your health and wellbeing and give concern to your family and those who care about you. This is the reason why it’s important to make your time count. If you can outsource your admin, you’ll find you do have more time to spend on the things you want to do.

So, my question to you is simple:

Will outsourcing your admin help your business grow?

For many people the answer is yes! I have been helping Steven Wade from Full Moon Coaching with some of his admin tasks over the last few months and he has seen some amazing results.

Example

Steven came to me saying he’d been working hard with clients to the point where he didn’t have the time to keep on top of his admin and it had built up to a mountain of receipts and a jumble of paperwork which needed sorting. He knew the end of the tax year was coming and told me he’d been dragging his feet.

“Rachael told me to ‘eat that frog’. I needed to bite the bullet and get something done about my paperwork. I know I can earn more in the time not organising and typing up the receipts than if I was to do this myself. Rachael is professional and organised. She takes the pressure off and gets the job done.” – Steven Wade, Full Moon Coaching.

Steven gave me a huge box of unorganised receipts. There were receipts for business and personal expenses to separate and receipts dating back several months where nothing had been done with them since the items had been purchased.

To enable Steven to focus on his business I separated the business and personal receipts and organised them by date and supplier into clearly labelled folders for easy accessibility. This seemingly small task made his tax return and end of year accounts much easier. It also gave Steven an easy way to add new receipts into the folders to keep things simpler going forward.

Outcome

“With Rachael’s help, the new system is efficient and manageable. It’s a huge weight off my shoulders knowing the background jobs are getting done. I can focus on my clients, meeting people and running my business.” – Steven Wade, Full Moon Coaching.

I enjoy restoring order to admin chaos and believe it’s possible to turn the most disorganised of filing systems into smart, efficient, easy to use systems which will increase your productivity. It will certainly save time at the end of the tax year knowing your receipts and expenses are available at the click of a button.

It can also help with the smooth running of your business if your daily, weekly and monthly expenses are available in graphs and charts to predict your outgoings and cashflow. When using my services, I can promise you confidentiality, accuracy and honest suggestions for improvement.

If, like Steven, you have piles of receipts that need sorting, or any admin headaches you would like cured, please get in touch on 07756 772950 or visit getfocus.guru and I will be happy to help.

Do You Need To Update Your Contract For 2020?

As the end of the year draws closer it’s a good time to review the different elements of your business. You can check your stock and your sales, your products and your people. In fact, there are many areas which can be analysed at the end of the year and it’s important to check you’re using your time and your resources efficiently and effectively.

Review your contract before 2020
Review your contract before 2020

By carrying out a review, you may discover what’s worked well, where you’ve found new customers, which events were worth attending, which products were popular and which services were profitable. You may also find things which didn’t go so well, and these may be areas which can be improved for next year.

One of the key things I recommend checking is your terms and conditions, your contract of business with your customers. Many people consider their terms and conditions as something they do once, they get them written and that’s it. However, if something has changed during the year, it’s really important to check your contract is still up to date.

There are 3 key times when you need to update your contract.

These are:

  • Any changes to your business structure.
  • Any changes to your location or trading name.
  • Any changes to your products and services.

You’ll also need to advise your customers and suppliers of changes to the contract. Not only could this influence their decision to use your products and services, but you may have invalidated your existing contract with them if something major has changed.

When changing the terms in your contract, it’s usual to send notifications in writing, either with the changes or directing people to your website. If using your product or service relies on the customer agreeing to any changes in your contract with them, then they will need to sign the contract again either in writing or electronically.

Updating your terms and conditions and contract doesn’t need to be scary. Contracts can still be robust and reliable without being complicated or over-wordy. In fact, having a Plain English straightforward contract is the preferred option for many customers and suppliers. Everyone knows what’s included and it makes sense.

If you’re unsure whether your current contract contains everything you need to protect yourself, your business and your customers, or if you don’t have a contract at all, please contact me on 07756 772950.

I specialise in writing terms of business for companies in many different sectors. I can look at your existing contract and make suggestions or write a new contract from scratch.

If you’re introducing new products or services in 2020, or if you’re changing your business in any way, you may need new terms written into your contract and I would be happy to help with this.

Please visit rachaelchiverton.co.uk to get started.

Do you rely on “the last minute” to get things done?

There’s the saying, “if it wasn’t for the last minute, nothing would ever get done”, and I wonder how many of us rely on that “last minute” every day.

If you’re honest with yourself, are you guilty of racing around? Are you desperately trying to finish the tasks you could have done, or should have done, earlier in the day? Do you rely on the “last minute” before meeting a deadline?

Last Minute jobs take more time if left until the last minute!
Last Minute jobs take more time if left until the last minute!

Perhaps you genuinely have taken on too much. If your diary is crammed full of client meetings during the day, then school-runs, after school clubs, evening socials, networking and other activities, maybe there isn’t enough time to do everything. Maybe you need that “last minute”.

But if you constantly use the “last minute” you’re not allowing time for anything to go wrong. There’s no safety buffer for unexpected delays, hold-ups or problems. If you rely on those extra sixty seconds too many times, you could find yourself under extra stress and extra pressure and the potential for making mistakes increases.

But it’s not all bad news.

I work with clients on a practical level. I can’t add hours to the day, but I can show you in three steps how to streamline your everyday tasks and processes to use your time twice. I can help you prioritise your tasks, so you’re on top of things. You won’t need the “last minute” because everything has been done in an organised, manageable and stress-free way.

The Three Steps:

  • Your Goals – Chatting through the tasks you want to achieve.
  • Your Time – Analysing how you currently spend your time.
  • Your Tools – Implementing the solutions to make your life easier.

One of the key benefits of working with me is the accountability I offer. When setting out your goals, I become your accountability partner. I am someone impartial who knows what you want to achieve and keeps you on track on your journey.

An example of this is helping a client find the equivalent of an extra two working days in the month with the time he saved by making one simple lifestyle change. That’s right, two whole days each month have been recovered!

Does this sound hard to believe?

He thought so.

But through chatting with me, initially by phone, then face to face, we broke down his task into micro-components. When each component was written down it became obvious where time could be saved.

Then, when he added up how much time this task was taking, it totalled 1.5 hours from start to finish. He mentioned he carried out this task three times every week. That’s 4.5 hours each week. It’s 18 hours each month just for this one task.

He was stuck in a set routine, spending 18 hours each month carrying out a task which, after our meeting, he made a simple lifestyle change. This change freed up that time, those 18 hours, for anything else he wants to do.

By changing that set routine he now spends the time working, or with his family, or both. He has the choice of how to spend this time. He can do the things he wants to do, not just the things he needs to do.

When speaking with clients, it’s surprising how many people are in set routines. They say they do what they do because that’s the way it’s always been done. But so often, the way it’s always been done isn’t necessarily the most cost-effective or time-effective way of doing a task anymore.

If you struggle to finish tasks or run out of time, don’t leave it to the “last minute”, please give me a call and I will be happy to find the extra time in your day so you can do the things you want to do, not just the things you need to do.

Lessons from Formula 1 – How to spot warning signs of burnout and how you can help yourself and others.

It’s often the last person we expect who burns out and comes crashing down, their mental and physical health pushed to the limit and causing a breakdown in their personal or professional life. It can happen to anyone at any time. It could be your boss, co-worker, a supplier, best friend, son, daughter, partner, but what if it’s you?

There’s nothing wrong with being busy and juggling lots of tasks. As humans, we thrive on mental and physical activity. We perform our best when we are happy and fulfilled. We can take on a variety of different things at once, but if we don’t allow ourselves the capacity to rest, relax and recover, we can miss the warning signs of burnout and become detached, withdrawn and potentially seriously ill.

The good thing is if we can spot those signs early, in ourselves or other people, the better prepared we can be and the more positive steps we can take. Just as you would carry out a service and MOT on your car, it’s important to do the same for yourself.

If you think of your mind and body as a high-performance Formula 1 car, you’ll know choosing the right fuel is as important as choosing the right parts, the right tyres and the right people to have in your team. These are key ingredients to long term success, finishing the race and taking home the trophies and prizes.

Don't get burnt out before you've time out
Don’t get burnt out before you’ve time out

Top 3 Causes of Burnout

Just as in motor racing, our lives run on time, money and energy. If we’re low on any, or all of these we can suffer. Perhaps it will only be for a short term, but if the problems with time, money or energy are prolonged, they can compound, and become harder to solve as your resources are depleted and eventually run out.

Symptoms of Burnout

Going back to spotting the warning signs of burnout, do you feel more tired than usual? Are you sleeping well? Do you have frequent colds, or loss of appetite? Have you lost a lot of weight, or gained a lot of weight? Do you feel trapped, hopeless or helpless? Have you cancelled plans with friends, or lost interest in a favourite hobby? Do you dread answering the telephone, checking your email, or even going into the office?

On their own, these symptoms can be easily overlooked or dismissed as “not a problem” or “something to deal with later”, “I’ll be ok”, or “everyone goes through this”, but this isn’t true. Unlike a car, you won’t have a bulb light-up on your dash to say something needs fixing, however learning to spot the symptoms and warning signs is the first step to getting back on track.

Effects of Burnout

As well as your own mental and physical wellbeing, burnout can affect those around you, perhaps even without you realising. You may feel more cynical or critical than usual. You may be sarcastic, irritable or quick tempered, raising your voice, becoming angry or violent. Feeling detached and withdrawn is equally common. Cancelling plans. Arriving late, or not at all. General apathy towards yourself and others.

Even the simple act of closing your office door or screening yourself from co-workers with paperwork or desk debris, can be the beginning of cutting yourself off from others, including those who haven’t already given up asking you to join their activities.

Tips To Avoid Burning Out

Keeping track of your time, money and energy are three effective ways to look after yourself and can greatly reduce the time you are “off the road” or out of action. Just as in Formula 1, always check the warning signs on your dash, take the time for regular pit stops, and make time for repairs earlier rather than later. Find the best people to be on your team, those who will have your back and those who want you to succeed.

These are things I help my clients with every day. Working with you on an individual basis I can help analyse your time and tasks and make recommendations for software and processes to give you more time, more money and more energy to be in pole position for success.

If you’d like to find out how this works, please book a 15-minute exploration call with me and I’ll get you to the front of the grid.