Follow these 10 growth mindset strategies for small business success
It doesn’t matter how skilled you are in your area of expertise, if you get in your own way, you may not be achieving the success you so rightly deserve. You see your mindset actually impacts both yourself and your business positively or negatively. I should know…it’s a battle I win and lose daily.
You see, I know you have made a bunch of sacrifices to create this small business, and of course success is the desired outcome… Setting healthy systems in place to support your mindset is advantageous. So while this may sound a bit woo woo to some, hear me out and you may walk away with something that will help your personal mindset and business growth.
1. Frame challenges as opportunities.
Let’s face it, it’s not business without experiencing some hurdles along the way. However, dwelling on a problem can cause unnecessary stress and actually hamper your productivity. When faced with a challenge, it is important to take a step back, and process it, without acting on your emotions in the first instance. Simply asking “What? Where? When? How?” can lead to resolutions to issues and new approaches if faced with it again. If emotional, talk with a business peer for perspective. Remember to frame challenges as opportunities to learn, grow, improve and adjust.
2. Look for the positive in every situation.
Did you know that our brains are hard-wired to look for threats and focus on them? This survival mechanism served us well eons ago, when we were hunters and gatherers, as there was a real threat of being killed by something or someone. Obviously, our natural instinct did not evolve as quickly as we did. Therefore, maintaining positivity is a daily challenge that requires concentration and attention. Be mindful of staying positive to overcome the brain’s tendency to focus on threats.
The good news is that the old adage “fake it till you make it” can be applied, and soon you will focus on positive things without even trying. If you focus on your vision and practice gratitude for a few minutes a day, that will help.
Vision
Ask yourself what your vision for the year is, your ‘why’, it will naturally lead you in a healthy direction and attract people to you.
Have you read the book “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne? If not, it’s worth a read. Visualisation is one of the most powerful mind exercises you can do.
The law of attraction is forming your entire life experience and it is doing that through your thoughts. When you are visualizing, you are emitting a powerful frequency out into the Universe.
Whether you believe that or not, I suggest you try a vision board, preferably at the start of the year. This will help you through the more challenging times, by looking at your goals, vision, and positive focus areas for your business and personal life.
Gratitude
Practising gratitude is also a powerful growth mindset tool. A simple mantra or daily affirmation can help shift your mindset from a negative or fear based mindset to a more positive outlook.
Here are a few of mine to inspire you:
I have grit and I don’t quit
Growth happens when I step out of my comfort zone
I listen to my intuition and trust my inner guide
My mind is full of brilliant ideas
I make a positive difference in the world by simply existing in it
I am enough
Mistakes are an opportunity to grow
I am grateful for the life I am living
I am grateful for every opportunity that comes my way
I am grateful for my mentors, friends, collaborators and supporters
I am grateful for my inspiring clients and being their behind the scenes secret weapon
3. Seek feedback from people you respect.
Everyone has an opinion, some opinions will help you grow, some will not. So choose someone you respect, like a mentor or peers, to give you feedback, and remember you are not seeking their approval, you’re looking for growth opportunities. Every piece of feedback you receive is an opportunity for growth.
4. Learn something new every day.
By learning something new every day, it breaks our normal behaviour patterns, gives us a range of perspectives to draw upon, helps us adapt to new situations, feeds innovation, builds confidence, and creates new neural pathways for our brain to grow.
Ralph Waldo Emerson words it beautifully:
Knowledge is when you learn something new every day. Wisdom is when you let something go every day.
Let go of the things that don’t serve you, and remember learning is a lifelong journey, not a destination.
5. Compare yourself to yourself, NOT to others.
The poem Desiderata was stuck on the inside of my bathroom door when I was a child. Since this was a place where you were naturally forced to stop and sit, I read it every day, and I have to say my mum was on something…
There is a line saying:
If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.”
To this day, I find much comfort in this statement.
To support and encourage others is such a powerful thing. To be inspired by others, to learn from others is too. But when it comes to comparisons, do it with yourself. Where were you one year ago? Where do you want to be in one year, and how do you intend to get there? What worked? What didn’t? Track progress, change approach as needed, and celebrate the wins.
6. Hold yourself to account. Plan, Commit, Do.
Set yourself a SMART goal, place it somewhere you can see regularly, and track your progress. I use a Trello Board and Google Calendar. Be disciplined, the best way to do this is to find a regular time that works for you, and make it achievable. I am currently working on personal fitness goals with a morning walk, while listening to personal growth audio books simultaneously. Two birds with one stone. It’s only for three days a week currently. I will maintain this until it feels natural, and I WANT to do it. Then I will build on it, by adding days. Possibly when I’m fitter, I could hold some business meetings on the move… At this stage, this is unrealistic, as I’m pretty sure my clients don’t want to hear my unfit heavy breathing on the other end of the phone!
7. Do the HARD thing first.
How rewarding is that feeling when you action a challenging piece of work, and know it’s an easy street for the rest of the day.
As Mark Twain phrased it:
Eat the frog first.
If you action the biggest and most important task first, there is no opportunity to procrastinate over it later, and you’ve set yourself up for success, leading to happy hormones and increased productivity for the remaining work day.
8. Find a Mentor or join an accountability group or both.
A mentor helps you to identify your strengths, set your goals and strategies to help you grow, and hold you to account, so action occurs.
The same can be said for an accountability group. Peer accountability increases productivity and leads to higher achievement through inspiration, motivation, support and empowerment. An accountability group helps you stay on track, provides different perspectives, which can help innovate, and most importantly, they can celebrate your wins with you.
9. Avoid shiny object syndrome
Shiny objects are so alluring that we tend to chase them without forward planning, but rather dive straight in. Generally, this leads to loads of unfinished projects, as a new and better idea entices you.
While growth mindset encourages embracing change, shiny object syndrome means you chop and change too often without enough evaluation of benefits, planning and goal setting. Let me give you an example. A review group advised me that an app would be the best thing for my business. Shortly after, Google implemented a new tool to create an app…ooh so shiny… but… is this what my customer avatar wants or needs? What value will it add? What would it contribute that my website does not? So…it is currently sitting in the cool ideas bucket, along with many other shiny things, and will remain there until a need arises and an evaluation of benefits proves it’s worthy of implementation.
10. Grow at your own pace.
You are the only person who leads your life, with your distinct circumstances. So to compare yourself to someone else’s pace is an injustice, especially if it is not motivating, but rather makes you feel inadequate, or that you’re not achieving success. Remember your why and swim in your own lane.
Ultimately, developing a growth mindset will help you to plan for the future and avoid common pitfalls. A growth mindset improves productivity and performance, so you can gain a greater sense of who you are, what you stand for, and where you want to go in business and life.
Versatile Marketing provides outsourced marketing support for small service based businesses. Book in a discovery call today, to learn how we can support your business towards success.
The spread of the CORONAVIRUS has forced thousands of working parents to work from home WITH KIDS. My best friend mentioned she was unsure how she would manage it. This is a relevant issue affecting so many of us. Managing working from home with children who need to be homeschooled can be overwhelming Kids, especially younger kids, demand around the clock attention.
As a virtual service business owner providing outsourced marketing support to small businesses, I’m somewhat experienced in this space. Have I mastered it? Not exactly. Did I have to home school as well? NO! But the philosophy remains the same. There are most definitely strategies you can put in place to minimise the fallout – and even thrive. I’m implementing them, and fine-tuning them, and so can you. We can do this, not alone but together! So, if you’re struggling to navigate your new life outside of the office, These strategies from a home working Mum may help you survive these challenging times with your sanity mostly intact.
1. Mindset is key
Be kind to yourself
You’re going to have wobbles during this experience. After all, humans are not built to be in close confines without the ability to socialise! Add in working from home while homeschooling the children. ahhhh! Expect extra emotion and acting up, (from the kids too.) This is not normal, this is an unknown, scary and huge change. They will miss their friends as much as you will.
With routines disrupted and families thrown into close quarters, cabin fever is a real danger.
Adding to this, fear is in the air. Working Mums have shared their fears of running out of work, money, Losing family and friends. The physical and mental strain of needing to add even more hats to your existing workday. Fear of letting your children down by not teaching them in the way a teacher could. Fear of the impact isolation may have on mental health. Or being pulled in directions, so you’re not giving them the love and gentle care they need, especially at a time like this. Even the fear of not being able to wipe yourself after going to the toilet. Know you’re not alone.
Aim to eradicate your fear!
Step 1: Acknowledge your fears. They’re valid.
Step 2: Understand its purpose is to keep you safe. Be kind to yourself.
Step 3: Breathe deeply 3 times, inhale, exhale!
Step 4 – Choose a new more helpful focus. Redirect yourself to ACT. Our thoughts are POWERFUL and can stop our actions towards positive outcomes. I was stopped from positive action all last week. I’ve refocused. I took some vital ME TIME – A virtual 1:1 yoga session from a gorgeous friend. I washed my bedsheets and sent the family for a fun camping venture in the backyard so I could enjoy the simple pleasure of quiet night, in a freshly made bed. #Restorative. What can you put in place to improve your mindset?
Step 5 – If you feel yourself slipping back into an unhelpful headspace. Shift it again. Sing and dance with your kids, or take up a hobby, or do a family meditation, using deep breathing. I use the calm app. as do my kids. They have bedtime stories, focus on anxiety, or lack of sleep, meditations and much more. Even Matthew Mcconaughey shares a story. Switch the channel. STOP what you’re doing, get up and refocus.
Versatile Marketing has been liaising and collaborating with Everymind over the last 6 months. They have a program called Ahead For Business. It’s a great small business resource to use. Take the mental health checkup. Use their toolkit to equip yourself with further support and ideas.
Ghandi summarised the importance of mastering mindset with this quote:
Your beliefs become your thoughts. Your throughts become your words. Your words become your actions. Your actions become your habits. Your habits become your values. Your values become your destiny.
2. Dedicate an office area
You need a designated place for your home office, so all family members are aware it’s your office. Even If it is on the kitchen table. At specific designated times, they have to respect this is your workspace and not disturb you while you’re sat at it. unless it’s an emergency or urgent.
Avoid OH&S issues, keep it as ergonomic as possible. Create a makeshift foot stool. Or use a box to get the height of the computer correct. Ensure Wi-fi is fast enough. The lighting needs to be sufficient. A headset and a printer/scanner is a nice to have also.
Create a schedule/routine but be flexible.
Plan ahead
Set a time block routine from the outset. Aim to keep your wake-up times the same as they were, consistency and routine is key. You’ll all cope better, when you know what and when you are doing each day. Even if it’s as simple as wake time, eat time, play time, learning time, exercise time.
In saying that, ensure it’s flexible and adaptive. For example, if you need to get up an hour earlier than everyone else, for self-care or to smash out some urgent work, do it. Equally, if one morning you all want to stay in bed until 10am…do it!
Work smart not hard
Work out the best time to make phone calls or be on teleconferences with the least distractions.
Set specific times for activities to break up the day. Feel free to use our Daily Routine 2020. Provide a print-out of the routine for your kids. Prepare any materials /supplies they may need.
Set alarms/Bells. Use Google Home or other devices to help your kids remember what to do next. (Automate it as much as possible). Above all, be realistic and flexible, expect to be interrupted.
It isn’t easy to work from home with kids. Use our resource sheet which lists brilliant, free aged-based school resources for your children. Utilise these as a supplement to the school’s online learning or alternative learning plans.
Consider working late at night when kids are in bed. However, please ensure you’re getting enough sleep. Easy to say, with so much to juggle, often hard to achieve, however we all need to stay healthy!
Allocate your most critical work during a time when your kids can sit for a good 2 hours straight. If they’re really young, capitalise on their nap times. In our household this occurs during electronics time. Because when they’re absorbed in a movie, playing Minecraft, reading eggs or Mathletics, I smash out work!
Food
Pre-prepare the day’s food as you would for school and show the kids their lunch bags. This is what they get to eat between 9-3pm. This will minimise the ‘Muuum I’m hungry’ distractions, and ration the food stores as well. They seem to eat twice as much at home than at school otherwise. Align break times to school or daycare timetables. Crunch and sip in the morning, then recess, followed by lunch.
Plan to enjoy a minimum of one meal with them. You need a lunch break. It’s nice to connect, re-set and recharge the batteries too. So why not enjoy it together. Be sure everyone has water, and drinks regularly.– 2 litres of water a day is optimal. Give someone a job of being a water monitor – kids love power! 😉
Exercise
Set time for you and kids to exercise together, it’s important to stay healthy, and active. There are so many activities, from zumba, aerobics on tv at home, to jumping on trampoline, go for a scoot, bike ride or walk around the block. My favourite online kids workouts where its fun for mum too are Cosmic Kids Yoga, and a visual pleaser P.E with Joe . Similarly, this re-connects you and the kids, they’ll feel recharged to go off for some more solo activities. Vitamin D, sunshine and fresh air are vital for mental health and for defeating/preventing viruses including COVID-19.
Connect
Plan activities together! Now more than ever your kids need some extra parent time. Squeeze it into your plan. Bake bread, make play doh, play scrabble, kick a ball in the backyard. Stay connected with friends and family. It’s so important for maintaining mental health and social engagement.
Allocate some quiet time for you all throughout the day. If possible, create spaces in your house for zones. A games zone, learning space (with some activities set out). A chill out corner with pillows and headphones. If it’s too small for this, then stick with the boredom box (see below) and bedrooms when people need alone time.
4. This is not normal homeschooling and you’re not a school teacher!
Go easy on yourself. Be flexible and adaptable. Utilise the school curriculum provided. If your kids don’t complete all the tasks one day. It doesn’t matter. This is far from a normal situation and any learning is good learning.
I interviewed a fellow Virtual business owner, with a Diploma of Education, Sandy Pisch. Sandy is a homeschooling single Mum, with 2 boys with disabilities. (Autism, ADHD & Tourette Syndrome).
From a Mum who certainly understands the juggle of working from home. Sandy shares with us her 3 top tips for our temporary home schooling/ home working gig:
You don’t have to do every subject every day.
Have shorter blocks of work, nothing more than 30mins, with numerous “brain breaks” (5-10mins). Even though, at school, they’re in the classroom for an hour or more in between starting/recess/lunch/home. They actually fit in numerous short blocks of work. There’s lots of ‘teacher talk’ and moving around between the floor and desks. A fantastic website for “brain breaks” is GoNoodle.
It’s super important to connect what they’re learning with real life. Talk about things. Let the kids ask questions. Tell them stories and experiences. Play with them, go outside and let them explore the natural world. ALL of this actually ticks off SO much of the curriculum, without even realising it.
Many neighborhoods are getting on board the ‘bearhunt’. Search on Facebook for your local area. People are putting teddy bears in their windows. Go for a fun walk and see how many you can spot…turn it into a maths exercise and add a teddy bear to your window too!
5. Create age-appropriate boredom boxes
Dedicate a weekend to gather boxes you have lying around the house. Label them, 1 box per child. Let your kids be involved in this, and for creative time or free time, this box can come out for inspiration.
For kids without reading ability print images of the activities. Search around the house for the initial box contents. Some of their favourite books, stickers and pencils, with paper. A sewing kit. Then place on your to-do list to order more craft etc. (planning ahead is vital refer to tip 2).
6. Use screen time and virtual support networks
Sometimes the kids are going to go a bit cray cray… so enlist the support of Netflix and put on a movie. Or Zoom call your Mum, or an elderly neighbour or childfree friends and ask them to spend some virtual teaching time – they could teach piano, or read a story, or tell a story of their past – include some modern history. Or family history. Win-win-win.
7. Fill your bucket and invest time filling up their buckets too
It’s important to acknowledge when you need time off, to be proactive about your mental and physical health! Each person will need time alone in a sacred space that they can retreat to.
Remember to appreciate the forced time together. Be present to the amazing opportunities to really re-connect with your family. Spend some extra quality time together. Smell the roses, soak up the sun on a walk together, have a picnic in the backyard while weather permits. If cold camp out in the house, have a dance party, do the biggest puzzles together, make music together, bake and have movie nights.
It is absolutely possible to work from home with kids. You just need to be realistic about the quantity you can get through as do your employers. Find the balance that works for your family, utilising your circumstances and resources. And remember, kindness is key. We need to support all those around us too, so if there is one thing today that you can do for yourself or someone else, amongst your crazy busy day. Do it!
Don’t forget to support your local small businesses. They’re the backbone and heart of your community. Support leads to success. Versatile Marketing are sending everyone strength of spirit, structure, focus, love and calm in all this crazy time.
Need help with your digital marketing?
At Versatile Marketing, we provide professional outsourced marketing support for small Aussie businesses. If you’d like to find out more, check out our services, or book in a complimentary discovery call. Don’t forget to download your free kids resource list and a copy of our daily routine. And, if you suddenly have some spare time to look at your content marketing, to become more visible in business. You’re invited to download a free copy of our seasonal, printable content calendar.
I wonder how many new business owners start their business as I did? With a rather exciting, guns blazing idealistic dream.
Upon reflection and review, I imagined sipping coffee while working with other people in a shared space. Doing what I love with versatile service offerings.
From contracts management, to project management, social media, admin, grants and blog writing.
I dreamt of this amazing flexible lifestyle. Taking the kids to the beach, watching them play, while shooting out a piece of work! I wouldn’t need to be around corporate politics or have meetings for meeting’s sake. At the conclusion of my first full year in business, I have a confession to make.
I was WRONG. Being a small business owner is hard yards. Yes, there are amazing flexibilities. I’ve been there at the school assemblies and important events. But I can tell you, sand, laptops and young kids near waves while I try to focus on work instead of them…don’t mesh well. In truth, I didn’t know how much I didn’t know. I thought my law degrees and 20 years of business experience would be ample experience to run a business.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve loved the journey, but now realise it isn’t as clear cut as I imagined.
Here is my year in review:
1. Purpose and vision
My purpose and vision remain, to support small business owners. So you’re not overwhelmed, having to wear all the hats that small business ownership demands. I love freeing up your precious time providing necessary marketing support. This allows you to focus on your passion space and growth. After all, this is the reason you started your business.
Reflection: Do you think I stopped to think about how I would not wear all the hats while making this happen for them? Nup! So now all the advice I am giving my clients, I am planning to take on board more for myself in the coming year. I’ll increase focus on time management, increase automation, streamline processes and outsource where required.
2. Networking
This year I started networking. In the beginning, I was nervous and hated it. I thought I needed to have a sales ‘elevator pitch’. I had been reading on forums and group coaching about how important it is to sell your abilities. (Whilst I’m well aware I need work in this space). I have actually loved the fact that I haven’t had to do this.
Instead, I’ve been building genuine connections with people. Getting to know them and their business. I love listening to their personal values and journey. The right people have and will continue to engage my services, as I come from this authentic space. Networking is something I look forward to now, it is more like catching up with passionate like minded friends.
I’ve been a bit of a networking flirt, due to family and work commitments. This year I have networked with:
Sydney Hills Business Mums
Hills District Business Empowerment Network
MIBA Hills District
Sydney Hills Business Chamber
I subbed twice for a BNI group too.
I look forward to continuing my networking in 2020. With my youngest now starting school, I know the time will still remain limited. 930-2.30pm is a short workday.
Reading at school, and turning off the computer at 3 pm is high on my priority list. As I strive to create a holistic balance in my life for next year too.
My clients are so important, their work will always be a high priority for me. As they come first, networking opportunities will be strategically planned around working commitments.
3. Collaborations & contras
A new collaboration with Kym Thompson from Clear View Imaging has been wonderful. She is an amazing local social media photographer. who offers quality photography and social media video clips for all your social media content.
She creates the sets, shoots the pics and I add copy, hashtags, planning and scheduling on the various platforms. I look forward to this taking more shape in 2020.
An awesome contra deal with Rebecca Swanson. I provided the copy for a LinkedIn article, blog and press release. Rebecca gifted me with some amazing coaching.
Blog writing sub-contracting with the amazing copywriter and trainer Leanne Shelton.
I’m super excited for next years collaborations. They are being fleshed out with a couple of different businesses. So watch this space.
I’ve been in discussions with a Government organisation. This is relating to mindset, overwhelm and mental health for small business owners. It’s a space I’m passionate about and will see where this leads.
To that point, there was an amazing FB group I was going to start. Yet, it’s currently benched after several discussions with some very experienced business owners. I’m heeding their advice and for now, and pivoting.
Meanwhile, I’ll be transitioning the concept into guest blogs in 2020. Various business experts will useful and practical information, within their area of expertise. It will be relevant and helpful guidance for the small business owner.
Why? I’m passionate to provide you with tools to create a holistic balance and growth in your personal and business life.
4. Subcontractors
I have an amazing growing team of Australian Sub-contractors, assisting to provide a second to none service. They assist in the following spaces:
Video editing
Social media and graphic design
Sales, project and admin support
There are two more VA’s (Marketing support and a copywriter), who’ve been screened. They fit the very stringent values and client focus testing. They will join the Versatile team as the business continues to grow.
5. Sydney VA group
I started a Sydney VA Facebook group called the Sydney Virtual Assistant Support Community, which now has 64 members. It provides a local support network for Sydney based virtual assistants.
Amanda Primrose is the other amazing group admin. We have arranged two meetups this year with many more to come in the new year. We’re looking at having marketing and sales support sessions.
Co-working catch-ups within LCA’s will be a focus in the new year, as it can be quite isolating working from home. It’s nice to bounce ideas off someone else and have a laugh and some company too.
6. Perceptions realised
With the experience of stating that I have law degrees, versus stating I’m a VA or I own a VA business. I’ve come to a rather uncomfortable realisation. There’s a perception around the (under) value of VA work. Particularly because people instinctively think $12 p/hr offshore or basic admin.
As such, I’m re-branding slightly in 2020. I still own Versatile VA. However, they’ll be a soft change with the addition of a tag line:
your outsourced marketing support
This will remove the assumption of only admin and make it clearer the value and service offering I’m providing.
As I further niche and refine my services over the years, my long-term clients and new clients alike will reap the benefits. The desire to provide an amazing customer-centred, professional experience will be unaltered.
Another exciting change: I’ll be creating packages for blogs and socials and these will be available early 2020. This is to further streamline and simplify the offering to my clients.
New offerings
Social media and blog writing planning coaching sessions are now available. It starts with a free discovery call where we connect via zoom and nut out a quarterly strategy together. This is still in its infancy and I look forward to providing this service to many more clients in the coming year. I will also be offering a free social media audit for all new clients. Many more offers to come too including incentives for continuing a retainer agreement.
7. Clients
What a blessing to work with such incredible businesses this year. I work with a variety of industries. From Finance and property sector, recruitment, marketing, coaching and health and wellness.
A huge thank you to you, my clients, for continuing to choose Versatile VA! Thank you for your clear concise communication, your passion for business growth and trust in me with your babies (your business). It’s lovely to feel a member of your team and I love working with each one of you. I’m so lucky to have scored such really lovely people!
Thank you also for the amazing reviews, they mean the world. It has been such a pleasure to provide vital support for your business growth and help to reduce overwhelm.
I am excited to say many of my project clients have indicated they intend to utilise my services again for their next projects.
My target: 5 new retainer clients by June 2019. My sub-contractors sitting in the sidelines can show what they’re made of. I too am looking forward to sinking my teeth into some new projects.
This year I had a client call from another State who was referred to me by someone I didn’t know. This is exciting news for me. She retained my services for a project and I hope to hear from her again in the future.
Growth space
Next year I intend to phone my clients more frequently, to add a more personal touch and check-in. Emails don’t cut it and I always intend to but time gets away. Upon reflection, this is now an important part of the service and is being allocated to the process.
There are some incredible new prospects I’ve recently met for coffee and fingers crossed. So excited by these prospects who are ethically aligned and their passion for their business is abundantly evident. Watch this space. I’d be honoured to work with them.
8. Public speaking
This year I lead one networking group session on time management and goal setting. I received brilliant feedback and gained benefit from it myself. Read more about the benefit here.
I decided to up the ante and push myself further out of my comfort zone. So I’ll be doing 4 public speaking engagements next year.
9. Continuous learning
Workshops
I have participated in workshops for:
SEO
Basic bookkeeping
Social media marketing
Marketing
Facebook Ads
Studying
Having completed a full copywriting course via UDEMY earlier this year, I am currently completing a Social Media Management Course via Freelance University. I want to continue expanding my knowledge in all things SEO, social media and copywriting, along with learning about the inner workings of several systems.
I’m now well aware business ownership is a learning journey, a journey of growth, and refinement. I’ve made my share of mistakes. I have laughed, connected with some absolutely inspiring, supportive and incredible business owners. Collaborated, cried, felt imposter syndrome 1000 times, doubted my abilities and questioned my decisions, felt excitement that I took another step in the right direction. I love my client’s, the challenges and the journey.
Mindset and business are super connected…what a rollercoaster it’s been. Bring on 2020. I have set myself challenges, am excited to continue to grow the business and myself.
Wishing you a happy restorative New Year!
Thank you for listening to my self-indulgent reflection, of a year that was. And after a short break, I look forward to serving and connecting with you next year. On that note, I hope you all enjoy a short break too. We all deserve a break, to spend time with loved ones, to allow ourselves. In fact, we all NEED a break. Taking time out helps you get back to the reason and mindset of when and why you started the business in the first place and gives you the mental energy to pivot and change when needed.
Having a clear, compelling goal mobilises your focus toward actionable behaviour. It aligns your focus and promotes self-mastery. But what happens when you publicly declare a goal in a goal-setting workshop led by you? And you, ironically, don’t achieve it? This is the exact precarious position I found myself in earlier this year.
So, let’s consider:
The power of goal setting
Why it’s vital to follow through and maintain personal integrity
Lessons learnt when establishing new habits
The power of goal setting
So, I was leading a holistic goal-setting workshop for local businesses. And used an example of my health and fitness for my next personal area of focus. I explained I hadn’t set a good example to my children with some unhealthy eating habits. And while I promoted prioritising self-care to my clients, I wasn’t doing it for myself. Yet we all know self-care is needed to achieve a holistic balance and to reduce overwhelm.
Goal-setting increases self-confidence and helps increase productivity.
It monitors and measures your growth and momentum, by allowing you to maintain focus on each step or task leading to the end goal. Setting a goal should excite and motivate you.
But, when I realised I hadn’t followed through with my goal, months after this workshop, I felt disempowered and disingenuous. Far from who I am and what I stand for.
I felt like a fraud.
The old maxim ‘practice what you preach’ springs to mind. It was vital to snap into action. You see, I was out of integrity with myself. The single most important quality you can ever develop that will enhance every part of your life, is the value of integrity. Integrity is the core quality of a successful and happy life. It’s SO easy to make promises, but often very hard to keep them. Every time you keep a promise, you’ve made an act of integrity. This in turn strengthens your character and reputation. And you’ll begin to attract the best people and situations into your life.
Decide on one BIG goal at a time. You’ll also find the more specific the goal, the easier it is to achieve it. Grab a copy of the goal setting worksheet from my speech here.
Why cheaters don’t prosper – it’s vital to have integrity
Have you ever noticed that when trying a new habit in your life, you can be completely derailed with just one misstep?
Once the alcohol has been consumed, or the tub of ice-cream eaten, it’s hard to convince yourself to go back to the restriction you placed upon yourself. After all, it’s always ‘easier’ and more comfortable to go back to old ways. The reason for this is when you ‘cheat’, your plan loses its integrity and consistency. Leaving your goal to deflate like a blown, untied balloon. Likewise, if you don’t ever start your set goal, you also fall out of integrity with yourself. It’s so easy to do! More than 80% of small business owners don’t keep track of business goals. Without tracking, it’s so easy to lose sight of your target.
Regaining personal integrity – Case study
I’m going to use myself as the case study, but essentially the concept applies to everything and everyone. As soon as I re-set my intention to follow through with the original goal, things fell into place to assist me in achieving it. The Laws of Attraction tends to work this way.
Choosing to take action
A friend asked me to go walking with her once a week. Instead of making 1000 excuses, I said ‘yes’. I started using the Fitbit I was gifted for Christmas.
A food journal was re-instated, to gauge where my starting point was and where I was tripping myself up. By becoming aware of my eating habits, an informed decision could be made to create some new habits.
The cherry on the cake – I stumbled across a local gym promoting their 6-week fitness challenge. Against my natural instincts, I entered their competition. They called me to come in for a biometric scan and chat about the gym. At this stage, I had no intention to join, and if it wasn’t for my goal I would have declined.
Whilst I’ve been to several gyms throughout my life, none of them had what I was looking for. You see, I seek out balance, kindness, and genuineness in all areas of my life.
Finding support aligned with personal values
So, I rocked up to this boutique gym. The first thing that I noticed was happy faces, people greeting me, introducing themselves, and directing me to the person I was meeting. One of the co-founders, Mitchell Phillips, asked me a bunch of questions, including:
What did I want to achieve? Why hasn’t it worked previously?
What has worked and what do I like?
What is most important to me in my life?
WOW! He cared about how this would integrate into my world. Mind blowing!
Reluctantly, I stepped on a massive biometric scale, which assessed fat/muscle ratio (amongst other things). There was a non-judgemental kindness when I was delivered the news of my weight stats (which wasn’t pretty, I might add!). And not once did he push for a sale. It wasn’t a one-size-fits-all, but specifically catered to me.
He talked about:
Mindset
Balance
Emotional eating
Family
Whole foods
Water intakE
Measuring to track and hold to account
Restorative practices – and more
These things didn’t make me want to run for the hills. It was holistic! So in a complete surprise to myself, I signed up. Taking the next step forward. Mitch then let me know I had won an additional P/T session for the 6 week period! Winning!
Outcome
By the end of the 6-week challenge, Several bad habits had been replaced, simply by creating new, more positive practices. I’m mindful this is just the beginning of my health journey. According to a study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, it takes 2 months to fully integrate a new habit.
Whilst I didn’t win the group challenge, I won my own personal challenge of achieving my goal before the year ended with my personal integrity intact. Losing 6kg, feeling healthier, and feeling more comfortable was a big bonus! And I have Real Fitness Training to thank for that.
I’m in no way affiliated with this gym but want to share this amazing business, so other locals on a similar journey to me, may feel nurtured and encouraged.
I asked Vicky Van De Luecht, co-founder at Real Fitness Training, to share the ethos behind their business with us:
“Real Fitness Training offers a new ideology when it comes health and fitness. Our belief is one of long-term, sustainable results, built on a foundation of education around movement and nutrition, empathy and coaching. Our service is highly personalised, tailored to each individual client and provides a fitness experience like no other. Offering high quality personal training, structured semi private strength training, nutrition coaching around habits, yoga and meditation classes and monthly educational workshops, our boutique studio truly encompasses the concept of health, wellbeing and community. The days of having to join a gym where you may feel uncomfortable and intimidated are over. We provide the most personalised and friendly service, a very unique fitness experience within our beautiful boutique studio. Attention to detail, meticulous service and a truly rewarding fitness experience is what we pride ourselves on.”
3. Lessons learnt in the process of establishing new habits
We all have times in our lives where we intentionally want to change our behaviour for the better. This could be getting in the habit of eating healthier. It could be work-related or perhaps spiritual.
Here are some lessons learnt during my process of establishing new healthy habits.
Don’t go it alone
When you start to think about it, there’s an inverse relationship between habits and willpower. When you first want to build a new habit, it takes a lot of will power to get it done, day in, day out. You’re much more likely to remain focused, positive, and stick with it when you have an accountability group or person, (as I did in this challenge). I felt supported and could provide support to others on the same journey.
Avoid a path to success that’s too strict
Allow yourself that night out with a few drinks, or the dinner out with chips on the side. But don’t fall off the horse. Or guilt yourself and say it’s all over now! Get back on that horse and maintain integrity. Integrate it into your routine, check your mindset regularly, and track yourself until it becomes a habit.
Celebrate the small successes along the way
Stop and smell the roses. Acknowledge your accomplishments along the journey. If you lifted 50 kg for the first time, felt excited to go to a workout, or ticked off a task towards your end goal, celebrate it. Even if it’s only for a moment! Acknowledge you’re stepping towards improvement.
Surround yourself with people who will support you
It’s so easy to listen to the naysayers! So please surround yourself with positive and goal-driven people who support you and your journey. Aristotle nailed it more than 2000 years ago when he said,
We are what we repeatedly do.
By practising these skills, expect to improve your rate of finishing strong.
Do you want to work on a new healthy habit or business goal?
But you’re far too busy to take it on?
Versatile Marketing is here to support you! We support businesses, just like yours, with a versatile range of services to choose from. This includes business administration, goal setting, systems training, social media and blog writing. We’re here to help!
Versatile Marketing will be waving pom-poms madly in the air, cheering you on towards achieving your goal. Ready to chat? Book in a Free discovery call today, we can’t wait to speak with you.
Creating a healthy balance in your business and your life
For those of you who I yet have the privilege of meeting, I wanted to share a little bit about myself. Why?
Because stress, overwhelm and mental health issues should be spoken about. There can be a certain stigma around admitting that you’re struggling – almost as if it’s a sign of weakness. I’m here to tell you that you can share your vulnerabilities with others, remain strong and know you aren’t alone. You can grow from your challenges, implement new techniques and create a healthy balance in your business and your life.
What happens if we don’t get the balance right?
I’m but one of 1000’s of Australian working Mum’s, who has suffered from workplace stress and overwhelm. It lead me to dream and create Versatile VA so I could become an advocate for work life balance. Not only to create balance for myself and my family, but to support women in business who juggle so much. To let you know you’re not alone. When we support each other and build each other up, we all achieve amazing results.
Becoming a Mum changed me
No one can adequately prepare you for the mass of emotions, ridiculous tiredness and life altering changes becoming a Mum can do to you.
When I became a Mum, I was working for a large organisation, with a passion to make a positive difference. When baby Jess was 6 months old, my maternity leave ran up. I just wasn’t ready to leave her, we were only just getting to know each other, she needed me, and I her. So I extended my leave for another 3 months, which was all I was permitted to do without losing my job. When Jess had been in this world the same length of time she’d been inside my womb, I returned to work.
My first day back to work, I rang day-care twice to see how she was. When someone was kind enough to ask how I was coping, I burst into tears. People stared, and I was told to take 5 minutes and go and pull myself together. I went through the motions, attending a few meetings and typing away at the computer with a longing in my heart. When I collected baby Jess that afternoon my anxiety immediately lifted, I was so relieved my little girl who was crying and reaching for me, while I walked away from her in the morning was smiling and contented. she’d had a good day, but I had not.
Time passed by, and whilst I was working part-time, the workload was the same as my full-time job (just squished into part-time hours). I found myself finishing work by 9pm when reports and deadlines were due. Clearly this was having an impact on my whole family. I hadn’t realised the impact it was having on me , I was overwhelmed. When I stopped being able to be structured and organised in my approach, I knew something was wrong, I ended up taking stress leave, feeling ashamed and like a failure, as hours and hours of additional work and a commitment to ‘make a difference’, whilst sacrificing family time and self-care, went unnoticed and unappreciated.
I had no more to give. I was stressed, overworked, unhappy and burnt out, I’d lost myself. I didn’t realise at the time, but I was suffering from post-natal depression. After seeking the proper support from a psychologist and slowly implementing self-care techniques, it became abundantly apparent that work-life balance wasn’t achievable in this job and I resigned.
Jess is now 9 years old and since then I’ve had another gorgeous daughter – Abby. I’ve had some amazing business opportunities in various organisations and one year ago, I proudly launched Versatile Marketing. Continually practicing and forever seeking to enhance the harmonious work/life balance.
Running your own business can be hugely rewarding, but for many small business owners wearing all the hats and having sole responsibility for the company’s success or failure can take its toll. Knowing how to reduce stress at work by proactively looking after yourself, learning to say no and establishing good habits should be things we all practice in our working environment.
Let’s take a look at some methods you can try to help overcome stress and anxiety in your working day and regain your passion and purpose for the business that you’ve built.
1. Create business and personal goals
If we ‘begin with the end in mind’ – step 2 of Steven Covey’s book 7 Habits of Highly effective people. We can remain focused on our big goals. Without setting goals, we can often jump around putting out one fire after the next. Or we action tasks in an ad hoc style, which in turn creates overwhelm.
Challenge yourself to set business and personal goals. Set yourself 5 personal goals and 5 business goals for the year or for the next 6 months. Everything you do, should fall into the achievement of one of the end goals. Remind yourself of your goals on a daily basis.
Reflect upon the achievements at the end of that period. See what worked and what didn’t. Then shoot for the stars again, either resetting the same goal, or creating new ones.
2. Create healthy routines – they’ll become healthy habits
Simple habits and routines free up willpower for where it is needed most. They minimise decision fatigue, so you have a more productive day. This is most applicable in the morning. So, if you plan your morning effectively the day before, you’re setting yourself up for success.
Let’s look at a healthy morning routine:
It might start with a warm lemon water first thing after you wake
A prayer, gratitude, affirmation or a 5-minute yoga exercise to pay respects to your body, mind and higher purpose.
A review of your calendar and to -do lists so you are well-prepared for the day ahead.
A warm shower
A cuddle in bed to spend a few quality moments with each of your kids before you rush them around getting sorted with clothes, hats, breakfast and bags.
You pack the lunches you prepared the night before into your bag as you head off to start your workday on the front foot.
Reward yourself with a coffee or whatever it is that sets you into a happy work mode.
If you can eliminate decision-making from your mornings, you’ll have more energy and time to have the most productive morning you can! All because you’ve set up some healthy routines and prepared the day before.
3. Create healthy boundaries – Say ‘no’!
Learning to say ‘no’ to some work requests is particularly challenging if you are a people pleaser like me. But it’s important to remember that there is only so much time in one day. What you say yes to now, will create a ‘no’ to the next possible opportunity, you can’t say yes to everything as there just isn’t the time. So, unless you are asked to do something in alignment with one of your goals, it’s important to start practising some healthy boundaries and say ‘no’.
By saying no, it doesn’t mean that you aren’t good at time management, the contrary, you are valuing your time to achieve the goals you have set for yourself and your business, it’s a smart way to fast track your success and reduce burnout.
4. Self-nurture – Take time for you!
As a small business owner and parent, self-nurture is often one of those things that falls to the bottom of the long list of ‘to-do’s’. It is vital to schedule time out in your calendar for some rest and relaxation. You can’t be your best without giving to yourself.
This may mean that you’re:
honouring your knock off time each day to go for a walk and unplug
turning off the computer at 830pm nightly, so you relax and get some good sleep.
treating yourself once a fortnight to a massage or getting your nails done.
>soaking in a bubble bath with a book and a glass of wine
going out with your friends or on a date
Whatever it looks like for you. Pick up your diary right now and schedule it in. Block out time in your calendar on a regular basis and honour it, you are honouring you!
So please know, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone. Implement at least one step in the right direction today, it will assist you to achieve a healthy balance. Set meaningful goals, plan your time based on your goals, set healthy habits in place, learn to say no and practice self-nurturing on a regular basis. Unless we get the balance right, we are not living into the purpose of our passions.
Versatile Marketing has been created to support business owners doing the juggle, just like you!
Our goal is to provide valuable support and guidance to you. Our blogs, Facebook page and soon to be launched Group (stay tuned) and our website resources are all intended to support you. Creating genuine heart-centred, supportive and longstanding business relationships with Australian small business owners.
Set yourself a SMART goal, place it somewhere you can see regularly, and track your progress. I use a Trello Board and Google Calendar. Be disciplined, the best way to do this is to find a regular time that works for you, and make it achievable. I am currently working on personal fitness goals with a morning walk, while listening to personal growth audio books simultaneously. Two birds with one stone. It’s only for three days a week currently. I will maintain this until it feels natural, and I WANT to do it. Then I will build on it, by adding days. Possibly when I’m fitter, I could hold some business meetings on the move… At this stage, this is unrealistic, as I’m pretty sure my clients don’t want to hear my unfit heavy breathing on the other end of the phone!
Your beliefs become your thoughts.
Set a time block routine from the outset. Aim to keep your wake-up times the same as they were, consistency and routine is key. You’ll all cope better, when you know what and when you are doing each day. Even if it’s as simple as wake time, eat time, play time, learning time, exercise time.
Allocate some quiet time
5. Create age-appropriate boredom boxes
Jess is now 9 years old and since then I’ve had another gorgeous daughter – Abby. I’ve had some amazing business opportunities in various organisations and one year ago, I proudly launched Versatile Marketing. Continually practicing and forever seeking to enhance the harmonious work/life balance.
3. Create healthy boundaries – Say ‘no’!