22 Oct 3 habits you need to succeed in business
During my days, weeks and months, I have lots of conversations with business owners just like you. Short on time and wanting to know how to use it most effectively to achieve your business goals.
When I’m working with clients, I’ll talk to them about their habits. (Strictly relating to business of course ;-))
We’ll often be able to identify a number of bad habits they’ve developed in their business that are holding them back, and we’ll also identify a number of new habits to develop.
“First we make our habits, then our habits make us.” Charles C Noble
What bad habits have you developed in your business?
Do you know what to replace them with?
Developing new habits takes a little time and commitment, but it all starts with knowing what they are.
There are 3 biggies that come up time and time again that I reckon will help you to succeed in your business:
1. Make regular time to work ON your business
Working on your business, as opposed to in it, may be the single thing that is holding you back right now. And, if you’re thinking you don’t have the time to do this, then you absolutely have to make the time.
You do have the time really, you’re just not making this important enough to you.
This should be the most important task in your working week.
The trick to making it a habit you stick to is ‘little and often’. Each day, aim to spend a little time working on your business.
Lots of business owners find having daily ‘Power Hours’ a great way to get lots done working on their business.
A tip here is to make it the first thing you do each day, rather than the last.
Once you’ve done just a couple of weeks of this, you’ll be amazed at the difference it makes.
If you really can’t commit to daily Power Hours, then at least do something regularly, like 2 or 3 times a week. Once you see the benefits it will be easier to increase it.
2. Stay close to your numbers
How comfortable are you with your numbers right now? Do you know this month’s target and actual revenue figures to date? Do you know what your monthly fixed costs are?
If you’re not on top of your key numbers, then it makes it very difficult to make adjustments and ensure you’re going to hit your targets.
This should definitely not be complicated though and you absolutely don’t need to be a whizz with spreadsheets to do this.
Keep it simple, and use it often to make it a habit. I recommend having a set day and time each week when you review and update your key numbers. This should take no longer than 5 minutes a week once you’re up and running.
It will mean that you can quickly see if you are going to hit a shortfall one month and do something quickly to correct it, and will also keep you focused on achieving your targets.
(By the way, I use a very easy-peasy template with my clients – let me know if you want to see this by sending me an email Alison@alisonbradford.com )
3. Is this the best use of your time?
Make it a habit to ask yourself this question throughout your day – ‘Is this the best use of your time?’.
Where do you add the most value to your business?
This is where you should be spending your time and not getting caught up in non value add tasks.
Start to get help with the jobs in your business that you could easily outsource, or are simply no good at.
Asking for help, and seeking it, is a habit too. Once you’ve started to get help in your business and seen the benefits from this, it will be easier to do it the next time.
Your time is, and always will be, limited – so make sure you are using it wisely!
Are there any other habits that you’ve developed as a business owner, that have helped to grow your business? Leave me a comment to let me know.
Alison Bradford
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