Finding You Time: Here's how so you can grow your business

If you truly are going to grow your business you are going to need more YOU time.

You are going to have to determine how to step away from the day-to-day so that you can be more strategic - and creative - about your business.

Most business owners and leaders I work with find this task to be very difficult. 

It’s absolutely critical that you restructure your time if you are going to make it to the next level of business.

The good news is we are going to give you some great ideas on how to make the shift into a different situation so you and propel your business forward.

#1 - You Are Worth You Time

A big step in getting “you” time for business owners and leaders is the mindset.

You are worth the time. You’ve earned the right from your hard work and smart decisions that propelled you to being a business owner and leader.

But more importantly taking you time is an investment in your business. Knowing that you taking you time may lead to a bigger set of opportunities for you and your employee may eliminate a lot of the guilt factor many other business owners and leaders face when thinking about you time.

#2 - You Need To Get Team Buy-in

To free up you time you need team buy-in.

This can be tricky at first. But like most things I suggest honesty and openness.

Sell your team on how you taking “you time” will create opportunities for them. They can take higher roles and more responsibility. They can be creatives and leaders within their parts of the business. And you are free to do things which might create even more growth.

And if you get your team bought into you getting you time they might even help you make it happen.

I’ve seen that happen more times than I can count. Employees get excited about the growth opportunities and start helping you get more you time.

#3 - It Starts With Your Team And Business Foundation

But to do this right you have to have the right team and foundation. This is all about the right training and the right people in the right roles.

You need a board or other oversight body. You need to have the right controls.

From there you need to make sure the business functions without you. And you need employees that can do it.

It would be folly to take you time if your team can’t grow into running the business. And note that term “grow into”. Your team won’t be ready until they do. Get people that can grow into being leaders like you.

#4 - Pulling Away

In order to get you time at some point you have to step away.

Whether it’s mentality or the fear of the unknown most business owners and leaders we work with are afraid to be away from the business.

It’s rational when the business is so important to your life.

But you need that separation.

You can pull away in steps. Start taking days here and there where you check in on the office less. And then a day completely disconnected.

This is something you can be mechanical about. Build that muscle by taking longer and longer periods away from the business with debriefs when you get back.

#5 - Letting Bad Things Happen

In the debriefs you’ll be having as you pull away you’ll find bad things will happen.

This will stop many business owners and leaders in their tracks! The prospect of bad things happening - when you are away - is almost paralysing.

But bad things can be good things. Every customer service, paperwork or other issue that comes up when you are taking you time is a chance to learn and grow your systems and improve them.

While it sucks to think about bad things happen it's more important to think of the good that will come from the improvement it can provide: your growth, your employees growth and the strategic opportunities for your business.

#6 - Switching To Being A Mentor

If you take enough you time you’ll be able to change your role from being a person in your business to being a true leader - a mentor.

This may be the biggest benefit of taking you time. You can start to see your business more from the “outside” and help develop other leaders.

Over the long-term most business owners and leaders find that they add more value by developing others than they do by solely developing themselves.

It’s true leverage and compounding when you can develop yourself to develop other leaders. Talk about exponential opportunities for your business!

#7 - Leveraging You Time

You time can be leveraged. With the right use of you time you’ll be able to come up with strategic ideas for your business and be able to take personal growth opportunities.

The irony is that more time away from your business can be good for your business. It creates the space for everyone to grow.

You can be more strategic. Your team and grow. You can find new ideas for your business.

Use your you time to grow your business even more.

What To Do Now

For most business owners and leaders this must start with mindset. Teach yourself it is OK to step away from the business.

Once you give yourself the mental permission is about changing your habits and building the you time muscle.

If you need a little help getting through this give me a call!

This Article is from The Our Shawn McBride - The Planning Done Right Guy(TM).

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NOTE: This article is a piece develop a small portion of the content of the book tentatively called The Journey: Finding Your Place From Entrepreneur to CEO being co-authored by The Our Shawn McBride and Ann Gatty. If you want updates on the book including the possibility of joining our release team or getting one of the first copies please join our mailing list here.

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If you ever see me in person you’ll quickly notice his unusual suits which he uses to open the conversation of how businesses should Do Business Differently?.

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