Working 8 days a week? Maybe it's time to let go

There is a common perception that running your own business provides for more time off and flexibility. Control over the schedule and the ability to kick back and watch the money roll in.

The reality couldn’t be further from the truth. I can safely say that successfully launching and growing SkyeTeam during the last twelve years has been the hardest I have ever worked. Corporate life, was, by comparison, relatively easy – the proverbial 9-5pm with occasional late evenings.

As an entrepreneur the to-do list, ideas, and things that clamor for my attention never stop. Having a home-office only adds to the pressure as it all to easy to pop into the office for a few minutes and look up only to discover that several hours have passed.

If you are finding yourself working 8-days-a-week here are four tips for taking back control

1. Busy or Productive: As I reflect on my career I can point to times where I have been busy… chasing my tail… but not necessarily productive. The to-do list seemed to take on a life of its own, and certainly took over my life.

The Solution: Focus – be clear about what it is you do, why you do it. Ask yourself which items you are doing are driving your business goals, resulting in revenue, serving your company and which ones aren’t. Either stop those that aren’t or DELEGATE

2. Hassle or Hustle: The daily hustle I'm involved in, includes three critical elements; building the business (new workshops, programs and content); growing the business (meeting with clients, potential clients, and developing the sense of team and capabilities within our company); and delivering the business (facilitating high performing team sessions or leadership programs). In between these is the hassle… reconciling the various financial statements, submitting expense claims, getting documents printed for the next workshop. Important things that I don't necessarily enjoy.

The Solution: Identify those items that only you can do, and DELEGATE the rest. (You may see a theme forming already). We finally hired a book-keeper, we have an in-house graphic designer, we have a mailroom who ensure workshop materials are sent to our client locations. It's fabulous, I love it, we can each play to our strengths. I no longer feel the need to ‘do’ the work (or as my team might say - control the work). Teamwork rules!

3. Independent or Interdependent: One of the core concepts in my book Cultivate. The Power of Winning Relationships is that work, and success, is a team sport. We are dependent on each other for our success. As I reflect on my career I can see how a desire to be independent (and therefore not a burden to others) has potentially slowed me down. Now I seek opportunities to work with others, moving from solopreneur to building a team has been a critical step in that process, our new partnership with Lead Star that is creating a leadership development powerhouse, are examples where we are better together. Plus it is much more fun when success is a shared experience.

The Solution: Identify the critical stakeholders who can help or hinder your success. Invest time cultivating and nurturing those relationships

4. Lean or Learn: It’s all to easy to get sucked into the day to day of running your business and not invest the time or take the time to learn how you can be more effective. It’s a false economy if you feel that you always need to be ‘on’ and can’t take a moment to pause and evaluate what’s working and what’s not.

The Solution: Whether it’s attending a conference, networking with other entrepreneurs, reading, or seeking a mentor you need to invest in your own learning and growth plan. Learning is key to long-term success.

While my list is all about the ‘or’ in my experience being a successful entrepreneur is about the ‘and’. Embracing the challenges of running my a business and learning when and how to let go. To involve others, and to focus on what I am good at so that we can succeed together.