You are Monica Geller With a Laptop

You know Monica Geller from FRIENDS—the ultimate control freak, perfectionist, and clean freak rolled into one.

If Monica were a solopreneur, here’s exactly what she’d look like:

• Client emails? She responds within 3 seconds because “lateness is unacceptable.”
• Delegating tasks? Never. “No one does it like I do.”
• Spreadsheets? Color-coded down to the last cell.

She’d run around doing everything herself, convinced she’s “got it all under control.”

Spoiler: she doesn’t.

The Thanksgiving Dinner of Business Chaos

Remember that FRIENDS Thanksgiving episode? Monica volunteers to cook dinner for the whole gang.

• Three types of mashed potatoes (because everyone’s picky).
• Homemade pies.
• A perfectly golden turkey.

In her head, it’s all under control. She’s organized. She’s got a plan.

And then chaos hits.

• Ross is eating snacks because dinner’s late.
• Chandler’s making sarcastic comments.
• The oven catches fire.
• And Monica? She’s screaming, “I’ve got this under control!” while losing her mind.

Monica’s Thanksgiving = every solopreneur who refuses to delegate, automate, or say “no” to one more client.

You think you’re managing, but behind the scenes:

• You’re answering emails at midnight.
• You’re spending 4 hours making a Canva graphic that no one asked for.
• You’re saying yes to clients who treat you like their personal assistant.

And your brain? It’s yelling, “GET OUT OF MY KITCHEN!”

Signs You’re the Monica of Your Business

1. You won’t let anyone touch your “turkey.”

- You’re so convinced no one else can do the job right that you refuse to hand over even the smallest task.

- Reality check: you’re not a superhero. Joey could’ve peeled the potatoes for you (and you could’ve saved hours).

2. You’re obsessed with being perfect.

- You’d rather spend an entire day tweaking a proposal than send it out with a tiny imperfection.

- Newsflash: Done is better than perfect. Clients don’t care about your fonts—they care about results.

3. Your “yes” muscle is overdeveloped.

- Another client wants an urgent change at 11 p.m.? You say yes.

- A new project lands on your already full plate? “Sure, I can squeeze that in.”

How to Stop Being Monica and Save Your Sanity

Monica’s Thanksgiving would’ve been 100x smoother if she’d just taken a step back.

Here’s how you can avoid the same fate:

1. Learn to Delegate (Without Hyperventilating).

Start small: hand off admin tasks, emails, or social media.

You’ll survive, I promise.

2. Set Boundaries Like Ross Sets Snack Limits.

No emails after 8 p.m.

No saying yes to clients who drain your time and energy.

3. Embrace “Good Enough.”

Repeat after me: “Perfection is the enemy of progress.”

Your work can be excellent without being perfect.

Final Thought: Don’t Burn the Turkey

Look, you’re not alone. We’ve all been Monica at some point—refusing help, overworking, and convincing ourselves we’re “fine.”

But your business doesn’t need 12 types of potatoes or a golden turkey. It needs you to be sane, focused, and actually enjoying what you do.

So hand over a task or two, ditch perfectionism, and avoid the fire extinguisher moment.

Because let’s face it—no one wants to be Monica yelling, “GET OUT OF MY KITCHEN!”

P.S. If you’re yelling “I’ll do it myself!” while your to-do list catches fire, congrats—you’re Monica. Put down the ladle and delegate before something explodes.