When You Can’t Do it All

Since launching Mark Brand Boutique in the spring we have been a little silent on social media, and there is a good reason why. We’d like to take this moment to introduce our new client community. In the last three months we have been working tirelessly to improve our client experience from beginning to end. We are excited to offer these new services but as we reflect back in the last three months, we have to admit, sacrifices were made. Today we are sharing a personal post filled with honestly and vulnerability: what do you do when you can’t do it all?

If you are like me, you are what I call a soloprenuer. You put in long hours and wear many different hats to achieve your business goals, more often than not, you do this all alone. I’m not saying I don’t have amazing people surrounding and encouraging me. Trust me, I equate every success to Jesus Christ, my husband, family, and friends for guiding and strengthening me in this journey. But at the end of the day, I’m responsible for the success and failure of my business. That’s a lot of pressure. And when you put that kind of pressure on yourself, you start to think you have to do it all, all the time. In the last three months I’ve learned that’s a dangerous lie. The reality is we don’t have to do it all to achieve success.

The reality is we don’t have to do it all to achieve success.

And this is why we’ve been a little silent on social media: I’m finally okay with not doing it all, all the time. I feel liberated just admitting that and not seeing it as a weakness. When I decided to improve the Mark Brand Boutique client experience I knew this would be a major project undertaking, so I chose to step away from certain tasks in my business. Saying no, taking a break, and asking for help allowed me to focus on the big picture and launch my client community. Today, I am sharing my solutions to the question, “what do you do when you can’t do it all?”

Learn to say no

If you’re a people pleasure, then this one will be difficult. Learn to say no, trust me, it’s okay. When you set boundaries, you gift yourself the freedom to manage your time on your terms. If you have a family then your spouse or kids will thank you greatly for this one: time is the best gift we can give our loved ones. Saying no to tasks in your business is a sacrifice but will benefit you in the long-run.  Here are few examples:

• Say no to answering emails/calls after business hours. If you don’t have business hours, then create some and communicate these hours with your customers. 
• Say no to tasks that aren’t beneficial longterm. Good things are often difficult, but if there’s no foreseeable benefit then stop those tasks and move on.
• Say no to projects outside your efficiencies. If you don’t currently offer a requested service/product it’s okay to say no and refer clients to a company that does. 

Take a break

Allowing yourself the freedom to take a break is physically and emotionally beneficial. To avoid a burnout, create healthy habits to manage your time and energy. For me personally, I do not work on Sundays: no phone calls, no emails, no designing, and no coding. This was a personal and spiritual decision to honor the Sabbath in my life. To be honest, it is very tempting for me to peak at my emails on Sundays, but when I honor this boundary I begin to see fruitfulness in my life. I am more energized throughout the week, I am more focused, and more able to take on challenges. Here are some additional suggestions for resting:

• Take time in the middle of the day to rest, pray, meditate, or just be still
• Plan a weekend away from the business with no service, no phone, no computer
• Block off a day of the week that work is off limits

Ask for help

This is a big one. Asking for help is simple but can be difficult for soloprenuers because your business is your baby.  If you’re like me, then trusting others or giving up control is challenging. I will admit I still struggle with this one, but I am learning how wonderful it is to ask and accept help from others. Here are some key ways to reach out:

• Ask for support from friends and family
• Reach out to others in your industry for tips and suggestions
• Delegate by hiring an employee or intern
• Outsource business tasks by hiring a specialist/company

These are the three solutions that have helped me overcome the pressure to “do it all, all the time” but there are many other solutions. What kind of strategies do you use to manage your time and achieve the big picture goals? Share in the comments below. Thank you for joining me on this journey.