Yesterday afternoon I was in the midst of serious overwhelm. Too many open projects, too many commitments, and not enough energy to focus. With a clear calendar for today, I expected a super-productive day. Then right before breakfast it hit – I got grumpy. Really grumpy.
Have you ever been in a funk? The kind you can’t get out of, but don’t know why you’re in to begin with? That’s the kind of funk I was in. I couldn’t figure it out, but it had hit with a vengeance.
The reality was that I was still overwhelmed.
Running a business isn’t easy. It takes enormous amounts of our time, energy, and focus. Some days hum along smoothly, and some days feel like we’re never going to dig out of the hole. If you’re running a business of any size, I’m sure you can relate.
What’s the answer? Well, it’s different for everyone, but the bottom line is that we need to pay attention to our signals, and to take care of ourselves. When things get too much, it helps to outsource. We simply can’t do it all ourselves. You may have employees, but many small business owners don’t. For those of us who don’t, there comes a time when we need to bring in some help, even just every now and then.
Reasons to outsource:
- Gives you help for your small business
- Allows you to free up time that could be better spent doing something else
- Lets you delegate things that you don’t particularly enjoy doing, or that aren’t in alignment with your strengths
- Allows you to focus on growing your business – planning, strategizing, etc.
- Helps you focus on the things you enjoy and are really good at
- Gives you more time for relaxing and balance – more peace of mind.
Keep in mind that these don’t necessarily need to be business tasks. I outsource housecleaning on a monthly basis, and I outsource my tax preparation at the end of the year. Those are two things that I really dread doing and take up too much of my time. For me, taxes are a no-brainer. Cleaning? Not so much. It took me a long time to make that jump – but boy, am I glad I did! Some people outsource their grocery shopping or yard work and use that time to work on their business. It’s a matter of preference.
So what was my feeling of overwhelm today telling me? That I need to outsource a bit more so I can get more done. Maybe it’s my bookkeeping, maybe it’s an occasional copywriting project, or maybe it’s something I haven’t even realized yet. I’ll figure it out once I start listening to myself better.
Are you feeling even the slightest bit overwhelmed? If not, good for you! If you are, take time to listen to yourself today, then act on what you discover.
P.S. If promoting your business online is what leaves YOU feeling overwhelmed, I can help with that. 
