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My Top Three Things I Do To Combat Busy

I was sitting in my friend’s office today and she has this big white board…like huge….and at the top of it reads: “I’m so busy”.

I couldn’t help but just stare at it for a while. Seriously, I am SO busy. I am so busy that I sat there staring at a whiteboard that told me just how busy I was while I did nothing.

I recognized that there is a difference between I am so busy and I am too busy and, my friend, I am teetering right on that line.

So here’s the thing. Too busy puts you into shut down mode.  It makes you curl up in a ball or sit and stare at a computer screen while getting nothing accomplished.

Here’s my warning, I am too busy doesn’t start out in overwhelm.  But it leads to it. And overwhelm leads to a crash. And my friends, I don’t want you to crash.

So let’s talk combatting busy.  I can’t make it go away for you. Oh, I so wish I could. But I can help you to learn how to manage it, prioritize it and work through it.

Step 1: BRAIN DUMP!

I feel like this is such an obvious step but so many people don’t do it.  We get so overwhelmed with all the things that we have to do but they all live in our brain. You have GOT to get them out of your brain my friend. You cannot deal with them in your brain. You also can’t see and celebrate your progress if they are in your brain….

…which leads me to…

Step 2: Celebrate Your Progress!

No matter how busy you are, I want you to reward yourself for work completed.  I don’t mean at the end of the list. I mean give yourself milestones. And these rewards can be throughout your day or on bigger things.

For instance, once I get to this point in my daily to do list I am going to go take a walk.  Once I get to this point I am going to watch an episode of Comedians in Cars with Coffee (yes, my new Netflix binge that just makes me laugh).

But then do big ones for your big projects! Once I get to this point I am going to go get a massage. Once I get to this point, I am going to TAKE A DAY OFF! (I know, that one is hard to imagine.)

When you do these simple little things you will find yourself way more focused and driven to get your work done.  And it’s just so much more motivating and possible to get it done when you reward yourself.

But all of this leads me to one more point I want to make. One more idea I have for you. And this one just might rock your world.

Are you ready for it….here it comes.

Leave your store for 2 days and get your work done.  I know, so many of you just mentally checked out. But come back!  Because seriously, nothing will burn down in two days, your business won’t go under, the world will not end.  

And yes, even if you are one man show and you are running your store on your own….I still give you this exact same advice.

If you could leave your store, and all the distractions that come with it, for two days….you could get so.much.accomplished. It’s like hitting the reset button. It’s invigorating and life-giving! And it gives you so much belief back to yourself because you will be shocked at what you get accomplished in just TWO DAYS.

That’s my challenge.  The one that I leave with you right here, right now.

Now, yes I am offering the ability for you to do just that. I am offering the place where you could come, for 2 days, and provide you with all the tools that you need to make 2019 your most (or first) profitable year ever.

And if you want to learn more about that incredible opportunity, well you can click right here.

But even if it’s not at my Path to Profit, Group Planning Retreat, it’s still my challenge. Go and do.

And then tell me what you did!

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To Facebook, Or Not To Facebook

To Facebook, or not to Facebook. That is the question.

People try to tell me all the time that it’s time to get off Facebook, and to spend my social media dollars and energy somewhere else. And I totally understand where they’re coming from. There are so many up and coming social media areas, and they’re all so important. But this question comes up the most when I am talking with a store owner who only has time or money to invest in ONE place. Well,  guys, call me old school but I still believe that Facebook is where it’s at.

But you know me, I don’t want you just to take my word for it.  So let’s take a look at the data. I found this great graphic of statistics from Bham Digital that just lays it out there for you.

So there you have it, ladies and gentlemen. Literally in black and white. Facebook has the users! This is where you should be spending your time and money!

But okay, go ahead and give me that next objection. Facebook is nothing but moms and grandmas. Alright, alright. I hear you and I have heard it from others too. So let’s do it again. Let’s take a look at the data.

Here’s a helpful little graphic that I got from the Pew Research Center.

So myth officially debunked. 81% of 18-29 year olds are using Facebook and 78% of 30-49 year olds are using it too!

I won’t keep going, you can see the data right in front of you. Are there other social media tools that are important? Absolutely!

But remember, I am a firm believer in being the best. If you spread yourself too thin trying to be on 20 million social media platforms, you will be just okay at all of them.  

There are two schools of thought when it comes to how and when to post on Facebook.  

School One

Post all the time. 3-5 posts a day on Facebook. Flood the feed with as much content as you can. Play the algorithm game by simply recognizing that your posts are only going to be seen by maybe even less than 1% of your followers. So post as much as possible, so that you maximize the number of people that see your posts.

School Two

Be intentional with your posts. Go for the highest level of engagement. If you play the algorithm game, you are telling Facebook that your posts are relevant and important. In turn, Facebook wants to show your posts to as many people as possible.

I am not going to tell you if one is right or wrong. Both strategies are used by some of the best of the best in the digital marketing arena. 

I will tell you that I firmly camp out in school two. I like to work smarter and not harder. The idea of coming up with 90 – 150 posts a month makes me, well, pass out.

So here’s the deal. Remember when I said there is no right or wrong? The most important thing you can do is something. Pick a strategy though. Don’t just throw stuff up. Choose a strategy, create a plan and stick to it.

I know that the words social media can sometimes elicit a panicked feeling and response but I want to make sure that you have the data and information in order to keep moving you forward in your business every day. Go Facebook!