The Next Best Step

I believe the hardest thing about running your own business is that question: What do I do today?
Even with a partner or if you have employees, you also have to ask: What is my team doing today? 

This daily question to yourself needs to be addressed before you: check your emails, schedule your IG posts, and send out new proposals and contracts. But, not before you make the kiddos breakfast, because nothing is a bigger interruption than hungry littles.

Once the kids are fed, which of late is two Eggo waffles with butter, whipped cream, and sliced strawberries on the side (bourgeois kids), this is generally my morning routine:

• Make coffee
• Sit at my desk and put my AirPods in. (Yes, I use the noise-cancel feature because I grew up in a quiet house and I am still learning how to focus in the midst of noise.)
• Listen to my fave instrumental playlist on Spotify, Peaceful Piano
• Read my Bible and highlight anything that stands out to me.
• Journal any thoughts I want to record before I completely forget what I remembered. (Did you know that kids steal your brain cells?)

Then, I look at my Weekly Schedule Block to see what tasks I plotted out for today. As a wife, mom, and employee, I leave wiggle room in my schedule for appointments, spills, requests for hot chocolate on a cold rainy day, putting in the laundry because someone ran out of underwear, and the countless random situations that arise. Why? Because my husband and my children are my primary focus in this season of life. I’ve seen the entrepreneurial crazy lady take over before. (In future posts, I’ll share some red flag moments that can help you determine if you need to slow down.)

Within what I’ve plotted on my Weekly Schedule Block, I hone in further. For example, today I plan to work on my bookkeeping clients. I decide where I need to start on their task list and ONLY FOCUS ON THAT. I don’t check email, I don’t check text messages because in this situation, there is no email or text that will be urgent enough to change my focus.

There are moments though that I start to feel overwhelmed. When I feel my brain flitting from this idea to that idea, I pause and tell myself to just pick the next best step. Or I can sing Anna’s song from Frozen 2: The Next Right Thing to distract myself as I decide what is the next right thing.

Interested in seeing what the Weekly Schedule Block looks like? Let me know and I can provide a printable for you to use with your own family and business.