The Veteran VA

Here are 5 more of my top tips to cracking self-discipline.

1. Watch Out for Downtime Anxiety
The sad fact about entrepreneurs is that the more we do, the more we feel compelled to do. We start to feel anxious or guilty if we find ourselves with downtime … so we fill it in.

Stop. That’s just another way of punishing yourself for success.

2. Procrastinator is an Indicator, Not a Sin

If you find yourself always procrastinating before starting a specific task or activity, treat it as a friend. Don’t beat yourself up with a bunch of ‘should’ self-reproaches. Procrastination is a clue that something isn’t working for you. Either it needs to be dropped, delegated, automated or outsourced, or you are feeling intimidated and need to give yourself a pep talk and Just Do It.

In either case, take the time to identify what’s causing you to procrastinate, and you’ll be able to apply the right solution without shame or blame … or further...

If you have finally come to the place of admitting you have problems with self-discipline and you’re determined to finally overcome this, celebrate this step. It’s a clear indicator that you have reached a significant milestone.

Here are 5 ways to help you boost your daily productivity and achieve your daily goals.

1. Avoid the Perfectionist Trap

You finally finish that project, but when you start proofing it or testing it, you think of one more way it can be improved. Then you think of another. Then you research another. Before you know it, you’ve practically rewritten or redesigned the beast and you’re scrambling to meet deadlines (your own, or client-driven ones.)

Learn step back and say “STOP! This is done” by deciding in advance to do so. (It’s easier than you think.)

2. Don’t Punish Yourself for Success

If you finish a project early, resist the urge to immediately fill it with another one. That’s like punishing...

Over the last four weeks, I have given you some tips about how to recognize and heal from business burnout.

It is a huge topic but I hope the ideas I have given you have helped in some way.

This week I am going to share with you my ‘How To Recognize And Heal From Business Burnout’ checklist.

The checklist brings together all the areas we discussed on this subject which I hope will help you now or in the future.

Next time I will be covering daily self-discipline for entrepreneurs.

Download my ‘How To Recognize And Heal From Business Burnout’ checklist.

Burnout happens for a reason. It can be your friend, if you don’t ignore it. People who have dealt with stress and burnout have stopped wasting time in jobs or relationships that made them unhappy.

Burnout can be a signal that it’s time … to take charge now and create the stress-free, happy life—and business—you’ve always wanted.

Here are my last 7 tips about how to recognise and heal from business burnout.

1. Get To-Dos Out of Your Head
Use easy To-Do apps like Asana. 

2. Focus on Your Goal
When you complete a task, or finish a morning or stop for a break, check in with yourself. Ask yourself how much closer you are to finishing your goal.

Give yourself positive self-talk every time you take even one step closer.

3. Change Your Desk Photographs Regularly
Put photographs of people, places or pets on your desk—ones that remind you how lucky you are, or that you’re loved; or that remind you of a goal or dream.

Rotate them...

I used to think writing a journal was a complete and utter waste of time.

Then I did it for a year.

One day early on in the following year when I was feeling a bit low and telling myself I had not achieved very much over the last twelve months, I picked up my journal and started dipping into it over the months.

Do you know what I found?

I found that I had actually achieved a lot. Personally and professionally.

It brought back memories of when I ran off the edge of a cliff and loved every minute of it (I was attached to a parachute at the time! I booked a tandem paragliding session and went for it. I don’t like heights but I did it anyway).

The cliff was 3000 metres up and I can remember feeling a sense of freedom like I have never felt before when we were soaring over the land below.

That memory made me smile and brought everything back into perspective.

Check out my Facebook page for that memory.

In my journal, I also learned to write down on a daily basis what I was grateful...

1. Take Adequate Time Off

Ask your body, “How many breaks in a day do you need? How many vacations per year? How long should each vacation be?”

Entrepreneurs tend to skimp, even when they do take breaks or vacations. Decide what works better for you—a long three-week vacation, or three separate weeks off, spaced out at intervals? Two half-hour breaks or four 15-minute ones?

Resist the urge to skimp. Build breaks and down time into every day.

2. Don’t Over-Commit

Don’t promise to have something done if you know you’re going to have to stay up all night for a week to finish it. First decide how long, realistically, any project should take: Then add at least an extra day on it (more if it’s a big project; even more if you have other team members involved). 

And don’t take on anything that cuts into your non-negotiable self-care time. Look for alternative solutions to suggest, or spread the work out over your team.

The same goes for...

Dealing with business burnout involves facing hidden habits we may not even be aware we have … and getting to the cause of them. Here are some tips to get you started.

1. Stop the Hurry Before You Start

Many entrepreneurs rush into the day’s business activities without pausing for breath. This doesn’t just mean eating a healthy breakfast and meditating. It also applies when you sit down at your desk and begin to work.

Take the first 15-30 minutes to plan your day. Clean up your desktop, close unnecessary browser tabs, if you have left them open. Check your To-Do list.  Determine your priorities. Turn on any productivity apps you are using… then go.

2. Remove Clutter and Distractions

Clutter can be confusing and distracting. Clean off your desk; either at night or first thing before you start work (whichever feels better to you).

Donate or toss any item on your desktop and in your home office that doesn’t give you pleasure or inspiration, or...

Over the last three weeks we have covered twenty-one ways to identify and deal with toxic clients.

That’s a whole lot of valuable information.

Doing something about toxic clients can be the difference in remaining frazzled to the core and wanting to stay in bed every day, or jumping out of bed enjoying your business.

Ensuring that you and your business have tools in place to deal with toxic clients will save you from a huge amount of wasted time, money and extreme frustration.

I know, I’ve been there.

It doesn’t matter if you have been in business for twenty days or twenty years.

If you don’t have toxic clients, you will now know how to identify them.

If you do have toxic clients, the tips I have given over the last three weeks should enable you to do something about them now.

As promised last week, I want to share with you my ‘7 Steps To Deal With Toxic Clients’ worksheet.

Use this worksheet to identify toxic clients and decide on and organise...

It all boils down to maintaining your own self-respect and joy. Investing time in learning the most effective ways to deal with – or downright avoid – toxic clients is always time well spent.

 Here are seven more ways to deal with toxic clients.

 1. Just Say ‘No’

Sometimes even the best clients will put us on the spot. The natural instinct is to be obliging. But stop to think: In addition to putting yourself out if you agree to their request, will it affect other people? Will it affect your income? (Example: A client wants to go on hiatus but wants you to “hold” her spot for six months.)

If it’s not viable, say so, clearly and up-front. 

2. Beware of Clients Who Tell You They Are ‘Easy to Work With’

Most clients wouldn’t even think of this. If you get a prospective client on a discovery call who volunteers that information, make sure she qualifies it. WHY is she easy to work with? (The only acceptable answer...

Last week we covered a few ‘tough love’ ways to deal with toxic clients. Here are a few more to help you be aware of what to look out for.

1. When You Terminate or Graduate a Client, Suggest What to Do Next
A huge part of the anger or hurt that can come from a client who has been terminated is the feeling they’ve been ‘dumped’.

If you offer next steps they can take, what you’ve actually done is turn it from a dumping to a graduation—much easier on a client’s pride (and in some cases, emotions). Do it right, and they’ll leave you with a sense of hope.

2. Hold on to Your Joy
Don’t let negative nellies suck the joy out of your day. If you’ve had a particularly draining client you’ve had to deal with, take fifteen minutes to recharge.

Think of the things you are grateful for, things that make your life worthwhile. Think of what or who brightens your days. Be thankful and repeat your favourite affirmations.

Last but...