Are you struggling to get everything done that you want to accomplish? Are you working with limited resources right now? If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your to-dos, it may be time to go back to basics in your business.
Whether we are short on staff, funding, time, or another resource, sometimes it’s impossible to accomplish everything we set out to do. That can feel like a frustrating place to be as a business owner or leader. It doesn’t feel good to admit that we cannot hit all the goals we wanted to or focus on all the different tasks or projects.
But we have a choice to make when we hit this point. We can either try to keep pushing through and burning ourselves out, or we can choose to refocus and go back to the basics.
How to go back to the basics in business
The first thing you want to do is determine what your primary responsibilities and necessities are. You need to get clear on what tasks need to get done in order to sustain your business. This can be easier said than done.
Think about what tasks keep your business running. What needs to happen for you to continue serving your current customers? What needs to happen to sustain where you currently are?
Then, for the time being, you’re going to let the other things go.
You may have anxiety just reading that sentence. But that’s why you start the process by determining the things that must happen to keep the doors open and the business running. For example, filling customer orders is a must, but posting on social media daily might not be. Now, it’s important to note that this is going to vary from business to business. This is why it’s crucial that you determine what the “basics” are for yourself and your company.
Advantages of going back to the basics in your business
It doesn’t feel good to let things go, but the reality is if you don’t have the resources available right now that you need to accomplish them, you’re going to burn yourself out by trying to do it all. Here are some other advantages you may experience:
Improved customer service
If you’ve been trying to do too much for too long, there is a chance your customer service has started to slip. This is something that’s easy to miss when you are busy. But, when you go back to the basics, it allows you to reevaluate how those basics are doing. This may be the perfect time to improve areas that were starting to slip.
Re-evaluate your goals
If you need to temporarily scale back on what you’re trying to accomplish, it likely means it’s time to take a look at your goals with a new perspective. It could be that the goals you set were unrealistic, and scaling them back may help you grow in the long run.
Discover what’s unnecessary
It’s easy to get in the habit of doing things a certain way because that’s the way it’s always been done, even if it’s not necessary or the best way to do it. When you go back to the basics, you may be surprised to see that there are some things you don’t need to do that you thought you did. If you pull back and let some things go for a while, you may discover you don’t need to do them at all.
Find new opportunities
Pulling back can also free up the space you need to look for new and different opportunities. When you stop doing all the busy work, you may find that you’ve been so busy you’ve missed new opportunities to grow. Then, when you have more of the resources you need, you’ll be able to scale in a new way in the future.
If you are feeling overwhelmed and burnt out, take a few moments to analyze what areas you can pull back in today. If you are interested in learning new ways to overcome the obstacles in your business, contact us today to explore your options.
