What do you do when something happens in your life, and it means you have to stop everything in your business to deal with it?

We live in an uncertain world, and the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic has shown that you don’t know what might be coming around the corner to turn things upside down.

And while your business is a huge part of your life, there are inevitable things that happen with your family and loved ones which, at times, mean they need to come first.

Running a business is challenging during these times. You don’t have the usual time, energy, and resources to keep the plates spinning.

So what can you do? In this podcast episode, I’m sharing some thoughts on how to navigate the day-to-day running of your business and taking care of yourself too.

The last 12 months have been a stop-start time for me.

And I’m talking about some of the lessons I’ve learned along the way in the hope it will be helpful for you if you’re experiencing the same.

Listen in on the player link below, or you can read the key points covered as a blog post.

What is a stop-start period?

It’s a time when events in your life take you from being able to operate your business at your usual capacity.

This could be due to illness, injury, relationships, significant life events, family commitments, supporting friends, or loved ones.

It’s where you need to take a step away from your regular day-to-day activities because something else needs your time and attention.

Why is a stop-start time different when you run your own business?

If you had a regular job and you were ill, experienced the loss of a loved one, or were going through a significant event in your life such as moving house, you’d be given time off.

This would mean you’d still be paid, and most likely someone could step in to cover for you, so you could focus on the situation, take time to adjust, then return to work when you were ready.

As a business owner, unless you have an experienced team, you don’t have that luxury. So what can you do?

Seven strategies to consider during a stop-start period

Accept you can’t do all the things. You’re not going to be able to function at your full capacity, and if you try, you’re going to increase the stress you’re already experiencing and head towards burnout.

Work out how much time you can dedicate to work each day. It may only be a couple of hours. In that time, turn off any distractions and focus on getting what needs to be done completed.

Take the pressure off yourself. This is essential for your mental well-being. Try to keep the tasks in your diary to a minimum. Accept things don’t have to be perfect and give yourself permission to make mistakes.

Prioritise cash-generating activities. What is the easiest way for you to bring money into your business? Look at the activities you can do to bring in revenue quickly rather than things that might take longer. For example, if you have a spare half-hour, follow up inquiries rather than spend the time making a reel for Instagram.

Step away from anything that’s going to make you feel rubbish. You’re going through a tough time, and the last thing you need to be doing is looking at other business owners who don’t have a load of drama in their lives ‘smashing it’, or getting dragged into drama on social media which will swallow up the time you do have.

Accept that things will take longer than they usually do. When you’re going through a challenging time and are feeling emotional, your brain isn’t working at its usual speedy rate. You’re going to be distracted, and you might not be able to complete tasks as quickly as usual.

Be kind to yourself. Capture what you have accomplished rather than beat yourself up over what you’ve not done. Treat yourself with compassion, as you would a friend.

A ten-minute coaching exercise to help during a stop-start time

1. Set a timer for three minutes. Write down the tasks you WANT to do each week. 
2. Set a timer for two minutes. Look at the list and highlight the tasks you HAVE to do each week. 
3. Set a timer for two minutes. Write down the things you DON’T want to do each week. 
4. Set a timer for three minutes. Allocate the tasks highlighted in Step 2 to the day of the week that feels like the best time. 

For example, if you publish a newsletter on a Thursday, one of your Wednesday tasks might be ‘write newsletter and schedule.’

I hope this helps you feel less overwhelmed if you are experiencing a difficult time.

Do remember this will pass, and everything will be there waiting for you when you’re ready to start things up again.

If you’ve found this useful, please do let me know on social media.

You can find me on the following platforms: 

https://www.instagram.com/rachelspenceruk

https://www.facebook.com/rachelspenceruk

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelspenceruk/

For more mindset musings, register for my newsletter which you can sign up to here: 

https://publicityforpetbusinesses.mykajabi.com/Optin

Further reading 

Navigating the rollercoaster of running a business

The power of taking a pause in your pet business content

Why I trained as an accredited coach and what this means for your pet business

How to navigate controversy in your pet business

Buy Emotional Agility by Susan David here on Amazon.

Listen to The Hit Factory playlist on Spotify