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5 Tips for Improving Your Mindset and Your Business
Ashley Burgess-Payne • April 14, 2020
For anyone who wishes to enhance their mindset in order to improve themselves and their business , I have included below, my top 5 tips to keep you in the right frame of mind – focused and engaged. Ready to achieve!
You may be surprised to know that personal and professional development hasn’t always been ‘my thing!’. In fact, until a few years ago I didn’t know very much about it at all! This may explain why I didn’t feel fulfilled, either personally or professionally and why I was not reaching my full potential.
Prior to my discovery, I like so many others, felt I was putting in all of the effort and hard work without reaping any of the rewards! The daily grind and seventeen plus hour days became the norm, as did a recurring and nagging question, ’Why am I doing this?’ Worryingly I had no sufficient answer! I was unhappy with my job and ultimately unhappy with myself and the way things were going.
The problem was I hadn’t appreciated that in order to be successful I needed to change my mindset. If I wanted to be truly content I had to stop drifting along on a day to day, week to week basis. I needed to think deeper and develop a clearer, longer term plan.
So, with this said, below are my top 5 tips for how to improve your mindset and focus, ensuring you get the most out of what it is you’re doing and more importantly, the very best out of you and your time.
1. Take the time to stop and think
One of the first things I discovered upon embarking on my development was that I needed to take a time-out. Sometimes life can get in the way and we can’t see the forest through the trees. It was essential that I stopped for a moment and really thought about what it was I wanted to do and where I wanted my life and my business career to go.
If you do not have a clear vision for you and your company going forward and you’re not able to concisely explain to someone what it is you do, why you do it and where you and your business will be in ‘x’ amount of time, then it is important that you work on this and put in place a structured plan for achieving your desired outcome.
Without this it will make it increasingly difficult to know ‘how’ you are going to do it and this can lead to a great deal of wasted time and energy on activities that don’t take you closer to your end goal. As such you won’t know whether you are truly utilising your time effectively – Just like when driving to a new destination, or teeing off in golf, it’s always a lot easier and more enjoyable when you know where you’re aiming.
For some, this time may seem like a luxury you cannot afford. However, by doing this and really zeroing in on your ‘why’, you will find a renewed passion and purpose. Also, think about how you can begin to make your calendar work for you, not the other way around. This will not only improve your job satisfaction – as you will feel like you have more time. It will also increase your focused productivity and therefore your peak capacity. Remember, don’t just be busy….be productive.
2. Awareness – Know your strengths and weaknesses
I found this one to be really useful.
By understanding what my strengths, weaknesses and core skills were, as well as any areas of opportunities I had available to me, I was able to see where and how I could effectively use my strengths in order to provide me with the biggest return for my time and investment.
It will also allow you to identify your own Unique Selling Point – once you know what you are effective at, you can develop a plan for utilising these skills and become a Key Person of Influence within your field of business and market yourself as such. This is vitally important.
So, what are your U.S.Ps and how are you going to become a K.P.I?
Again, by doing this you are able to highlight areas of strength and weakness and focus in on how you can better offer you business/service to your consumers. This should instil an increased confidence and a greater feeling of control over what you do and have to offer. Whilst tasks that do not fit your skillset can then be delegated out to the appropriate person with the required skillset in order to achieve peak productivity and performance for you and all involved in your business – work in your areas of strength!
3. Be Intentional & Hold Yourself Accountable – Remember That You Are In Control!
Time is our most valuable commodity and we need to make sure we’re getting the most out of it and this is where time blocking comes in. Look to block out time within your week to work solely on tasks that will bring you the greatest return in progressing you towards your objectives. Sunday evenings can be a good time to look through your calendar for the week. Doing this not only makes you become more aware of the things that are leading you towards your objective and where you need to spend your time. But, perhaps more tellingly, the things that are pulling you away and what you need to avoid or delegate.
The 80:20 principle is extremely important (something I will write about in more detail in the future).
4. Analyse and Evaluate
They say that life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% how you react to it – a ratio that also applies to how we learn from life’s events.
Taking the time to evaluate can ensure that going forward we adapt and make the necessary changes in order to improve. Also, remember, there is no such thing as a wasted or negative experience as long as we take the time gain a valuable insight from it. By encouraging ourselves and also your team to embrace this mindset it creates an environment of creativity, productivity, accountability and greater participation. Make sure you’re not missing the important 90%.
Yes, life can be hectic, but the best analysis comes right after the event, not weeks or months later!
5. Getting a good Inner Circle around you – It’s better than doing it alone!
This will be the most valuable thing you can do! Find a great inner circle of like minded individuals who have the same drive, determination and will to succeed as you do. Sometimes being a business owner can be a lonely place and at times you feel the need to sound ideas off of others, but don’t always have an ear to borrow. Without an inner circle we run the risk of sharing our thoughts and ideas with those who simply don’t understand where it is we are coming from and what we are trying to achieve and this can be detrimental to our progress.
If you choose your inner circle carefully it can also offer you a wider array of ideas, a wealth of knowledge and experience and a vastly different vantage point. All of which will enable you to better plan the growth of yourself and your business. You are effectively work ON your business, not IN it.
The other benefits of an inner circle also include: new connections, ongoing advice and feedback, avoidance of potential potholes (utilising others’ experience and knowledge), plans are analysed, and evaluated. Most importantly, when things seem tough it will provide you with a strong foundation to keep you focused, on track and motivated.
In closing, if implemented effectively, we are able to regain control of ourselves and our time. It refocuses our purpose and prevents thoughts of negativity and self-doubt from creeping in, both of which are drains to our success.
Most importantly, through improving ourselves we are substantially more effective and productive within our business. We are also a lot happier and engaged creating a positive environment for us and our team, all of which assists you in what we are trying to achieve .
Remember…it’s only work if you’d rather be doing something else!
LinkedIn is a key channel for personal branding, so your LinkedIn profile is the launchpad to building a strong professional network. The channel is also the place to be if you wish to continue relationships of key people you meet at zoom networking events allowing you to easily stay in touch after making the effort to attend the meeting. As well as being the touchstone for nurture and lead generation a well optimised LinkedIn profile is on the same level as making a good first impression when you meet in person. How do you optimise your profile? 1. Make sure you have a current and professional head and shoulders photograph of yourself. You are on the platform to do business so ensure you appear to be there for that reason so a picture with your partner, favourite pet or vehicle doesn’t cut it. It should be a current photograph as it could be embarrassing putting a ten-year-old photo on the platform and when you meet a contact in person you look nothing like your photo so it could end up being a little like a bad first date. Be authentic. 2. Also use Canva.com to create a background image as why miss the opportunity to promote your business. If you have staff on LinkedIn create an image for all of them to use as their background as it’s a little like giving them all a company vehicle with no costs attached. 3. Treat your LinkedIn profile as an online resume and ensure you complete every section – a. The about section – I split this into two sections i. My Background ii. What I Do Now iii. Include an email and phone number at the bottom of this section b. Experience – show at least the last two positions c . Education d. Licences and Certifications e. Skills and Endorsements – You can have 50 of these so put in as many as you can for example if you were a bar person you could include customer service. f. Recommendations – request these from people you know 4. Use keywords in your headline – think of the words you would use if you were looking for your goods or services. 5. Join groups which could be a. Within your industry b. Where your target market is c. Services you have an interest in If you require any help or advise we offer training or talk you through the process via zoom. Blog written by Linda Cloke of We Do Social Media Ltd Contact: Linda@wedosocialmedia.co.uk or call 07769943756
According to the Health & Safety Executive, over 11 million workdays are lost each year due to stress at work! The latest Employment Law Bulletin from our sponsors Parfitt Cresswell Solicitors focuses on the topic of stress in the workplace and the actions that employers can take to defend themselves against claims arising from this. In the Employment Law Bulletin expert Philip Luff covers: • What stress is • The duties of an employer • The potential action that an employee can bring against their employer for work related stress, and offers tips on how employers can best protect themselves against workplace stress claims To read the article and find out more about Stress Related Claims in the workplace click here . If you would like legal advice regarding an Employment Law matter take advantage of Parfitt Cresswell Solicitors’ complimentary initial video/telephone consultation with one of their legal experts. Call 0800 999 4437 or email enquiries@parfittcresswell.com today to arrange your free initial consultation.
This article is brought to you by Parfitt Cresswell Solicitors Extension of the Furlough Scheme (CJRS) On Saturday 31st October the Prime Minister announced a further national lockdown in England to address the increasing rate of Covid-19 infections throughout the UK. This lockdown commenced on 5th November and will remain in place until at least 2nd December 2020. Under the previous tiered ‘local’ lockdown arrangements, the Government had announced two Job Support Schemes which were intended to succeed the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (furlough scheme). These schemes were known as the ‘JSS Closed’, aimed at businesses that had been forced to close under the tiered restrictions and the ‘JSS Open’, a scheme for businesses who although affected by Covid-19, were still able to open. These schemes were due to replace the existing furlough scheme when it ended on 31 October 2020, with the Government support significantly reduced when compared with the original CJRS. However, along with the announcement of a national lockdown throughout November, it was also announced that the CJRS would be extended for a further month. A few days after this, the Chancellor announced that this extension of the furlough scheme would now run until the end of March 2021. As such, the JSS is not likely to resurface until at least April 2021 (if at all). How had furlough changed By way of a reminder, the CJRS has been through several changes since its introduction in March 2020, from the Government initially funding 80% of an employee’s salary up to £2,500, with government support reducing in recent months as restrictions eased. In October 2020, the month before the scheme was due to end, the government contributed 60% of unworked hours up to a cap of £2,187.50, with the employer paying the additional 20% along with employer national insurance and pension contributions. How will the extension work? In simple terms, the extension of the Furlough Scheme puts employers back to the same level of government contributions that were available in August 2020, with the Government funding 80% of eligible employees’ salary, but the employer having to contribute both employer national insurance/pension contributions themselves. The current understanding is that the furlough extension will operate largely as it did before, however the following now applies: • The extended scheme will run until 31 March 2021. • The employer or employee are not required to have previously used the CJRS • To be eligible, the employee must have been on the employer’s PAYE payroll by 23.59 on 30 October 2020 and the employer must have made a Real Time Information (RTI) submission for that employee by that date. • The employee can be furloughed either full-time or flexibly (for part of their hours). Employers will need to report and claim for a minimum period of seven consecutive calendar days. • The government will pay 80% of eligible wages for any unworked hours, (up to a cap of £2,500) with the employer paying employer NIC and pension contributions on these unworked hours. Employers will need to pay the employees for any hours worked as per usual. • The employer can choose to top up to 100% if they wish but is not obliged to. • The Job Retention bonus for employers (£1,000 for each employee kept on until the end of January 2021) will no longer be able to be claimed in February as planned, but will possibly be introduced at a later date to help avoid the impact of the furlough scheme ending. • The Government will review the scheme in the New Year, so it is still possible that increased employer contributions could be required prior to the end of March. As with all these announcements, further detail and guidance will follow from the government in due course. If you require further legal assistance regarding the CJRS or and other employment law issue, take advantage of our complimentary initial consultation (available via telephone or video call) today by calling 0800 999 4437 or email enquiries@parfittcresswell.com
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