How to reduce decision fatigue for online business owners

How to reduce decision fatigue for online business owners

by | Online Business

All those tiny decisions that you’re making every day add up to cause decision fatigue. If you can relate to this business owner, here is how you win the daily battle to reduce decision fatigue.

Its lot

As a small business owner, one thing is undoubtedly true: making many decisions throughout the day. Am I right when I say lots of decisions?

The funny thing is you may not even notice that it at the beginning of your day, but one thing is sure, you're constantly making decisions.

How do you reduce decision fatigue?

What I want you to do is take a step back when a decision pops up.

Ask this simple question. Do I have to make this decision right now? What I mean, if you were to put off the decision until tomorrow, what would happen? If it would cause you a tremendous amount of extra stress and work. Go ahead and make the decision.

Now, this is important; if nothing significant is affected by putting off the decision until tomorrow, wait until tomorrow. Okay, easy, right? Maybe, maybe not.

The solution is simple if the answer is it can wait until tomorrow, put it on your decision log, or your decision parking lot, whatever you would like to call it.

Along with a due date

But wait, there’s more along with adding the decision to the log, also put a due date.

Let me break this down for you. This date should NOT be the nice to have due date but the absolute deadline, the hard deadline when things will start to explode in your online business due date.

Decision Blocking

You must be wondering why do we do this? 

When you capture all the decisions on a log, it gets all those decisions in one spot. 

This is the magic part, you can go through and make all the decisions at one time. 

You guessed it’s time blocking for decision-making. This is the key to reduce decision fatigue. 

Now, this is important your decision log may be electronic, on paper, in your planner, or a decision block on your calendar with all the decisions you need to make that day. 

Here’s the bottom line, it must fit into your work style for the decision log to be effective. 

Trigger Your Decision Log

If you’re anything like me, you’ll need a trigger to remind you of this new process. Here’s how you solve this put a little post-it note reminder on your computer monitor.

On the post-it write the specific question, Does this decision need to be made right now? 

The post-it and question become a trigger to your brain until the new process becomes a habit and you love your decision log. This simple process will reduce decision fatigue. 

Win The Daily Decision-Making Battle  

When you get into the habit of asking yourself, does this decision need to be made right now? 

When you put those decisions on your log and time block your decision for when your brain is freshest, that is when you win the daily decision-making battle and reduce decision fatigue.  

With a process for handling decisions as they pop up throughout the day, it allows space for creativity in your business. 

Is that something you’d like for your business? 

I hope that this was beneficial. I appreciate you and I hope you have a wonderful day

​

l

Little Side Note

Ready to go down a rabbit hole regarding Decision Fatigue? Let me help you, here is an article by James Clear How Willpower Works: How to Avoid Bad Decisions – You're Welcome (; 

✁ Just a Snippet

Here is just a snippet of the important points you know for the skimmer in you. 🤪

  • As a small business owner, one thing is certainly true, you are making a lot of decisions throughout the day.
  • Reduce decision fatigue by asking this one simple question. Do I have to make this decision right now?
  • The solution is simple if the answer is it can wait until tomorrow, put it on your decision log.
  • Assign a due date to the decision.
  • Start decision blocking to reduce decision fatigue, it's time blocking for your decision-making.
  • Trigger this new habit with a post-it note on your computer monitor.
  • When you put those decisions on your log and time block your decision for when your brain is freshest, that is when you win the daily decision-making battle and reduce decision fatigue.
Does even a simple decision feel hard? Hello Decision Fatigue.
 

Four Questions When You’re Too Busy As An Online Business Owner

Four Questions When You’re Too Busy As An Online Business Owner

by | Planning-Organization-Productivity

I get it. Being ‘too busy' does not serve yourself, your family, or your clients. This constant state of hustle may even be getting in the way of you growing our online business. Say what!

Friend, I've got good news, you can totally fix busy. Pause this video, grab your to-do list, maybe a cup of coffee and let's work through your task list together.

​

The first question: Does this really need to be done?

If the answer is Yes – you need to figure out when? Now or Later? 

Our to-do list can very easily become a want-to-do list.

We fill it with all our brilliant ideas, things we are thinking about, but haven't made a decision on. 

Those are not actually tasks that need to be done. That’s great news for Online Business Owners! 

Those don’t need to be done at all – they are ideas, maybes, or “wouldn’t it be nice ifs”. 

They are things you’re thinking about, but that you haven’t actually made a firm decision on yet. Ideas are not to-dos – create a separate list for your ideas and get those things off your to-do list!

Four Questions When You’re Too Busy As An Online Business Owner

​Take Action Now: 

Look at your list mark any task that is an idea add it to your Someday/Maybes or Ideas list and get it off the to-do list. You can highlight it a different color or draw a little icon next to the task. Once you have marked these move them from your task list to your Someday/Maybes or Idea List We have it captures and we know where to go to look for it. 

Looking at the list again what tasks are actually more of a decision? Add that to your decision log or Decision Parking Lot. 

If you don't have a decision log, create one today. Schedule time in your calendar daily to go through the decision log when your mind is fresh – not at the end of the day when you're in decision fatigue. Here is a blog regarding Decision Fatigue. 

Don’t need to be done NOW

Don’t need to be done NOW – if you aren’t strategic about planning ahead, then as a default everything on your to-do list feels like it needs to be done NOW. 

Take Action Now: 

Work through each item and ask yourself – when does this really need to be done? Could it be put off until next week? Maybe even next month or next quarter? Take your list and put realistic due dates beside each item. 

(As an OBM I always start by creating a plan for my clients, so that we can be clear on realistic timelines and not feel like it all needs to be done ‘now!’)

After answering this question, you should be left with a list of things that are due in the next week or so – and a list of things that aren’t due yet (or are ideas and are no longer on the list!)

Question Two is “Do I need to be the one to do this?”

If you are like most business owners I know, as a default you feel like you must do everything. You are good at what you do. You are used to being the one to get it all done, but now things are starting to fall behind and slip through the cracks.

Run through your list again and ask yourself – could someone else do this for me? 

Be aware of the following when you answer:

“Well yes, someone else could do this for me but I’m the only one here so I have to”

 If you don’t have anyone working with you right now this could be true, and you also have the power to change that. Growth dictates that you will need to hire help at some point – when you do it is up to you.

“But no one can do it as well as me – so I have to be the one to do it” 

 You may be surprised to hear this but that is just a story you’re telling yourself because you’re about to up-level and that will push you outside your comfort zone. 

Holding on to the belief that no one can do it as well as you is a dangerous spot to get stuck in because as long as you believe it to be true, it is… and it could be your biggest barrier to growth.

When I find myself saying this, I step back and say “That’s not true.” I begin to list reasons why it’s not true to get myself out of the story.

When you hear yourself say “no one can do it as well as me” 

Simply respond “That's not true, I can easily train another person to be as good as me or find someone who does it already and bring them on board.” 

(As an OBM I work with my clients to ‘download’ everything from their brain into documented processes so that we can confidently start delegating.)*

The goal is simple, get things off your plate that others can do. If you do not have a team yet, get creative and figure out a plan for how you can get support.

This second question can be a doozy as it brings up all kinds of stuff – it might make your inner control freak have a bit of a fit. Trust me when I say, getting things off your task list so you can focus on the things that ONLY you can do is the light at the end of the busy tunnel.

If you go through your list and still have your name beside every task, let’s talk. An outside eye can often see what you can’t. Have you ever heard you can’t read the label from inside the bottle? 

Question Three: How can I create more space?

At this point, you should have a realistic list of what needs to be done in the next week or so. Now you want to ensure you have space and time to get it done. Here are two of my favorite tips:

Plan ahead –book the time in your schedule to get stuff done. You might book specific tasks, or you block schedule time on your calendar for like tasks such as writing time, client time. Really we want the tasks on your calendar to be things that ONLY you can do.

Set boundaries – distraction is the death of productivity. Be it team, clients, family, or social media – every time you get distracted it takes you off track, and for many people, it happens all day long! Close your door. Shut your inbox. Turn off your notifications. Let people know when you aren’t available and when you are. And get really good at saying no (because they will test your boundaries!) 

Amy Porterfield calls this her Tiger Time. Listen to Amy talk about Tiger Time on her Online Marketing Made Easy Podcast. 

Question Four: Do I need to renegotiate any deadlines?

If you are genuinely in over your head and can’t get everything done, then you need to revise your deadlines with clients, team members, or whoever may be waiting on you. 

I get that this sucks, and you may hate having to do it, but it’s better to own up to something ahead of time vs. having people get upset with you because they are waiting/asking.

To simply say to someone, “Hey, I got in over my head here, and that’s on me. I won’t be able to get X to you until next Monday and wanted to let you know.” Yes, you might need to make concessions for being late if this affects their timelines.

Even if they are frustrated, people will respect you for stepping up and being real with what is going on – and quite often, they are OK with adjusted timelines if they know ahead of time.

The beauty of these four questions is that you can use them over and again. Work through this process every time you find yourself too busy, and ideally, you won’t need to anymore over time.

If you're in the too busy tunnel and having trouble getting out – let’s talk. It's time for you to see the light at the end of the busy tunnel. As an OBM, this is one of my specialty areas, and I’d be happy to hop on a call with you to identify five things that could come off your plate immediately.

​

l

Little Side Note

Here is a link to a Podcast Getting Things Done; David Allen explains the Someday/Maybe List on this episode. 

✁ Just a Snippet 

Here is just a snippet of the important points you know for the skimmer in you. 🤪

  • Being ‘too busy' does not serve yourself, your family, or your clients.
  • We fill it with all our brilliant ideas, things we are thinking about but haven't made a decision on. Those are not actually tasks that need to be done. 
  • Mark any task that is an idea, and we are going to add it to our Someday/Maybes or Ideas list and get it off the to-do list.
  • Create a decision log or decision parking lot.
  • You are holding on to the belief that no one can do it as well as you is a dangerous spot to get stuck in.
  • The goal is simple, get things off your plate that others can do.
  • Book the time in your schedule to get stuff done.
  • Distraction is the death of productivity.
  • You may need to revise your deadlines with clients, team members, or whoever may be waiting on you. 
 

Be Picky About Your Clients and Who You Work With

Be Picky About Your Clients and Who You Work With

by | Online Business

Do you say yes to every client that wants to work with you? Not only will this cause you to be overwhelmed but also it will burn you out, the simple solution is being picky about your clients.

Yes, you should be picky about clients

When you say yes to a client that isn’t a good fit, you may have to say no to your dream client.
Now, I know what you are thinking, I need clients.
But there’s a catch, you have only so much available space in your online service-based or coaching business.
What most people don’t realize we need to keep our yeses for the right people.
Those right people will refer us, to other right people that light us up.

You Can Only Service So Many Customers

But here's the thing if you do not figure out WHO you want to work with.

Who are you trying to help, you'll get stuck wanting to help everybody.

You can only service so many people when you’re just one person in your business.

Guess what happens, it leaves you drained, feeling overwhelmed, and wondering why the heck starting a business showed like a good idea.

Being Picky About Clients Reduces Your Stress

The problem is working with the wrong clients will stress you out.

You’ll never truly make them happy if you both are not on the same page.

No matter how many hoops your jump through for them.

What do you do if they ask for a refund or never pay the invoice on work that has been done?

I speak from experience, it sucks not getting paid for all the hard work you put into a client.

Worst yet, if your gut was screaming no and you still said yes.

Be Picky About Your Clients

Be Selective

I know I'm not the only one that preaches this, stick with me here, because you want to be able to invest in people.

Be selective, you want to work with clients that understand your worth.

When I realized who I wanted to work with it caused me to love running my business.

And the best part is when you appreciate your clients, they appreciate you right back, and that’s the best energy to live in.

Here's the bottom line when you're not in alignment with your customers it drains you.

Agree with me or disagree with me from my experience I’ve found the penny pinchers suck your energy and are NEVER happy no matter all your efforts.

You can look at it like this too

Don't be selfish because you need a client, let them go find an online service provider or coach that is a better match for their needs and expectations.

If they aren’t your dream client, let them go find a service provider that be over the moon excited to work with them.

 

Be Picky, your clients should be a great fit for you

I promise God will test you, right before your ready to breakthrough, he will send you a test to challenge if you are truly ready to breakthrough or if you'll choose to stay low.

l

Little Side Note

When we take on every client we may need to do some inner work. Here is a post about imposter syndrome that could be beneficial.

Imposter Syndrome, that feeling of who am I to...

✁ Just a Snippet

Here is just a snippet of the important points, you know for the skimmer in you. 🤪

  • You need to be picky with who you work with as an online service-based or coaching business.
  • But here's the thing if you do not figure out WHO you want to work with. Who are you trying to help, you'll get stuck wanting to help everybody.
  • If you’re not picky about your client, guess what happens, it leaves you drained.
  • I know I'm not the only one that preaches this, stick with me here, because you want to be able to invest in people. You want to work with clients that understand your worth.
  • Working with your dream clients caused you to love running my business.
  • And the best part is when you appreciate your customers, they appreciate you right back, and that’s the energy to live in.
  • Here's the bottom line when you're not in alignment with your customers it drains you. Agree with me or disagree with me from my experience I’ve found the penny pinchers suck your energy and are NEVER happy no matter all your efforts.
  • I promise God will test you, right before your ready to breakthrough, he will send you a test to challenge if you are truly ready to breakthrough or if you'll choose to stay low.
  • If you're saying yes to clients that aren't a good match for you, you're saying no to your dream client. Because you low energy will not be attracting them.
  • We need to keep our yeses for the right people. Those right people will refer us, to other right people that light us up.
  • If you need to gain clarity on who you should be working with, join the waitlist for the clarity muse membership. It's a community of service providers getting clear on who they serve, what they offer, and who they are as a business owner.