Bird's Eye View
Today I really wanted to take a look at why taking a step back and having that bird's eye view of your business is really important.
What we've talked about in the past is about time management and some of the resources that we can use such as software. Most of us have service-based businesses, and I would guess that most reading this is a working parent or you have a family and other hobbies or interests. You're not just focused 100% on your business. And no one should be- no matter what type of life you have created: kids/no kids, married/not married. Whatever it is, your business should not be 100% of your time.
Here's why:
You're going to experience burnout
You will not thrive
In your life, if you do not have some other pieces of joy and other things to do in your life you can really easily have tunnel vision 24/7.
Really tight tunnel vision is the focus to get something done. But have you ever been so focused and just looking down - you're working working working?
When you're in that mode you ignore things-important things- like mental, emotional, and physical health. You bypass family issues, personal issues, neighbor issues. And when you lift your head up to look around, there might be small fires or an inferno blazing around you. 🔥 What I'm saying now- being on the other side of it- I've been there several times and it comes and goes in waves, for my business.
When you take a step back, you can see what's working and what's not working. That's the bigger question...what's not working? What resources, information, help, do you need to move forward? Because it's not just about setting a goal for your income and it's not just about setting parameters for your time. It's really seeing how everything is working together.
Here at my house, we have a big open floor plan. So, technically, half of the room that my office is in is the playroom. And then it leads to the eat-in kitchen. We have some great windows (my desk is right by the windows that look into the backyard, which is wonderful.
Picture this, in the backyard, is a sturdy fence along a tree line and the power lines are parallel to the fence. The best thing about the view is the trees lining the back and we have lots of birds like cardinals, blue jays, and robins. But on the power lines, we always, no matter what time of the year or what no matter what time of the day, we will always have mourning doves sitting up there. Of course, at night, they are cooling which is a really pretty sound.
What I always think about when I'm thinking about a bird's eye view are those birds, those doves that are sitting up there on the line behind my house. What can they see? What's around them and their view? Think of a place near you where there are birds. Think about your business from that perspective and what everything looks like.
🐦 Where's that perch that you can take and think about what's going on?
🐦 How are you doing mentally, how is your team doing?
🐦 What's been working what new things have you implemented that's working or not working?
🐦 What are some changes that you need to make?
Because when you get into that tunnel vision and that that head down approach- which sometimes has to happen for a big project- you have something personal happen. You have to focus on just that. Then you can become derailed.
I wanted you to picture the doves but I also wanted to share with you that sometimes I have been just so focused on the next thing or the day to day, current tasks. So many things slide by, but also, there goes the day just gets away from me, working so hard and focusing so much on work and business.
As an entrepreneur, it's hard to separate personal and professional. Sometimes it's a good thing that you don't because there are so many opportunities that can thrive. But when you're so focused on it you tend to forget about your self-care, you tend to forget about some other really important things that you should be focused on.
Make today a bright moment!