Edition 505 – Life Distractions

Business performance can ebb and flow for many reasons. A product takes off, and you find you’ve established a market for something new. So, think Kombucha, that weird tasting drink, that seems to have its own following.

Or, perhaps, it’s not something new, but the way you go about it, is new. Like those Frank Green reusable coffee cups you see everywhere, these days.

Similarly, right now, might be your time – the right time, for whatever you have to offer the world, in that you’re ready to deliver it, and there are customers out there ready to receive it. Like the Dyson, rechargeable vacuum cleaner – sleek design and no cord to drag around the house.

However prepared you are in business, or the strength of your strategic plan, there’s one thing that can slow down progress, and occasionally, throw you completely off course. Yet, it has nothing to do with your business, and to some extent, is within your control.

It’s what’s happening in your non-business life, your personal life. If it’s out of balance, or things just aren’t right in life, then it impacts every area of life. And, the business consequences can be immense.

If the relationship with the key person in your life right now isn’t right, it will always and ever, impact your business. If you’re not happy at home, it reframes your mind about a whole suite of issues, including what you’re doing in business, and thus in life. If you think you can totally devote your time to your business, and switch off what’s happening at home, you’re very much misguided. That’s simply avoidance, and invariably, you’re not dealing with either side of life, particularly well.

If you have ageing parents, it’s not merely the time you need to set aside to deal with medical appointments, in home care or potentially, looking for a care facility. It’s about the stuff that’s in your head, the whole time you’re at work, in your business, dealing with what you have to do, everyday. It slows you down, as you oscillate between guilt for not spending more time with them, and guilt for not being more present inside the business.

Or, it might be children, who are struggling for various reasons. Some are bullied at school, and there’s an ongoing heightened level of emotion in your dealing with it, both as a parent, and as a respectable human being. Perhaps it’s an adult child, that can’t seem to focus on what their next step in life needs to be. So, they’re drifting. Not necessarily making bad life choices. But just wandering aimlessly in life, when you yourself, have always had a sense of purpose, around each day in life.

All of this – all of it – will impact your business! If it’s not in your face everyday, it’s in your head. It slows you down. It’s like trying to wade through waist deep mud, every single day. You will never perform at your best, inside your business, if these other parts of your life are out of balance.

I’ve worked around numbers seemingly forever. When I look at the financials of a small or family business, and I see a blip, that turns into a trend, I ask quite blunt questions about what happened at that time? What events took place, six to twelve months beforehand, in your life, that took up your time, or your mental capacity? I’d say at least two-thirds of those business owners will disclose it’s something in their personal life. Or their health.

If you’re out of balance, in your personal life, your business will ultimately show the impact of that. Maybe not now. Maybe not tomorrow. However, certainly over time, it’s noticeable. It’s whether you choose to do something about it, and then how you choose to go about doing it, that will impact all aspects of your life.

This Week’s Tip

“You can never do it all on your own. It’s times like these, when you need to reach out for help, even if that isn’t your default setting.”