Updated: October 8, 2024 by Michael Kahn. Published: October 8, 2024.
Our culture teaches us that working harder is the answer to life’s problems. The more effort we put in on the ground level, the more we’ll get out, or so the story goes.
But when you probe this answer, the more you discover it lacking. While putting in effort will yield some results, it isn’t the whole story. It’s not the full picture. Getting ahead in business doesn’t always mean working twenty-hour days. It also means using leverage.
The main problem with “just working harder” on a business is diminishing returns. Every additional hour you put in produces less output.
There’s also a strong risk of burnout. Excessive work can lead to the opposite of what most business owners want: a desire to relax and take it easy for a few months.
So what can you do instead of just working harder on your business? Well, it turns out you have several options.
Work Smarter
The most obvious piece of advice is to work smarter. Think about building systems instead of focusing on the quality of the work yourself. Trust others to do a good job and focus on putting procedures in place to mitigate their errors.
When working on projects yourself, distinguish between urgent and non-urgent tasks. Don’t always focus on what feels good, but on what needs to be done.
If you find yourself repeating a task, ask if there’s someone who could do it for you. Could you find a person to fill the role?
Automate Tasks
The other approach is to get software and machines to do tasks instead of you. The more you can pass over these responsibilities to machines, the more likely you are to thrive.
The development of marketing automation is one of the most critical breakthroughs of the last decade or so. It’s now possible to put most of this on auto-pilot with CRMs and mail management services.
Educate Yourself
You may also experience a breakthrough by educating yourself more thoroughly in business matters. Every entrepreneur has blind spots, but training can help break through them and encourage you to think in new ways.
Educating yourself can take time and you don’t always know where the breakthrough will come. Eventually, you will collect enough knowledge to make better decisions and focus on your role as a business leader, not someone who’s down in the trenches with everyone else.
Focus On Building Relationships
Focusing on building relationships is another way to drive your business forward. Tapping into collective knowledge can be an excellent way to gain the strength you need to thrive.
If you can find productive relationships with others, you may find doors opening to you. Often, these resources can come as a surprise, but they exist if you know where to look and what to say to people.
Look After Yourself
Finally, it pays to take care of yourself. Looking after your physical well-being improves your life and also allows you to make better use of the time you have during the week.
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Whether she is researching the latest trends in home decor, life-changing destination getaways, or the best way to maintain your finances, Dewey takes pride in leaving no stone unturned. She is passionate about distilling and delivering high-quality information that you can use to upgrade your life.
