3 Tips to Stop Avoiding It (Whatever "It" is...

Which task do you avoid at all costs?  Even if you know it will grow into a bigger problem?Each time I meet with a new small business owner, I am reminded how easily we tend to focus on the big picture while the details in the day to day business go by unnoticed.  What gets attention, gets taken care of and what gets put off grows into unmanageable burdens.  Of course, no one does this intentionally.  There are many reasons why we do; for some it is the fear factor, for others it is boring, for some they are too overwhelmed by all of their responsibilities  and some just don't know how to take care of certain things.  In any of these situations, time only compounds the issue at hand which creates stress, dread and often avoidance.What can we do?  For one choose one task each day that fits in this category of neglect and just start it.  Tell yourself you only have to spend five minutes on it and set the timer.  Most times, that is all you need to get it done and you wonder why it took you so long to get started.  Or in that five minutes you may realize that it is something that you just cannot figure out.  In that case, call in an expert to help you figure it out.  Yes, it may cost you money you don't have, but it will cost you more if you put the call off for many more months or if it becomes the reason your business fails.  Third, as you go through the week notice which tasks you enjoy and which you do not for whatever reason.  if you are all alone, figure out a way to make them easier to handle.  Do you save bill paying for after hours, when you can turn on relaxing music and focus uninterrupted by the phone.  If you there is someone else you can divide up responsibilities with, allow yourselves to choose the tasks you enjoy and split up equally those that are more of a chore.At the end of the day it doesn't do us any good to avoid the parts of our job that we do not enjoy.  It can actually be our downfall when we allow the avoidance to get in the way of good business practices.  Stop avoiding them now, before they become really unmanageable.

Kathy Leckey is the owner and consultant for Saranac Small Business Consulting.  Call today for a free consultation.