I have this recurring dream from university days. I’m due to sit my finals but I haven’t been to any of the classes. Somehow I’ve missed a whole year and I’m going to have to wing it.

In my dream, I spend ages looking for my notes and my books and I never find them. The dream always ends as I walk into the exam hall.

(There is a little bit of truth in this. I only went to two Linguistics classes over a whole year and had to stay up all night to pull off a pass.)

But the reason I’m telling you about this, is that I always get this dream when I’m under pressure and am starting to feel overwhelmed.

And I when I start to feel overwhelmed, I tend to just say “screw it” and shelve whatever I’m working on, BUT I still kid myself that somehow, it will still all work out in the end, even if I don’t put in the effort.

SPOILER ALERT – IT DOESN’T ALL WORK OUT IN THE END

What happens is that I waste the time I have now, but the work still needs to be done at a later date when I’ve got other things planned in that can’t be put aside.

Basically, I end up in a high pressure situation with non-moveable deadlines and double the stress. And I bitterly regret not persevering when the going was only a little tough instead of insanely tough.

Confession. Earlier last year during lockdown, there were some weeks in my business that felt overwhelming. During that period, I had my share of “screw it” moments. Am I going to persevere?

Yes of course – because I want to really nail each quarter of the year instead of saying ‘if only’ at the end of the year. 

Over the last few years, I’ve gone out of my way to make sure that not only is my business resilient but that I am too, meaning I’m able to persevere and keep on moving forward even when there are tough decisions to be made. 

I’d like to share with you the three techniques I use to futureproof my business.

TAKE SMALL STEPS TO MAKE GIANT LEAPS

This sounds like a cliché, but it’s easy to overlook how quickly micro actions can move you towards a bigger goal, particularly when you’re not sure how your future as a business owner is going to pan out.

When you’re faced with an overwhelming situation (global pandemic, anyone?) it’s perfectly understandable if you feel like you want to crawl back under the duvet and hibernate until the situation resolves itself. 

You might not be in the mood for long-term goal planning when everything is up in the air, but you CAN take back some control by focusing on smaller projects, broken down into micro tasks. 

Top tip: begin with the end in mind. (Yes, that’s a reference to The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – a classic.) Visualise how you will feel one month from now, with this project complete. 

Choose a project that interests you and which you know will move your business forward, without being time critical or overwhelming. 

Always wanted to set up an email opt-in? Write some cornerstone blog posts? Those projects are just about the right size to help you jumpstart your business after a break. 

1. Firstly, break your project down into milestones and then break those milestones down into as many small tasks as possible. Be realistic about how long tasks really take.
2. Now block out up to an hour per day and allocate 2-3 small tasks to that time. Most people tend to start with big plans and unrealistic schedules. For example, allocating a half day to ‘sorting out your website’ tends not to work. When a task is too big or not well enough defined, overwhelm kicks in.
3. Protect that time on your calendar and really commit to using it properly.

BUDDY UP

I know that having some accountability is the one thing that really keeps me on track and making progress. I’ve had coaches, been part of mastermind groups and taken expensive courses, but the single thing that motivates me is having to report on my progress to a few close friends every week.

I’m part of a little circle of business mates who really look out for each other. Sometimes just messaging with others during a tough week is all that’s needed, but jumping on regular Zoom calls to chat through ideas and problems really helps me stay focused and have a clear head. 

Most business owners are too close to their own business to be objective about strategy and potential pitfalls or missed opportunities. 

If you’re looking for a buddy, your local circle of creative business-owner friends is a great place to start. In particular, look for others who are at a similar stage and who have skills to swap. In my membership, members regularly buddy up and even meet up to work together on their marketing. I’ve seen the difference it makes to have that extra level of support and accountability.

You are all at different stages in your journey to grow your business. Some of you will have found your groove and be acting on all of the new information we are learning in this group.

DON’T HIDE FROM THE NUMBERS

Times have been tough for many this year and when you’re relying on grants just to survive, business forecasting may well be the last thing on your mind. 

But knowing your numbers can help you make the difficult decisions, even if they are decisions you want to take. 

Financial knowledge is power though. Maybe there is a little revenue stream you’ve overlooked that could be grown or perhaps knowing that you need to take a part time job in the short term will ensure the long term survival of your business. 

Either way, it’s better to know than not know. If you need a hand with getting on top of your cashflow and operating costs, feel free to head over to The Marketing Fix. Basic non-scary business forecasting is covered inside the membership.

PERSEVERE

Some of you won’t be ready to take action yet. Some of you will be saying “I’ll do it next week and I won’t let another week slip by”.

Picture yourself a year from now…or even 3 months from now…heading through 2021 with a marketing plan in place and a system that works.

Don’t give into that little voice inside your head telling you to jack it all in and just cross your fingers and hope for the best. Trust me. It doesn’t work.

Persevere. Because your future self will thank you for it. 

If you’d like to join an inspiring online community, you can find out more about Melissa’s online membership, The Marketing Fix, at www.themarketingfix.co.