As business owners, it feels like we are marching to a beat we can only hear, and generally, we are. Some of the needs of your business dictate that you are at certain places at certain times, but usually, you have to manage your own time and find your cadence to the work you are doing.

Based on my experience and those businesses I’ve talked with that are successful, one element of their success is setting up a rhythm to their work. As I write more about my experiences and share insights from others I speak with; I realize I need to set a pace and expectation for this work.

So here are some thoughts about Cadence and how this can help you as a business owner.

• Set yourself up for Sucess
• Build a Discipline
• Safeguard your time and mental health

1. Cadence for Success – The Setup

I like ambitious plans, goals, and big dreams, but they are just ideas without a process to achieve those plans or dreams. Bringing these ideas to fruition requires time and energy to take steps to build toward making them happen. They are not going to happen on their own. So writing down goals is super helpful. It’s a place to come back to realign your efforts.

Some are unsure how to start; for others, when they start the process, they get caught up in day-to-day tasks or doing tasks that take up too much time, money, and energy, and they lose their vision.

Some people are so focused on new ideas and goals that will be achieved someday that they forget to do the work.

So how do we get on task and keep working toward our goals?

2. A Few Disciplines to Consider

Set up a framework to keep your business on track; Develop processes and a regular schedule. Some recommendations:

• Active Client Roster
  • If you have regular clients, set up a document to track your active clients and “check in” with them once a week. Give them updates, share insights, or let them know what you do for them. Schedule a time each week to show that you are actively thinking about them.

• Active Leads Roster
  • If you have been in business for any time and have done an excellent job, you should have referrals and open leads you are working on. Do you have these listed in one place? Check-in with your leads once a week, and keep working on the lead till they tell you, “No, thank you.”

• Schedule Out Repetitive Tasks
  • Some of your work is most likely similar to work you have already done or are doing for other clients. Develop a process for how you perform that function. Document it, and repeat it. If you can make it into a checklist, all the better. Schedule these tasks for the same day of the week. This way, you know what to do when the day rolls around. This will also allow you to not stress about XYZ tasks, knowing that you have a specific day to take on those tasks.

• Limit Meeting Times – Availability
  • I love meeting new people and connecting with my clients. But I also know I need to get tasks done; if I let it, my day can be consumed by meetings. To help, I created blocks of time that clients could book me. I also have blocks of time for leads and free consultations (for potential clients). This blocking allows me to structure my day and gives me buffers against meeting with clients when I need to get a big project out or a potential client booking a time I need for my clients.
    • Consider using a program like Calendly to help you manage the meeting process.

3. Safeguard Your Time and Mental Health

When you have a rhythm to your business, it can be comforting to know that things are getting done and that you have some elements to fall back on when things get busy. There are a million things that can interfere with your ability of you to run your business. But when you have a cadence to your business, you can trust that stepping way to handle an ad-hoc need won’t deter your efforts. You can step back into the cadence that will keep you on track.

1. Block Off time that you know you need to focus or get work done.
2. Plan breaks and time away from the screen for tasks that drain you.
3. Set Do Not Disturb Hours – Most Businesses are not 24-7, and no one will die if you don’t respond to clients’ requests after 10 pm.
   • If you work with people in different time zones, then adjust accordingly.
   • If you work in a life-or-death field, you should definitely have backups and redundancies.
4. Know that the work will always be there, and there are always things to do
5. Know that most clients have no idea bout your life and challenges. So train them on how you can be reached, when you’re available, and what to expect working with you. You’d be surprised how many clients don’t care about how you organize your time; they usually want to know what to expect.

Conclusion

This is not a comprehensive guide but a bit of insight into one element of business ownership that can help lead you to success.