We know you’re feeling the overwhelm. We are too.
The uncertainty of being a small business owner right now can be crippling.
Instagram, TikTok, conversations and life in general is feeling all very doomsday-prepper overwhelming and it’s hard to not consider the future of your business in uncertain economic times. Because, we’re all for talking about hard topics, there’s a genuine air of fear and panic that is running rampant across our socials right now. And we’re feeling all the feelings!
Instagram is a ghost town. There’s no new leads coming through your inbox. This last quarter is looking sparse to say the least. You are hesitant to spend money, but so is everyone else. This heightened state of emotion, stress and anxiety all leads to the overwhelm you, and a lot of other business owners right now, are all feeling. So, if you take anything out of this, know that you are not alone in this!
Overcoming the overwhelm
The first step is to really understand the root of your overwhelm right now. Is it uncertainty, is it lack of cash flow, is it task build up? It can be a number of things, but understanding what you want to address first is key.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your task list
Write it all down. Get it out of your head and onto paper. It doesn’t have to be neat or spelt correctly, just remove the mental load.
Now, pick one easy task that you can do right now. Like right now. Do it.
Then, pick another easy task, and do that one.
Do that until all your simple tasks (that you’ve most likely been procrastinating on) are done. Or at least some of them. Be sure to cross them out or mark them complete for that dopamine rush your brain is craving.
Next, prioritise your other tasks. What is urgent and important? What is not urgent and not important? Decide your next tasks by adding them to one of the four quadrants in the below graphic.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by social media
Get off it. Simple as that. Pinpoint which platform isn’t serving you anymore and focus on a different one or just get off it altogether. Go on a little hiatus and see how you go. Be sure to let your followers know where they can reach if they’d like to get in touch about your offering.
Trust us when we say, that your ideal client won’t mind if you’re taking an active break and looking after yourself!
You can also research other platforms and redirect your energy into platforms that make more sense for your business. As a service based business, we largely use Instagram, but have also moved into Pinterest and TikTok.
Find what works best for you and your business, not everyone else.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the future
This is a big one and it’s ok that you’re feeling this way. We all are. It’s a really challenging time to be a business owner but there are a lot of things you can be doing during to take advantage of this slow season.
You can also read this blog post here: Use a slow season to your advantage
First, you have to embrace it. You may not like it, and yes, it’s a really difficult time, but there’s no point wasting it. If that sounds harsh, well, it’s the truth.
Take this unexpected situation and turn it into something useful and intentional by looking inward and evaluating the current stance of your business.
Ask yourself these questions
What can I improve in my process to make it easy for my clients?
What do my clients struggle with the most in my process?
What is lacking in my business?
What do I avoid doing and how can I change that?
What outstanding tasks (big and small) that I can review and implement?
Are there any courses I can do to up-skill?
What is outdated in my brand/website/business?
Is there a gap in the market that I can be filling? What does that look like?
What can I invest in right now that will serve the future of my business?
Take it from us, we’ve navigated these tricky seasons and here’s the top tasks we always come back to.
Collect testimonials, reviews or social proof
Update website, templates, copywriting, branding etc
Brainstorm or create new products/offerings
To make sure you’ve got the message, just know that you’re not alone in feeling like this. It’s a widespread collective feeling and there’s a lot you can do to navigate the overwhelm. Just trust the process and most importantly, trust yourself.