The life of a solopreneur or small business owner can feel chaotic but that doesn’t mean it actually has to be. There are a lot of moving parts to the journey you’ve started but part of your new life is learning how to organise those parts in a way that works for you. The routine you develop might not look the same as someone else’s but that doesn’t matter as long as your routine is helping you succeed.
But, how can you tell the difference between a poor routine and a bad day? You might even be reading this wondering, “How do I develop a routine in the first place?” Well, reading this article is a step in the right direction. We’re going to break down short-term and long-term tasks to better help you outline what your day-to-day should look like and tips for staying on track.
Short-term tasks
“Short-term” tasks refer to the things that either need to be completed every day or things that can be completed in a day.
Daily tasks can include:
- Checking your email
- Responding to messages
- Making/responding to calls
- Creating and sharing social media posts
- Reviewing the plan for the day
These tasks are not the be-all and end-all for every solopreneur but they are a good basis if you’re feeling overwhelmed. It’s important for you to understand the specific needs of your business and how this will impact your daily activities. The best way to ensure you create a comprehensive daily checklist is to first outline all of the essential tasks needed for your business to operate.
Of course, you need things like a marketing plan but your business won’t collapse in a single day if you don’t have one solidified from day one. However, your reputation (and therefore the future of your business) could be at risk if you don’t regularly respond to customer enquiries and messages. Checking these short-term tasks off your list early in the day will give you the peace of mind you need to move on to the “bigger picture” tasks.
The trap you don’t want to fall into is using short-term tasks as an excuse to never move on. These tasks can quite easily give you the illusion of productivity. Whilst they are essential for keeping your business afloat, they are not the tasks that are going to propel you forward.
Long-term tasks
“Long-term” tasks can be something you work on every day but will be broken down into smaller “short-term” tasks. For example, developing a brand strategy will be broken down into identifying your target audience, crafting a compelling message, developing a visual identity, etc.
These tasks can include:
- Developing a marketing plan
- Outlining brand guidelines
- Establishing funding
- Building a customer base
- Competitive research
If you’re a solopreneur who is overwhelmed easily or struggles with overthinking, you can give each of your long-term tasks its own short-term task list. You can then assign these smaller checklists to a day of the week so you are always prepared in advance. For example, Mondays could be used for research, Tuesdays you build your brand, Wednesdays are for working on your marketing plan and so on.
Some days will be more productive than others. There will be days when your daily tasks take longer than usual, perhaps you’ve had an influx of customer enquiries that take a significant amount of time to respond to. But, there will also be days where you will have less to respond to and therefore can move on to your long-term tasks quicker.
The success of your day, week, month and business as a whole comes down to balance. This doesn’t mean that every single day will be the same or you’ll be able to dedicate the same amount of time and energy every day to each task. On those days, it might feel like you’re falling behind but sticking to your routine will prevent this from actually happening.
How to stay on track
Of course, contingencies happen. There will be challenges and setbacks that threaten to throw you off course. There will even be planned disruptions such as breaks, holidays and other personal life matters that cannot and should not be ignored. The way to work around the unpredictable is to always be flexible and willing to adjust. It’s also important to recognise when you’re unable to complete a task.
Being unable to complete a task doesn’t mean you’ve failed that day, but jumping from incomplete task to incomplete task isn’t the solution either. If you’re in the middle of a task and feel like you’re losing the energy to complete it, take a break. Go for a walk, get a hot or cold drink and then come back. If you’re still unable to focus then it’s time to shelve that task for the day and move on to the next.
You might even find it helpful to include tasks outside of your business on your checklist. Checking off everyday things like “eat breakfast” and “make bed” will put you in the right frame of mind and give you a sense of productivity before you’ve even moved on to your business tasks.
Join the Growth Titans Community
A big part of completing any task is accountability, something difficult to have when you’re a solopreneur. If you’re someone who struggles to hold themselves accountable, the Growth Titans Community is the place for you. Not only do you have access to various resources all expertly created for business growth, but you’ll join a community of solopreneurs on the same journey as you.