Written by: Ameeta Gangaram, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
As a heart-centred entrepreneur, you entered the coaching or healthcare profession with a passion for helping others live healthier and happier lives. You love what you do and you're deeply committed to your mission. But despite your best efforts, you find yourself stretched thin. It's a struggle to keep up with the demands of running your business. You're burning the candle at both ends, yet it feels like there's never enough time in the day to get everything done. It may leave you feeling burnt out, yet still lacking clarity on where your efforts would best be spent.
The truth is, building a sustainable healthcare business takes more than a great idea and hard work. It requires a deliberate, strategic approach to business. The focus should be on creating simple systems and processes that provide long-term support. In this article, we'll explore the four solutions which will take you from burnout to balanced. Create a sustainable business that aligns with your values and life vision.
Set boundaries
One of the most important things you can do as a heart-centred entrepreneur is to set clear boundaries around your work. Start with defining your work hours, establishing protocols for communication, and creating a clear separation between your work and personal life.
Here are some tips to help you set and maintain healthy boundaries:
Define your work hours: Create a schedule that works for you and communicate it clearly to your clients and team members. Stick to your schedule as much as possible and avoid working outside your designated hours.
Establish communication protocols: Set expectations for how and when you'll communicate with your clients and team members. Consider setting up an autoresponder for your email or using project management tools such as Nifty or Trello to streamline communication.
Prioritise self-care: Schedule time for self-care activities like exercise, meditation, or spending time with loved ones. Treat this time as sacred and avoid scheduling work-related activities during these times.
Delegate tasks
As your business grows, learn how to delegate tasks effectively. Delegation can help you save time and reduce your stress, while also allowing you to focus on the areas of your business where you can make the biggest impact.
Here are some tips to help you delegate effectively:
Identify your strengths and weaknesses: List of the tasks you enjoy and excel at, plus the tasks that drain your energy or take up too much time. Once you've got this list, use the Pareto Principle to set your practice up for success. This principle, also known as the 80:20 rule states that you should focus on the 20% of activities that account for 80% of your results. In this case, we are applying it to business and your revenue. Delegate the other 80% of activities. You'll free up your time and headspace to work on your business without feeling overwhelmed.
Hire the right team members: When you're ready to delegate, hire team members who fit your business culture and values. I interviewed Julie Parker from Practice Success in episode 45 of the Simple Marketing Solutions podcast. She shared a valuable tip on realising that you can easily train someone. Yet the character of a person is what it is. So, in the health profession, you want to identify the personal traits important for your business. Then recruit based on this. Don't be put off by hiring someone less skilled as it's an opportunity to train them your way.
Communicate clearly: Set clear expectations and deadlines for your team members and provide clear instructions for each task you delegate. There is value in using a project management program where each member has visibility of their tasks and responsibilities. A simple one to consider is Trello. It prevents email chains and communications from being missed.
Develop systems and processes
Creating systems and processes helps streamline your business and make it more efficient. Allowing you to spend more time on the things you love. Here are some ways to develop systems and processes in your business:
a. Use Xero or MYOB for accounting. They are cloud-based accounting software that can help you manage your finances, invoices, and expenses. It's easy to use and can save time and money by automating tasks such as bank reconciliations and expense tracking.
b. Use an email service provider such as Klaviyo to automate emails to clients. For example, you're a counsellor who sells an online program which targets couples who want to communicate better. With Klaviyo, you can set up automated weekly emails to check in with them, prompt them on their journey, and provide further resources. It saves you time and help you stay connected with your clients. These nurturing emails are the ones that set you apart from your competitors and contribute to stronger relationships with your clients.
c. Consider using an online practice management software program such as PowerDiary or Clinko. These programs can manage everything from client notes, invoices, prescriptions, and SMS reminders. With practice management software, all your client information is in one place. Thus, reducing the time spent on administrative tasks. Plus, you can use it to ask for referrals, have clients book via your website and have visibility of your bookings.
d. Use Trello as a project management board to manage your social media plan. Trello is a free online tool to manage tasks and projects. You can use Trello to plan and schedule your social media posts, collaborate with team members, and track your progress. It helps you stay organised and focused on your social media strategy.
By implementing systems and processes in your business, you'll save time, reduce stress, and focus on what's most important – helping your clients live healthier and happier lives. These digital tools can help you automate email marketing, manage your practice and social media effectively, and improve your business processes. Start using these tools to optimise your health-driven business and achieve success.
Self-care
As a heart-centred entrepreneur, prioritise your health and well-being. It's easy to get caught up in the 'doing' mode and forget us. Yet, there is no practice without us. There is no client support if we are adrenally exhausted. The book I co-authored 'Elevate Your Health' I delve extensively into how to gain endless energy. You'll find all the strategies and tips you need in it. Get your copy today here,
Here are three tips to help get you started:
1. Schedule time for self-care: Make self-care activities like exercise, meditation, or spending time with loved ones a priority. Schedule this time into your calendar and treat it as non-negotiable. Are you thinking to yourself 'I can't stick to this'? You're not alone. Yet the resistance exists because you’re creating a new neural pathway. The trick is to stick to this activity until it becomes a habit.
2. Practice mindfulness: Use mindfulness techniques such as deep breathing or meditation to help reduce stress and stay present in the moment. There are plenty of apps to assist you. One that has a cult following is the 6-Phase Meditation Method created by Vishen Lakhiani, founder of Mindvalley.
3. Connect with others: Building connections with other heart-centred entrepreneurs can help you feel less isolated and provide a source of support and inspiration. Consider joining a business networking group such as HerBusiness or your local Chamber of Commerce. There are many options, both in-person and virtually.
By implementing these solutions you will create a sustainable health-driven business that aligns with your values and supports your goals.
In conclusion, you can see there are viable solutions to overcoming burnout. Start with setting your boundaries before moving on to delegating tasks. Once you’ve got that working then, develop the systems and processes to improve efficiency and reduce time spent on repetitive tasks. Finally, remember to focus on your self-care routine. These will set you up to work strategically on your business. Subscribe to the Simple Marketing Solutions podcast for weekly business support.
Ameeta Gangaram, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Ameeta Gangaram is known as the Chaos Whisperer. As a digital marketing consultant and coach, she helps health professionals and coaches who feel overwhelmed with everything digital to bring clarity and order to their business to achieve sustainable growth. She does this through private coaching, her online group coaching program called “She Succeeds”, done-for-you marketing services including marketing strategy, web design, email marketing.
