As a business owner your time is precious.  You probably have multiple requests from people that are pulling you in many directions.  But, if you say yes to every invitation that comes your way, you will not have time for the activities that are critical to growing your business.

What I frequently hear from my clients is that they don’t have enough time for everything that needs to be done in their businesses.  Since we all have the same amount of time, it really comes down to making choices.  So how do you know what to choose?

Start by making a list of the strategic activities that are essential to the growth of your business.  These are the actions to say yes to.  Say no to anything that doesn’t fall under your strategic activities.  This is what it means to set business boundaries.

It may sound simple, but many people find that saying no is an extremely difficult thing to do. 

What’s keeping you from saying no more often?  Some of the reasons people struggle with saying no are:

* Fear of conflict

* Wanting to be liked

* Afraid of not being asked again

* Feeling guilty

* Unsure about how to say it

Have you ever agreed to do something and then later felt angry, anxious, or overwhelmed about it wishing you had said no?  Saying yes when you want to say no is a huge energy drain and distracts you from the things you really want to do for your business.

The good news is that saying no is like any new skill, with practice is becomes much easier.  And even better, it is extremely empowering.  Start with something small and build from there.

Remember, you don’t have to give an answer on the spot.  If someone asks you to do something and you’re not sure, you can always say something like “let me check my schedule and I’ll get back to you.”  That way you have time to consider what is best for your business.

Many times if you’re not sure, this may be an indication that the answer is no.  Have you heard the expression: “Doubt means don’t”? 

In addition, you may be surprised to find that most people respect your answer, even when it is a no.  If they don’t, it may be a sign that it is not a balanced relationship.

Setting boundaries in your business will create more space and energy for you to move forward and reach your goals faster and easier.  And that’s not all; when you set and enforce your boundaries you will have more confidence, be more attractive, and feel more relaxed.

Why not start saying no today?  Once you know how you want to use your time, it will be easy to identify things you can say no to.  This will create time for strategic action.  When you say yes only to the most important (and profitable) actions for your business you will see your business grow. 

© Stephanie Ward, 2008

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this information with it: Stephanie Ward is the Marketing Coach for Entrepreneurs who want to set their profits on fire!  Grab your FREE copy of the special report ’7 Steps to Attract More Clients in Less Time’ plus business building tips, at: http://www.fireflycoaching.com.

As a business owner you may struggle with the question of how you will be able to get everything done.  This is especially true for independent service professionals and solopreneurs.  There are only so many hours in the day, this isn’t going to change.  So something else has to.

And if you spend almost all of your time working in your business, you don’t have time for the rest of your life.  Isn’t it true that some of the reasons you started your own business were so you would have more freedom and fun?  If you are stressed out and not able to get the right things done, then your business isn’t serving you in the way you intended.

The answer is to only focus on the main drivers of your business.  The kind of things that are the most important to the growth of your business.  I know, I can hear you saying that your business is different and you have dozens of important things you must do.

The truth is that not everything is equally important.  It’s really a matter of choice and you are the one who can decide how you choose to spend your time.

In many cases, in your heart you may know what the most important things are, but somehow loads of other things seem to get in the way.  This is where a “to don’t” list can come in handy.

So instead of a long list of things to do, try turning it around and focusing on what you don’t want to do.  This will help you stay focused on the right things by default.

To get started, make a list of all of the things you are going to stop doing, things that are not directly connected to the core of your business. 

Here are some examples of things for a “to don’t” list:

* Don’t schedule meetings with everyone who asks me

* Don’t check e-mail every 10 minutes

* Don’t spend hours thinking about small things like the best font type

* Don’t get lost surfing the internet

* Don’t keep doing things manually that I can automate

Once you have your list ready, keep it in a place where you can see it.  As you begin each day, think about what you want to accomplish and remind yourself of what you will NOT be doing.

As you take action throughout the day, be aware of your activities and check to see if something you are doing is on your “to don’t” list – if it is, stop doing it immediately!  You can always add new things to your list as you become more aware of how you spend your time.

After awhile, you will automatically notice a “to don’t” and you will choose not to do it before you get lost in the activity and wonder where the last hour(s) went.

You can also use your “to don’t” list as a way to set stronger boundaries for yourself, and your business.  Saying no to certain things makes the things you do choose to say ‘yes’ to, that much more clear and powerful.

It’s fun to make a list of all of the things you don’t have to do.  So why not get started and see how many things you can identify that are not supporting the creation of a profitable business.  You will be surprised at how much more you can get done in less time, still grow your business, and have a life. 

© Stephanie Ward, 2007

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this information with it: Stephanie Ward is the Marketing Coach for Entrepreneurs who want to set their profits on fire!  Grab your FREE copy of the special report ’7 Steps to Attract More Clients in Less Time’ plus business building tips, at: http://www.fireflycoaching.com.