Do you ever get that panicked feeling that you have so much to do, with so many loose ends, but you’re not sure how to deal with it all? One of the upsides AND downsides of being your own boss is that you’re in charge of everything. It can get pretty overwhelming. Which is why it’s so important to take a step back sometimes and work on your business rather than just in it. To work out a strategy for how to run your business without running yourself into the ground.

I’ve got a few tips to get you on your way to becoming more streamlined and focused.

1. Be aware of how you spend your time. One of the best ways you can streamline your business, is by simply becoming more aware of how you’re spending your time. You might be shocked! You can do this using apps like 30/30, or by simply writing down what you’re doing. Once you’re aware of how you’re spending your time, you can focus on what needs outsourcing or trimming.
2. Don’t multi-task. There’s plenty of evidence out there that it doesn’t work for the vast majority of people. Single tasking is more efficient, and if you batch work you can plan much further ahead. For example, if you batch work all your social media in one morning, you’re not constantly thinking about it all month (although you should still check in daily). Additionally, according to this quote from the American Psychological Association “Meyer has said that even brief mental blocks created by shifting between tasks can cost as much as 40 percent of someone’s productive time.” Planning ahead and batching things up can really help you feel more streamlined.
3. Schedule ahead. Wherever possible, get ahead on your scheduling for social media (try Buffer), blogging and newsletters. Knowing you already have something in the works and you’re a step ahead frees you up to focus on the other important stuff – and potentially spot opportunities you would have missed before. It also reduces panic if you happen to fall ill or have to take a couple of days off.
4. Only spend time on the social media that works for you. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of being on everything. But which tools are working for you? Choose 2 or 3, and focus on doing them well, rather than panicking that you’re not a Pinterest Queen or a Twitter Guru.
5. Use IFTTT recipes. IFTTT is a site that enables you to create ‘recipes’ using different online tools, so that when one tool does something, it triggers another. I’ve shared a few of my favourite IFTTT recipes here on the blog and over here on Yell Business.