- It reminds you to check in with yourself mentally and physically and to consider how to work on both aspects.
- It is empowering to remember that we can take control over so many areas of life that will improve our situation.
- It encourages us to look out for others and share our experiences for the benefit of all of us.
Although, as a business owner, it can sometimes feel strange spending time working on ourselves at the expense of concentrating on business matters, the two are not mutually exclusive. The better, more refreshed and fulfilled you feel, the better you will be at work. We are all at risk of burnout and stress, which makes blocking out some time in your calendar to concentrate on you and your journey necessary.
Keep reading for five essential tips for self-improvement in business to put you in a better position to win.
What is Self-Improvement?
Self-improvement is also sometimes called ‘personal development’ and it means taking the agency to lead the process of making positive changes to your life. Author Scott H Young refers to improving your ‘total life strategy’. He describes that as “a collection of every habit, behaviour and thought pattern, conscious and unconscious, that you use to solve the problems you have in life, meet your needs and stay alive.”
Business strategist Tony Robbins says that to improve, you need to have something to work towards. “Setting self-improvement goals is about raising your standards and turning your ‘shoulds’ into ‘musts’” says Tony, “you can do that by getting total clarity on your vision for your life, then relating your goals back to this purpose.”
If you are ready to set those goals and create the right mindset to succeed, here are the five tips for self-improvement you need.
5 Tips for Self-Improvement
1) Keep Learning
When was the last time you learnt something new? The more you learn, the better equipped you are to handle situations and interactions. You find out more about yourself and understand your abilities better. As humans, we are born to learn and continuously gaining knowledge is the key to unlocking self-improvement.
It opens new avenues and possibilities for you that you never knew existed. Talk to peers, read industry papers and thought-pieces, you should even try reading articles on subjects or on websites you would never usually consider. Learning is about finding out more helpful information about the areas in which you work, but it is also about gaining new insights and uncovering other points of view. This helps to understand the mindset of customers more thoroughly, which can help when approaching new clients.
2) Set Tasks Aside
It is difficult to leave a task unfinished when you run a business. Your tendency is always to complete what you start, but as strange as it sounds, sometimes you can focus too much on a project.
The Harvard Business Review reports that “excessive focus exhausts the focus circuits in your brain.” Essentially, the received wisdom that you keep chipping away at something until you finish, no matter how exhausting or exasperating it is, just doesn’t hold water. It is not good for your brain or your productivity.
You have to promise yourself that you will park a task, then go for a walk, have a snack, check your social media, start something more straightforward or pretty much do anything else for a while. When you return to the original project, you will come to it with a fresh mind and clear thought process.
3) Evaluate Your Strengths and Outsource Your Weaknesses
Everyone has strengths and weaknesses and we often know exactly what they are. Acknowledging the fact that you are not a superhuman who is equally good at all areas of business work is a major step towards self-improvement.
This is because once you accept the imbalance, you can do something about it. You should own those strengths and really concentrate on those areas when you work, but equally, you should own those weaknesses and outsource them.
There is no business benefit to you taking two hours out of your day to frustrate yourself trying to write a blog and ending up with 1,000 words that don’t actually say what you wanted to say. There are people out there who can write fantastic, SEO-focused and engaging blogs for you. Use them.
4) Discover Your Work-Life Balance
As well as freeing up your work time to spend more of it on those tasks at which you excel, you should look at your use of time in general. A good work-life balance is a massively important area for self-improvement. Being able to shut off from the business is key to giving your brain a rest and keeping your mental health in check.
It is important you spend time with family and friends, doing those activities that you enjoy, that bring you happiness. You will be a more effective business presence for it and will return to your desk feeling happier and more fulfilled.
You need to analyse your processes to find out what you can automate, look at the tasks you can outsource and concentrate on working out which elements of the work are priorities and which you can put to one side whilst you attend that family barbecue.
5) Work On Your Communication
Communication is a key element of a business owner’s work life and, therefore working on improving it is an essential tip for self-improvement. Whether it is networking with other business owners, pitching to clients, delegating to employees, speaking at community events, publishing social media posts, writing blogs or any other way that you reach out to the public, developing these skills will help you gain an advantage.
Harvard Business School recommends working on adapting your communication style to the audience, asking others for their opinions, especially using open-ended questions, and actively listening to what they have to say, and ensuring you express empathy as powerful techniques for business leaders.
Help With Self-Improvement
If you are keen to put what you have read into practice, you can take the first steps towards self-improvement right now. It is not easy, but personal development is the way that you get ahead in business and stay ahead. Standing still is not an option. We can help you regain some of your time to spend on self-improvement and self-care. Book a free consultation right now to find out what we can do for you, with no obligation.
