Fun Business Fun Money Podcast
Episode 002 – One simple tactic for easy business growth
There’s no one right way to do anything, different personalities need different approaches to achieve the same end result.
But what feels simple and easy for you might be crazy and complex to someone else.
How do you know you’re overcomplicating something? It just doesn’t feel right!
In this quick tactic episode we’re looking at how complexity can suck the life and fun right out of you and your business.
PS – you can check it out on YouTube too!
TRANSCRIPT
Hey there, and welcome to the Fun Business Fun Money Podcast!
You may already know this, but this podcast is a mix of short tips, tool or tactic episodes, and more in depth coaching episodes where we dive into a bit more detail on a particular theme.
Today is a quick tip episode, which is also a tactic that you can and SHOULD implement over and over again. Its not often I’ll ‘should’ you, but this is definitely one of those occasions.
That tactic is… SIMPLIFY EVERYTHING!
I know, how simple can I possibly get, you can’t believe you’re here for this!
But the question we all need to be asking ourselves on a daily basis, even down to a moment by moment basis is – Am I overcomplicating this?
A big part of having more fun is in simplifying EVERYTHING – because lets face it, most of us need to do LESS in order to achieve MORE.
Its also about tapping into the power of your personality and owning who you are, your unique style and energy, and applying that to your business in new and creative ways. When you’re fully aware of those things, simplifying everything becomes much easier, the steps you can take are clearer.
When I get new clients to do an assessment of their business activities most of them realise there are things they’re doing that really don’t actually make a difference one way or the other. They’re doing these things because everyone else is doing them, so they must be important, right?
Nope! If the things you’re doing don’t add value to you or your clients, if they don’t help you in making money, and if they’re really not fun for you – why on earth are you doing them??
Stop! Right now! Let that shit go, its sucking up your precious time, energy and expertise that is better utilised in other areas.
An example of this is a video I watched recently. The topic was intriguing and I really like the style and personality of the person presenting it.
What she was talking about turned out to be an online tool to help with planning your content. It looked amazing, with various automations and things connected… but it also felt really overwhelming for me.
It felt like learning a new software platform was going to suck up way more time and energy than I have or that I’m willing to put in. Of course I could outsource that to someone who already understands the software, but something I learnt early on in my working life was that I need to have, not just a basic understanding of how something works, but a GOOD understanding of it.
As an example, its really not enough to say you get the gist of your accounting software but your bookkeeper handles everything for you. You need to know how it works too so that you can be a responsible business owner with visibility on all aspects of your business.
If you were ever questioned by the tax office about your financials, you want to legitimately be able to answer, not just be saying “I don’t know, thats not my job”. You don’t have to be an expert by a long shot, just know whats going on.
So back to this online tool demo… I suddenly realised I was looking at a fancy spreadsheet. This software has all the familiar functions of Excel or Google Sheets. And I also realised that I don’t need to overcomplicate my life or my business by trying to incorporate a glossy version of something I ALREADY USE.
I would be reinventing something I already have, a simple system that works really well.
You might be wondering what that is, I have a Google Sheet set up where I link all of my content, which is in Google Docs. I can see at a glance what each Doc is about, if its still a draft or ready to share, where I’ve shared it and when, and whether I want to repurpose it in future. I include links to the actual Google Doc as well so the whole process is fast, simple and easy.
That in itself can feel complicated for some people, but compared to so many other options out there I feel like its simple and easy. Its a system that works perfectly for ME, and this is where its important to find the things that work FOR YOU.
How do you know you’re overcomplicating something? The answer is in HOW YOU FEEL.
If you’re wading through something and it feels really heavy, you’re looking for distractions, you’re frustrated and not that interested in completing it… you’re probably overcomplicating it.
What can you do to lighten things up?
Can you achieve the same outcome in a simpler, easier way?
Do you already have a tool or process that will help you, instead of reinventing the proverbial wheel?
Sometimes its a drag but you still have to do it (like getting your tax return info together for the accountant!) in which case I highly recommend breaking the task down into smaller and smaller pieces until it feels manageable. Put on some fun music or something that raises your energy and get it done. Completion not perfection!
In everything you’re doing, check in with how you feel. Take a break, shift your focus, do something different. But please, for the love of everything fun, don’t force yourself to do something out of FOMO, fear of missing out, or because you think you need it.
I’ll do a longer episode about simplicity and maximising your time, energy and expertise, but for now I hope this helps you see where you might be adding complexity to your life, your business, everything.
Let me know if this is something you’ve experienced yourself, have you realised you’re overcomplicating something? Do you change tack to find an easier solution, or do you push on no matter what, because you’re halfway down the road already and you don’t want to be a quitter?
I love hearing that people are implementing simpler and easier ways to do essential tasks. You can tag me on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn, or you can search for Deirdre Amies, I’m the only one out there! You can also drop me an email at hello@deirdreamies.com – you’ll find the link for that with my not so easy to spell name in the description.
Thats it from me! Take care, have fun, keep it simple, and I’ll catch you in another episode!