Have you chosen entrepreneurship over the past year?
Or have circumstances foisted it upon you?
Either way, working for yourself is a challenge that can be both fulfilling and frustrating.
And one thing’s for sure – being dedicated to adding to your arsenal of skills is a prerequisite for success.
In today’s employment environment, there are lots of well-qualified and experienced professionals entering the freelance market, joining many established self-starters who already know the ropes. This means that if you think you can coast along sitting on your laurels, you better think again!
With all that in mind, here are five self-improvement tips for entrepreneurs.
1. Network
The world is likely to remain socially distanced for some time, which makes traditional networking rather tricky indeed.
But fear not, because smart entrepreneurs use LinkedIn to connect with clients, collaborators and influencers – with 740 million members, it’s the world’s largest networking space.
You can find many talented people in your digital network that you can depend on whenever you need help. Experts and freelance professionals are available online if you need some accounting, legal, or marketing advice. You can connect with them and ask for their insights and suggestions if you’re facing a difficult business decision. Of course, they also serve as your business support networks to attain your short-term and long-term business goals.
2. Delegate
Take the entire weight of your business on your shoulders and you’ll be crushed. It’s far better to delegate to accumulate – outsource those jobs you have no aptitude for, avoid mistakes and burnouts, and focus your time on those core skills that make you the most money.
Learn how to avoid business owner burnout by delegating tasks. It’s okay to take a day off or a vacation once in a while and entrust your business to an employee you can trust to manage operations. Train this employee to ensure proper implementation of contingency measures when an emergency arises. By doing so, you’ll have peace of mind delegating major decision-making matters and enjoy your life as an entrepreneur to the fullest.
3. Study
On the job learning is excellent, but it can also be complemented by formal online qualifications which you can study flexibly and fit around work and family.
With an enterprise-focused qualification like an online MBA from ARU Distance Learning, you’ll apply expert knowledge to your business from the first day of your course to graduation and beyond. Furthermore, once of your classmates could become a business collaborator!
Studying also allows you to grow your business connection, consisting of like-minded people. You might be surprised to find potential business partners or collaborators for a new entrepreneurial endeavor or product prospect. There are many things that can possibly happen when you attend formal classes, opening more doors of business opportunities for you and improving yourself as an entrepreneur and as a person.
4. Stay fit & healthy
Without your physical and mental health, forget about business success or even paying the bills. Maintaining a healthy regime that includes physical exercise, mindfulness, a balanced diet and ample sleep isn’t easy, but it’s vital nonetheless.
A good first start is setting some boundaries – have a set time for self-care when your work stays firmly in the background.
5. Prioritise family over work
Newsflash – time is more valuable than money.
If you’re too busy to give enough of your time to nurture and support yourself, your family, your friends and community, perhaps it’s time to reassess your priorities.
Work-life balance is a cycle which has to be reassessed and refreshed over a lifetime – this requires a keen awareness of your emotional states and the ability to reprioritise in a logical manner in order to feel more contented and less anxious. If we’re working hard for our families but spending little time interacting with them, this is false economy.
So, there you have it – a quintet of quality suggestions on how you can factor self-improvement into your entrepreneurial journey.
Take these tips on board and you’ll soon become the type of thick-skinned, tough individual who rolls with the punches and works their way steadily but surely towards self-employment success.
Have we missed your favourite self-improvement tips? Share them in the comments section!
