You Can Be Both a Boss and an Employee

The joy of working for yourself just can’t be beat, right? You get to set your own schedule, be creative, work on things you value and find engaging; however, nothing seems to be getting done? Why is that? Well, in my professional opinion, you are probably suffering from a case of one or more of the following very treatable conditions:

Someday Syndrome: Symptoms include avoiding scheduling things, daydreaming all afternoon while having tea and scones, and believing that someday, somehow, everything will just work out.

another how to course All kidding aside, I am guessing that no one ever told you how difficult it would be to manage everything on your own. In one moment you need to make a decision that will impact your bottom line and the next you are taking out the trash. It can be overwhelming if you don’t figure out how to manage your time and run your business effectively.

This is a simple yet effective way to look at managing your time. It is the idea that you need to set aside time to act as The Boss in your business and time to act as the EMPLOYEE in your business. Those two roles are very different and if you fail to be intentional in these roles, I’m guessing that not much is getting done.

There are days in my business when I make decisions, when I strategize, when I decide what is important and what is going to happen. Those are BOSS days. I literally decide to spend a day, or at least a few hours, in this role. I look at the big picture, review my goals, evaluate recent actions and decide what I need to be focused on to move my business forward in a profitable way. Some weeks need more boss days than others.

Then there are EMPLOYEE days. I wake up knowing that I have already decided to be in “employee mode” so I do not second guess what I am working on. If The Boss decided that I would make sales calls from 9 - 11 am, then that is what I will do. I don’t even have to think about it. I have a list of tasks to take care of and I can happily check them off without worrying that I should be working on something else. It is actually a relief of sorts to be in employee mode. Call me geeky, but I enjoy checking items off my to-do list. I love that sense of accomplishment.

Sometimes getting started is the hardest part. But, now you have a really easy method of getting going with your business. Is tomorrow going to be your first boss day? Get excited! It is great being top dog. Having your own business really does have its perks. You do have more control over your life. And best of all you have tremendous opportunities to impact the world in a beautiful and profitable way.

So, if you self-diagnosed one of those nasty conditions I mentioned above, go ahead and write yourself a prescription. Schedule your boss days and your employee days right now. No, seriously--right now. Because I will wait.

In the comments, please share your best tip or technique for managing your various business roles.