#164 When it feels more like running on fumes than running a business

In this conversation, Ilonka Ras discusses the common misconceptions surrounding systems in business, particularly the belief that they are only for large companies. She emphasises the importance of having systems in place to improve efficiency and reduce overwhelm for business owners. Ilonka provides practical examples of simple systems that can be implemented to create more freedom and organisation in your business, ultimately leading to a better work-life balance.

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Link to Music Credits
Track: Positive Motivation
Author: AShamaluevMusic (ASM)
Publisher: CD Baby (IPI 700570289)

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Transcript

When you hear the word "systems", do you instantly think of big companies with huge teams, corporate policies, and maybe a little bit of soul sucking bureaucracy? If you think that having systems is only for big businesses with large teams, this is for you. Many business owners never get to experience the impact of having the right systems inside of their businesses because they simply don't believe that it is applicable to them. This belief sits right next to, don't have time to create systems. And this is exactly why most business owners feel like they are chained to their businesses 24-7. Believing that systems aren't applicable to you or that you don't have time to create systems is the very thing that will keep you stuck in hustling and overworking. I work with so many business owners who have all the tools, the apps, the color-coded calendars and lists, but no real freedom. 

They have an incredibly capable and even enthusiastic team but they are still the go-to person for everything. You may even believe that this constant hustle and working to keep a million balls in the air is just what running a business is supposed to be like. The truth is, your business already has systems. The problem is, they're all living in your head. You are the system, which means that in order for the system to work, you need to never forget things, never make mistakes, have unlimited amounts of energy, and never get sick or go on vacation.

Without the right systems, it becomes unnecessarily hard to stay consistent and you will find yourself reinventing the wheel every single day. If you feel like you are working way more than you would like to work inside of your business, the answer is systems. If you have a long list of to-dos that seems to grow by the minute, you don't need to manage your time better, you need systems. If you're busy all the time, but nothing ever feels like it's done, you need systems.

Now we often associate systems with corporate companies because when we think about systems, we think of these complex things, Spreadsheets, software, corporate handbooks, the stuff that makes your eyes glaze over. And it's because we don't actually understand what systems really are and why you want to create systems in your business as soon as possible. Systems aren't about size. They're about efficiency. Systems are there to lighten the load.

It will take what's in your head and put it into a usable format so that others can do the work for you. And even if you don't have a team or plan on building one anytime soon, having the information outside of your head means that you don't need to think so much while you're doing the thing. Systems are there to help you create repeatable results with less effort.

Systems will in essence remove the 100 micro decisions that you are making every day, which is making you feel overwhelmed and exhausted. It will free up space for you to focus on the high impact activities that will help your business to grow and to be more profitable. Systems in essence need to be simple. If they are complex, it's probably a waste of time and that is if everyone isn't bypassing the system altogether.

Implementing systems in your business is as simple as looking at what you're already doing and creating some structure around it. A simple checklist for onboarding a new client. That's a system. A template for emails that you send all the time. That's a system. Batching your content creation on specific days so that you're not scrambling to get your YouTube video up this week. That's a system. And these aren't corporate systems. These are freedom systems.

And when you have the right systems in place, you will stop overworking because you will get the important stuff done in less time. You will be able to take time off from your business without everything falling apart. You will be more organized and you will feel way more in control of your day. Your business doesn't need more of your time. It needs better systems. And if you're listening to this and thinking, okay, I get it, I need systems, but I don't even know where to start. That's exactly where I can help.

Book a consultation with me and I'll show you exactly which systems you should focus on first to design a business that works for you, not one that constantly relies on you. We'll identify the key areas where simple systems can create the biggest impact for you so that you can reclaim your time, reduce the overwhelm, and finally feel like your business is supporting your life, not consuming it. You can find that link below this video or in the show notes. I'll see you next time.