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Horse Business Advice Blog

Why you keep taking on too much and how to finally find balance

By September 27, 2021May 27th, 2022No Comments
Why You Keep Taking On Too Much Equine Entrepreneurs

Most small business owners are way too familiar with over-commitment. If it were just about learning time management, we wouldn’t keep doing it over and over. Some of it stems from fear, some of it stems from social pressure, and some from our own self-esteem.

Here’s how to recognize when you’re taking on too much BEFORE you take it on, how to hit the reset button if you’re over-committed, how to set healthy boundaries with yourself and clients, and how to recognize patterns that keep you stuck in overwhelm to overcome them bit by bit.

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Step 1: Boundaries

Last week, I chatted to a group member who was really struggling to say ‘no’ and found herself taking on all kinds of jobs she didn’t want to do, was not making enough money, or taking too much of her own time.

It wasn’t ideal, and the thing is, if you fill your time doing all the things you don’t want to be doing, it becomes very hard to leave space for what you do want to do! You can end up feeling worn out 24/7, a bit resentful of business in general, and stressed because the money might not be rolling in.

Creating boundaries for yourself and saying no can be painful and scary! You may worry about losing sales or clients, but you can always pick up more. Setting these expectations and boundaries will save your sanity and lower your day-to-day stress.

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Step 2: Write a List of “Hell Yes!”’s

I suggested she write a list of all the things she DID want to do, that she DID want to say YES to. I also suggested telling people she would get back to them when they asked her to do things. This removed the pressure to say yes and the feeling of being put on the spot.

While this sounds so simple and so obvious, it is easy to get caught up with the stress of the day-to-day. It can be hard to take a step back and gain some perspective.

The power of a list! Suddenly, you have a list of things to guide you in your answers. It can be empowering to ‘write it out loud’ even if you are the only one to read it. Think about your ideal day and goals as you write your list of what you want to do. Make sure you are realistic with your time.

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Step 3: Dare to Say NO

You may be thinking to yourself, “Well yes, Melody, if it were only that easy to just make a list of things I’d like to say yes to.” But I’m here to tell you that while you can’t get around things like taxes or maths in your business (you do have to make a profit, after all), you don’t have to be everything to everyone.

Most business owners take on too many projects outside of their original scope because they’re afraid of saying no. And the majority of us have dealt with toxic clients because we felt we couldn’t refuse their demands.

But let me tell you something...this may come as a shock to you:

This is YOUR business, not theirs!

The sooner you realize this, the sooner you put this process of boundaries into practice, the sooner you’ll gain confidence in yourself and in your identity as a business owner.

I got a message a few days later from the same person saying how she had been able to say no to a few things and felt 100% happier. #winning!

Many of us who have come from a background of working for a boss need to be untrained from responding to everything demanded of us and think: “Is this the kind of business that I want to have?” In the end, you’re the only one who can answer that question for your business.

Say no to a few things and feel happier Equine Entrepreneurs