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Today I am finalizing my preparations for my annual planning retreat for women leaders, which starts tomorrow. We spend a weekend planning for 2009. I’m writing this post today to remind you that it’s essential for you to spend time planning strategies and tactics to grow your business.
Women can get emotionally attached to their business. I’ve had many clients tell me about their business, "It’s my baby." Of course, it’s important to have a strong commitment to your business like you do to your children, however, a business needs to have a life of its own. Just as we raise our kids to be independent and self-reliant, so too, do we need to set up our business for success and to run without us.
There are several reasons this is important. One is to make sure you have enough balance and freedom to live as you want and not be shackled to your business. The first step to do this is to increase the financial health of the business to increase your wealth, which contributes to your balance and freedom.
A recent article in the Dallas Morning News presented some shocking statistics about the financial health of women:
- More than half of working women reported in a recent national survey that they can afford to save nothing for retirement.
- The median annual income for retired women is less than two-thirds that of retired men, partly because women have less income from pensions or retirement accounts.
- Women tend to take money out of retirement funds to pay for college and weddings for their kids, leaving them without enough to take care of themselves in retirement.
Please plan for your personal financial future as well as the future of your business. You can learn more at http://www.dallasnews.com/business/personalfinance/ or search for the article by the title: Women are more likely to outlive their savings.
This blog is written by Kathy Garland, Kathy Garland International, a company whose programs reveal the soul of women leaders to enhance their wealth, balance and freedom. www.kathygarland.com
Last week, I started working with a new client who was so stressed and overwhelmed with business decisions, it was almost paralyzing her from doing anything. Have you been in a similar situation? There so many problems you don’t know where to start.
Chances are you are not taking care of yourself. When I worked with a team of designers, they knew that the secret to creativity and problem-solving is to have a balance of work and play. Just when we’d think they would need to focus the most on solving a design problem for a client, they would be laughing and having fun.
They always came up with brilliant solutions. What designers know about creativity and problem-solving, is to work on a project and then let it go for awhile so the subconscious mind can work on the problem.
Give yourself time to play, get a massage, go for a walk, laugh with colleagues when you are working on big projects with important deadlines. You’ll think more clearly and develop better solutions.
It can be as simple as having a few toys in your desk. At the grocery checkout over the weekend, I picked up a clear rubber ball with beautiful glitter inside it. It’s fun to bounce it and turn it over and watch the glitter sparkle in the sunlight. Such a little thing, but it helps relieve stress.
Play doesn’t have to take much time. I encourage you to play and have fun every day. You’ll love the results.