How To Create Simplicity as an Entrepreneur
We all want to believe we can better ourselves and change bad habits. Much like starting a new diet on Monday, New Years Day provides a starting point that the whole world can get behind. Much ado is made of January 1st and resolutions - and for good reason.
I have both stuck with and broken many resolutions over the years. But like with most goals, the idea and the vision in my head of what life would be like once I made those changes is far more romantic than the reality. The reality is we have deeply cut neural pathways that define our behavior - and changing those habits is a feat like no other.
I don't know about you, but although I know myself to be a fiercely determined individual - I'm not really keen on setting myself up for negative self-talk from the beginning of the year.
Anytime you realize something isn’t working for you, your business, or your life - is a good time to make a plan to improve (not just January 1st).
More than any other technique or plan I have tried, I know that creating more simplicity in my life is the quickest path to improving habits.
➡️Simple is defined as not hard to understand or do; having few parts; not complex or fancy.
Becoming an entrepreneur is the single biggest “course” I’ve ever taken on self-improvement and self-discovery. In 2015 I parted ways with the social media agency I worked for, decided to forge my own path, and wrangled with a toddler, anxiety, and self-doubt. I also met some amazing people both online and off that have supported me and cheered me on.
Over the years I’ve gone from one child to two, from renting to owning our home, moving states, navigating working with kids at home, and countless other micro-shifts in my life that make it look different than 5 years ago.
It wasn’t a single moment or revelation, but as I’ve continued to run my business, I’ve realized more and more the value of simplicity.
Creating a SIMPLE way of living and conducting my business reaches into every corner of my day - with my business, my family and friends, and my lifestyle (food/exercise).
Below I’ll outline how I’ve created more simplicity in business and life, along with lots of tools I recommend to help in the area of productivity.
01. Business
After about a year of being on my own, I realized that if I continued to follow every online entrepreneur’s advice out there about how to run my business, what software to use, how to set up funnels, and on and on - that I would never unravel the rat’s nest of “systems” I had created.
The more I listened to the “experts”, the more confused I became with if I really needed the latest funnel software in order to make good money.
I created calendars, SOPs, to-do lists, funnels, and elaborate customer journeys…which all ended up being more trouble than I needed and too complicated to maintain.
“The longer I’ve been in business, the more I realize that simplicity = productivity.”
I went from having lots of content upgrades and forms for everything to 2 main lead magnets and a simple client application system. Having fewer funnels lets me be more purposeful and strategic about that customer’s journey, instead of trying to firehose them with everything I know.
By having my potential clients apply to work with me, I can tell quickly if they’re going to be a great fit, instead of offering “discovery calls” which I, quite frankly, just don’t have time for.
Even my move to niche from general social media to Pinterest was a move to simplify. Instead of trying to keep up with new strategies and best practices for multiple platforms - I only had to stay on top of one.
02. Lifestyle
I deal with a sometimes crushing level of anxiety that started in a less-than-pleasant childhood and has continued to manifest its ugliness in adulthood. I learned to deal with anxiety by using food to feel better - which obviously isn't healthy mentally or physically. Couple that with running a business from home, and it's a recipe (couldn't resist #sorrynotsorry) for disaster.
I could spend all day on Pinterest planning out complicated batch cooking, recipes lists, and grocery shopping plans - but the reality is I can barely get the laundry done, let alone chop vegetables I don't even like for 2 hours, so that is not an achievable or exciting goal for me - it just feels more stressful. I also know from experience that if I throw away all "unapproved" foods in the house, I'll just crave them more and fall off the wagon hard. Add in a hubby that’s a picky eater and 2 kids...and oh for f*cks sake...no thanks.
A couple years ago I started with the ketogenic diet. What appealed to me was the science behind quality fat for better brain and body functioning, and the simplicity of how to eat. I started with just eliminating sugar, and once I got the hang of that I learned more about really eating keto.
It’s simple for eating out and making food in less than 5 minutes. Minimum effort, easy food, no stressing or over-thinking. Yes, please.
While everyone is different, and of course I can’t give diet or medical advice - I can tell you that I’ve struggled with weight and emotional eating since I was a teenager and keto is the only thing that has been a true lifestyle change for me, not a diet.
I don’t stress over working out either - I love walking in our neighborhood and know it’s the best way to relieve any anxiety that might be overwhelming me.
It helps me clear my head and I love walking both by myself and with my family. Instead of thinking of working out as punishing myself or paying the price, it’s now simple self-care for emotional wellness first.
03. Friends
When I started my business, I got very different reactions from friends. I quickly realized their reactions were about them and their fears, not me. Some people felt threatened, some confused, some encouraged me.
This was the same general reaction I got from co-workers when I decided to leave my career as a Special Agent - the fear of them not being able to imagine giving up their safety net was what they were reflecting to me.
And so, after giving my all to my family and my business, there is just not a lot of time left for friend (or co-worker) drama. I have some amazing friends that I always make time for and some people who have fallen off the radar.
That might sound cold and lame - but I can't tell you how freeing and energizing it is to not take on the stress of friendships that really drag you down (whether you're conscious of it or not).
04. Family
This area of my life is my first priority and probably should have come first on my list of how I make my life more simple. Because what it comes down to is, if it takes away from my family then it’s not the right thing for me to be doing.
Obviously, I have to spend time working and I value my alone time. It really is all about balance. Some days I work more and some days I’m with my family more.
But I know at this point when something starts to either feel off or is too much and that balance gets too wonky.
Since I have one child in grade school and one in day care, my workday has to be done (or almost done) by the time I pick up big sister. Then it’s running errands or park time until we pick up little brother, and then it’s family and evening routine time.
What that means is that I'm trying to squeeze an entrepreneur's week into somewhere between 20-25 hours a week. The work has to get done; the content has to get created - because I want to be present with my family when I’m with them - not checking for emails from clients or a boss.
“I decided a long time ago I would always be the captain of my own ship, even if it’s a dinghy.”
Productivity Helpers:
Brain.fm
Brain.fm is a wonder. It’s a (paid) website that does background music and white noise based on what activity you are trying to do. Whether it’s intense focus or 7 hours of sleep.
It’s uncanny, but it works. If you can find their lifetime deal on AppSumo, get it now.
Facebook Newsfeed Eradicator
Facebook Newsfeed Eradicator is a Chrome plugin that won’t show my Newsfeed on my desktop. I can still navigate to groups, messenger, etc - but I don’t get distracted or sucked into scrolling and seeing tempting ads.
I don’t have it installed on my phone, so when I’m relaxing at night, I can still scroll through and catch up on the day if I wish.
For more of my favorite tools and resources, visit my Resources page.
Get Rid of Your Browser Bookmarks
Decluttering my browser bookmarks has freed up so much mental clutter it’s unreal. I was pointed to a great little eBook called Highly Sensitive and Seriously Stuck.* It was one of those advice books that spoke to me at the right time. Nathalie offers some amazing insight and tools for those of us introverts who have a hard time dealing with overwhelm.
She offers her email list signups access to a bunch of free resources, the most important of which is a Google Sheet that serves as a home to document and keep relevant links for anything evergreen or current.
The act of clearing out my bookmarks and really going through and deciding what’s still applicable and useful feels like the best spring cleaning ever.
Unsubscribe Without Mercy
Inbox Zero is attainable, believe me. I have committed to unsubscribing from any email that is inbox clutter immediately upon getting it. I have unsubscribed from all email lists but a handful of people who consistently provide me with real value and insight (and feel goods) for my business.
And when I say a handful, I mean there are actually only 5 people I still get emails from. Try it by actually making a list of whose emails you open, read, and apply - and unsubscribe from everything else.
I even wrote a blog on how amazing this one action has been for myself and my business.
Disable Notifications
Notifications are the bane of modern existence. Heads down, sore necks, thumbs scrolling.
My friend Cat likens this societal-tick we’ve established by checking our phones constantly to getting up and opening your front door every 5 mins, just in case someone is there. Pretty accurate picture huh?
Disable every damn notification you can possibly get away with on your phone. What you’ll realize when you go in (much less) periodically to check for notifications is nothing was really that urgent anyway.
Use A Planner
Your planner is only going to work for you if you USE it! Make filling out your planner part of your morning or Sunday routine.
My other favorite planners include the Full Focus Planner and Phoenix Planner.
Create an Ideal Work Week
My secret to staying in focus and flow with the limited work time I have is to use my Ideal Work Week and “theme” my days for less context switching.
Use the M.A.P. Process
Being mindful and evaluating what works for you and what doesn’t when it comes to time management is essential to creating more simplicity. Watch this free 20-min video on how to regroup and move forward when your week doesn’t go as planned.
Conclusion:
Having a more productive day, or getting more checked off your to-do list, isn’t about working harder or finding more hours in your day. It really comes down to 2 things:
Focus
Simplicity
When you focus on what makes the most difference in your business and simplify your systems and distractions, you’ll be able to concentrate on the right tasks to move your business forward.
