Develop a Realistic Business Plan

One reason for burnout is incongruency between the life you want and the life you’re living. Most of that problem is due to a lack of planning.

Many small business owners think that if their business is a home business or a small business that they don’t need a real business plan. After all, they think I am not going to get a business loan, so why do I need to do all that planning?

The truth is if you want to succeed, and you want it to be repeatable, and you want to avoid the potential for burnout, you must develop a business plan. A business plan will help you structure, run, and grow your business realistically and sustainably. Plus, creating a business plan isn’t even hard to do. Let’s learn how to make a one-page business plan for your home business right now.

Your one-page business plan should include the following. However, keep in mind it doesn’t literally have to live on only one page. You should include as much information as you need in your business plan to help you develop a guiding document for your business. If one page works for you, that’s fabulous!

Describe the Problem

You’ll want to write a well thought out description of the problem that your customers have that you can solve along with any relevant data that describes how you can do that to show proof.

Your Product or Service

This is the solution to the problem above, so you’ll want to go through each product or service you offer and describe the solution in terms of how it solves the problem that the customer has. If you have more than one solution, this is the area that might end up taking more than one page. However, going through this can help you with marketing later.

How You Make Money

This is considered your business model. How will you make the money, how much will it cost you to make the money, and what is the price the customer will pay for the solution and how will they pay it?

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Describe Your Customer(s)

Understanding your target market is an essential component of your business plan and your business planning needs. Include a customer avatar through the buying journey. Talk about how many customers there are, and how much you can earn from each customer throughout their customer life cycle.

Describe How You’re Different

It can help to describe how you’re going to differentiate yourself from your competition. This is called your “competitive advantage” in business. It’s how you use your differences to stand out from the competition and create customer loyalty.

Describe Your Team

Even if it’s just you, it helps to write down all the tasks and roles that need to be accomplished to make this business work. However, even if it is just you, it’s not just you due to the technology you can use, such as email marketing software, funnel software, and other automation.

Also, if you plan to outsource anything, write that down too. Maybe the first year you’re doing it all yourself but include financial metrics that trigger outsourcing or major software purchases.

Include Key Financial Metrics

Do you Know your Numbers?

You need to know what your budget is for marketing, software, outsourcing, and so forth. This is often called a Financial Summary in a business plan. You’ll want to include figures for now, and your future as you forecast potential sales. Finally, you’ll want to add what funding you need right now to get started or to move forward with your business.

As you go through this, just focus right now on writing a summary of each section so that you see what needs to be done in one easy to read page. As you move forward, you can add more information to the plan, which may make it grow past the one page, but it will be a helpful exercise to help keep on moving toward your goals.

As you move toward your goals, you’ll be a lot less likely to experience burnout when you’ve set up your business realistically in balance with your entire life. Writing down the business plan helps you see it more clearly and plainly, thus allowing you to really accomplish what you set out to do rather than keeping it as a dream.

October 4, 2020December 20, 2020

Five Steps to Reviving A Fading Dream

Do you remember what you wanted to be growing up?

Many people forget their once cherished dreams because of bad things that have happened from the time they realized their dream of becoming such and such to where they currently are.

Growing up, you may have wanted to be an Astronaut only to end up with a completely different profession due to unfavorable conditions or a series of misfortunes along the way.

If you are wondering whether reviving a fading dream is possible, I need you to know that it is.

You can begin chasing your long-lost dream, bring it to life, and start living the life you have always wanted no matter where you are, what you have accomplished, how many times you have failed, or how old you are.

You just have to believe you can do it and begin taking the necessary steps that will get you a step closer to your dream every single day.

Top 5 Ways Of Reviving Your Fading Dream And Making It Work.

Write down your vision.

Every professional worth her salt knows that keeping a journal of the most important things you intend to achieve is a smart way of moving forward.

Writing down your fading dream is going to give you a clearer image of where you desire to be and it will make you realize that fulfilling your dream is still possible.

Writing things down is a smart way of reducing a seemingly huge and impossible task into a much more sizable and doable undertaking. It is a brilliant way of reviving a dying dream.

Find out what needs to be done to bring it to life.

After writing down your dream as a way of reminding yourself of what you once desired, start finding out what you need to do to bring it to life. Identify the main things that you need to begin paying more attention to.

For example, “Do you have to change your schedule?” “Do you need to take a short course?” etc. Once you realize what needs to get done or changed, go ahead and implement the change.

Take small essential steps.

A lot of people haven’t gathered enough courage to renew their vanishing dreams because they fear things may not turn out the way they are expecting.

You may be thinking of changing careers but you are afraid that resigning from your job may not be the smart move at the moment.

The good thing about revisiting your vision is that you don’t have to quit your job. You can begin working on your dream while continuing with your occupation.

The only thing that matters is that you allocate at least an hour a day to reviving your dream and always take small but significant steps.

Let that sink in for a minute. Even small steps can move you closer to your Goal. Keep Moving Forward.

Take calculated risks.

Taking risks isn’t something that many people are comfortable with mostly because not all risks turn out the way they are expected.

However, the most noteworthy academics and business magnets had to take risks at some point in their lives and some of the risks they took turned them into the experts they are today.

Know that there is nothing wrong with taking risks.

You just have to make sure you make a careful estimation of the outcome that is most likely to occur.

Once you have concluded that you have more to gain from making that choice, go ahead and take the risk. It may turn out to be just what you need to begin living your dream life.

A perfect example of someone who took an unusual risk is Steve Jobs who sold his Volkswagen bus to raise $1, 500 in capital to start his tech company Apple Inc. Steeve Job’s shares had a net worth of over $10 billion at the time of his death!

Be persistent.

The most effective way of renewing your fading dream and making it work is by being persistent.

As you continue to bring your vision to life, you will experience feelings of insufficiency and doubt but don’t give up.

Keep moving and stick it out until your long-cherished dream becomes a reality.

September 29, 2020December 20, 2020

Managing Your Mental State (When Times Are Tough) or (Through Adversity)

Managing your mental state is an ongoing and complex job.

There are so many things that can negatively affect us daily.

Ranging from small inconveniences to larger, more involved problems. Our state of mind is a compilation of our past, present and future thoughts and feelings.

When times are tough, whatever the reasons may be, managing your mental state is more important than ever.

Self-awareness is first when it comes to managing mental state.

When you understand how you feel, where those feelings are coming from and why you have those particular feelings, then can you begin to manage your mental state.

This is much easier said than done for most people and that’s perfectly normal.

A counselor or psychologist may be able to help you understand your feelings more in-depth.

Talking with someone objective to help put your feelings in perspective is extremely beneficial as well. Once you identify why you feel a certain way, you can begin to understand your feelings and manage them in a positive way.

Mindfully breathing is a powerful calming tool. Breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth will slow heart rate and curb anxiousness. Moreover, meditation will aid in clarity of mind.

Fifteen minutes per day to sit in silence and clear your head does wonders for your mental state.

Positive affirmations also enhance one’s state of mind. Positive affirmations are positive phrases you repeat to yourself daily. Try talking to yourself in the mirror in the morning.

Tell yourself things like, “I am confident.” or “I am relaxed and at peace.”

These positive affirmations will sink into your subconscious mind. Over time, you will start to believe the positive statements you have repeated to yourself. You can change your cognitive patterns away from negative thinking.

Turn Negative self talk into More Productive Energy

Don’t give in to the quick fix of self medication. Using alcohol or drugs is not uncommon when people want to make themselves feel better.

But when faced with adversity, adding mind altering substances will enhance negative feelings. Stay sharp and in tune with yourself. So that you are able to be positive and consciously manage your feelings.

Staying on top of your mental health is not an easy task. When faced with challenges throughout life, remember there are tools that can be utilized. Actively managing your mental state will result in a more self aware, calm and happier you.

September 28, 2020December 20, 2020

Set Yourself Up For Future Success During Or After A Crisis

Life is full of surprises. Some are positive; some can prove to be more challenging. It’s the reaction to the unknown that defines us. Crises are subjective, unplanned and can range from a small occurrence to something catastrophic. Although we may not know when change is coming, we can be prepared for some of it with just a little bit of forethought. There are several things you can do to set yourself up for success after a crisis.

Don’t live outside your means. Living paycheck to paycheck is difficult and takes an emotional toll. But, scraping to make rent or mortgage, bills etc. becomes even more stressful when there are other struggles going on in life. There are some steps you can take to live within your means. Downsizing your home can help reduce your monthly payments and give you some ability to save more. Make a budget and stick to it. When formulating the budget, take a close look at your spending habits. You can save by cutting out eating at restaurants, cable tv and entertainment costs. All of this will help set you up to be more comfortable in the future, when the unexpected happens.

There are some useful pastimes you can take up that will enlarge your life skill set and ultimately help set you up for future success. Gardening is fun and has functionality.

harvest

Growing some of your own food will help you financially as well as ensure you always have something to eat. There are plenty of herbs, fruits and vegetables that are easy to grow and require a relatively small amount of space. Learning to sew is another way to cut costs. You can do your own alterations, pillowcases and other useful household items and maybe even your own clothes.

Finally, take care of yourself. When you are physically and mentally healthy, you are more equipped to take on any challenge that comes your way.

Weight loss Regular exercise is important and doesn’t have to break the bank. It also aids in reducing stress and getting a good night’s sleep. You can also try fifteen minutes of relaxation and mindfulness to help your brain unwind and begin the morning with clarity. This will help your mental state, making it easier to take on challenging situations.

Hardships are a part of life. Planning ahead and bettering yourself will drastically increase your chances of success on the other side of a crisis.

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September 26, 2020December 20, 2020

Becoming More Mindful By Slowing Down on Immediate Gratification

Immediate gratification is defined as the desire to experience fulfillment without delay.

In today’s world, it’s more attainable than ever.

Some common instances of how some people allow themselves immediate gratification are with food, shopping and entertainment.

It’s human nature to want something good and not want to wait for it. But, there’s such a thing as too much of a good thing.

Being conscious of how much immediate gratification we allow ourselves and then slowing down on it has some perks.

If we take the time to ask ourselves what we really need and want and if we’re willing to wait for it, we can become more mindful and productive.

Overconsumption of food, as well as the type of food Americans tend to reach for is a common topic in the US.

Almost all of us are guilty of it. After a long day at work or taking care of our kids, it’s often easier to stop at the fast food drive thru for dinner.

But, just as well known as these facts are, it’s as well known that fast food type foods aren’t good for us.

Instead of the immediate gratification of the easy meal, we can make the mindful decision to choose our health.

All it will take is a little planning ahead to have a healthy and satisfied meal already prepared at home.

By consciously choosing to not give in to the immediate gratification some foods provide, we will be healthier.

Shopping is another way people achieve immediate gratification.

It feels good to buy something that we want, or that is a good deal.

With the boom of online shopping it’s as easy as a click away. Do we really need all of these “things”?

Simply being mindful of spending habits can help save money. Financial stability is more important than the “next new thing”.

Entertainment is immediate too. Almost everyone has a smartphone. The internet is at our fingertips at all times. I

t’s not uncommon for people to be on their phones constantly checking social media sites or playing on gaming apps.

If we are able to put the phones and computers down and actively engage, we will build stronger, more meaningful, productive relationships.

By being mindful of our urges for immediate gratification, we can curb them. We can take a front seat in decisions that affect our lives. Immediate gratification is so easy, especially in this day and age.

But, easy is not always best in the long run.

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September 22, 2020December 20, 2020

Changing Your Mindset: Attitude is Everything

Keeping a positive outlook can be a struggle during times of uncertainty and understandably so.

It’s easy to feel surrounded by doom and gloom when you’re virtually sequestered.

Making things even more difficult is the constant flood of information coming from the news and social media sites. It’s important to take your mental health seriously, and mindset seems to be the key.

There are two camps out there when it comes to mindset during challenging times. Some people are able to focus on the positives, while others seem to be more challenged to keep a productive, positive mentality.

This “new normal” that we’re facing comes along with all sorts of new ways of living.

Attitude can really be everything when it comes to a healthy mindset.

We are asked to change our behavior and how we interact with others. This can feel isolating. But, what about thinking of it as an opportunity to spend much needed quality time with your immediate family.

Maybe you find yourself unexpectedly out of work and home with the kids. You could give in to the worry and let it stress you out. Or you can use this extra time spent with children and bring the family closer.

Try making it a fun experience to remember! Not all learning is done in the classroom or behind a computer screen.

How about taking the kids outside for a nature walk to collect leaves or flowers and then label them. Or, try a homemade weather station, where they measure and record the daily temperature, rainfall and humidity. There are plenty of resources out there for fun, active learning ideas.

Another way to keep positive is to try and unplug. It’s necessary to take a conscious step back from the tv or computer screen.

Try not to let yourself be inundated with negative news 24/7. Remember, there are still good things happening in the world. Maybe search for some funny cat videos to watch, or Facetime with friends and family.

Do something to make yourself smile.

Sometimes something as small as what you’re wearing can make all the difference in how you feel. Even if you’re working from home now, getting up and getting dressed as if you were headed to the office, may give that needed mood boost and positive motivation. Achieving a positive outlook can be as simple as daily positive affirmations. Find what works best for you.

Giving yourself a mood-makeover is something we can all do to help ourselves stay focused on the positives during this time of uncertainty. Remember, no one is perfect. So, if you feel yourself starting to slip into negative thinking patterns, try making a conscious effort to rearrange your mindset. A positive attitude can go a long way!