Working ‘On’ Your Business vs. Working ‘In’ Your Business

Let's eat, Grandma!

Let's eat Grandma!

Language is a funny thing. Only a simple comma separates a cozy dining experience from a cannibalistic feast. Good thing for Grandma that little punctuation mark is there.

Now consider another example: working 'in' your business versus working 'on' your business. Again, the difference is small -just one letter. But that one letter can mean a lot to your business.

Working in your business is just that, rolling up your sleeves and getting your hands dirty in the day-to-day operations. It's answering sales calls, overseeing installations, writing website content and a hundred other small things that make everything go. Many entrepreneurs, particularly smaller ones without a lot of staff, find themselves up to their eyeballs in these tasks. There's nothing wrong with that, of course. In fact, it's often necessary. It's your business, after all.

What about working 'on' your business?

This work is larger scale, long-term planning. Where do you want to be in five years? What upgrades, new equipment and resources will it take to get there? Should you outsource or take on more staff? What are the pros and cons of each alternative?  What's your strategic marketing plan?

While the day-to-day operations of your business are critically important, sometimes you can get lost in the minutiae. You need to spend time 'on' your business or you'll never grow the way you want. Like most big things, planning for the future is not something you want to just squeeze in when you have a few minutes to catch your breath. It's something you'll want to block off time for.

How do I block time, you ask, when I have a dozen other things all clamoring for my attention each day?

• Make the Time.  You are the ultimate arbiter of your schedule. Nothing goes on there unless you allow it to. Set up a list and prioritize the things that need to get done and what can wait until the next day. Set yourself a limited number of tasks per day. Group like tasks together if possible, particularly if they involve some sort of setup time before you begin.
• Limit your Email and Social Media.  It's very easy to get sucked into emails, forums or responding to social media comments. The key is to maximize the time. Many successful entrepreneurs have found they are just as productive only checking their email or social media accounts once or twice a day rather than constantly monitoring them.
• Don't Fear Whitespace.  If possible, resist the urge to book yourself solid. Whitespace in your daily calendar is not wasted time. It's built-in flexibility that allows you to respond to new challenges and opportunities.

And once you have the time set aside to work on the business, use it. Working 'on' your business is just as important as working 'in' your business. There's no time like the present to plan for your business' future.