Are you struggling to juggle it all?
If you are like me, chances are that you might be juggling lots of things at the time: running your business, family, hobbies, side projects, etc. That’s why we need all the help we can get.
Small business owners often wear multiple hats and juggle many responsibilities, which can lead to burnout if they don't find ways to make it all work while prioritising self-care. Being a working mum of a 2 and a 4-year-old, I know what it’s like! So I thought to take you through a few tools to help you in the daily running of your business (and life!):
1. Project Management
Use project management software like Asana, Trello, or Clickup to help manage projects and delegate tasks more efficiently.
Asana keeps me focused and on track with my priorities and tasks (business and personal), and my team's tasks and allows us to keep comms out of email. I’ve also been working with Notion for over a year through a client, and I love its versatility.
There are plenty of options in the market. Find the one that works best for your business and become an efficiency pro!
2. Accounting
Implement accounting software like Xero, MYOB or Hnry to automate accounting and financial management tasks, such as bookkeeping, invoicing, and expense tracking.
3. Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
Use CRM software like Salesforce or HubSpot to manage customer interactions, streamline sales processes, and track customer behaviour.
If you are already using Asana and Notion, you can create your own CRM system there.
4. Email Marketing
Use email marketing software like Mailchimp or MailerLite to streamline email marketing campaigns, automate email sequences, and track email performance.
Again, there are plenty of options out there - find the one that best serves your business.
5. Social Media Management
Use social media management software to schedule and manage your social media as well as analyse performance. I personally use Later, but there are plenty out there to serve your needs depending on your preferred social accounts and what you want out of it.
If you focus on LinkedIn, you can now schedule directly there. Although I miss the feature to be able to edit scheduled posts, I’m sure it’s not far away!
6. Online scheduling
Use scheduling software like Calendly or Acuity to streamline appointment scheduling and eliminate the need for back-and-forth emails.
I use Calendly to schedule my business calls and love using Acuity to streamline my clients' coaching programmes!
7. Communication
Use communication software like Slack or Microsoft Teams to streamline team communication and collaboration, and reduce the need for internal emails.
8. Video conferencing
Use video conferencing software like Zoom or Google Meets to facilitate remote meetings and reduce the need for in-person meetings.
9. Cloud Storage
Use cloud storage platforms like Dropbox or Google Drive to store and share documents, collaborate on projects, and ensure data security.
10. Design
Canva is an excellent tool to support small businesses' design needs, from social media graphics to marketing materials, presentations, and more. Canva's collaborative features allow team members to work together on designs in real time, streamlining the design process and reducing the need for back-and-forth emails or meetings. You can also schedule your social content from there.
These 10 tools can help businesses operate more efficiently, streamline operations, reduce costs, and improve overall productivity.
I would also like to reinforce the importance of taking the needed steps to balance life and finding tools to work more efficiently.
For example:
Set realistic goals and expectations
Delegate tasks
Take breaks and holiday
Prioritise self-care / time for yourself
Build a support network
Get organised
Set boundaries (important one!)
Ultimately, when you feel balanced, it leads you to a more successful and sustainable business (and life!).