6 tips to get from chaos to calm – the ‘Shift Sheet’

Reality check. I’m just going to be upfront. There’s no magic wand that ensures you have resounding balance in business and personal for ever more. The real empowerment comes from understanding that in order to create the life and the business you want, it’s all about integration and agility.

Building a business over time is like a strand of DNA — it expands as you bring in new skills, people, projects clients and products — and contracts when consolidation, re-focus, budgeting and next level thinking is required. You may often get to peaks of feeling completely stressed out, pushed in all directions, things are not working well and you’re stuck for ideas and solutions. As an entrepreneur this can be a lonely period where you’re too afraid to show vulnerability or just don’t know where to turn to next.

These ‘tight spots’ are the times we are most challenged mentally, physically and financially within our business. Highs lows, learnings and discovery, challenges and wins. This can happen quarterly, monthly, annually or over a 3 year life span. I’ve had it happen in a matter of weeks! The more you put yourself out there the bigger the risk, change, challenges and of course rewards and growth.

Regardless of the product or service, the pace of the industry or if it’s a one man show — this expand/contract model applies to any business that is serious about growth and development. I call this the VITALITY SHIFT — from chaos to calm.

There is a wonderful silver lining to life and business experience. Knowledge is power — being able to recognise where you sit on the Shift Sheet can enable you to ask the right questions, get the right support and plan your time effectively to move into the next phase with agility and grace. This can work for business and at home. Whether you’re navigating alone, managing a team or balancing both with family, you are going to start to learn how to create a clear and concise road map for challenges. From chaos to calm. Here’s how:

1. OWN IT! Where are you right now (Survival Mode)

The first step is acknowledging the tight spot. Own it! It’s natural to hit road blocks. Take the time to stop and do a chemistry check: Don’t bury your issues in paper work or in bottle of wine at the end of the day. Chances are if you’re not sleeping, get distracted easily and have a constant knot in your stomach somethings out of whack.

2. Assessment

Time to give you and your business and health check and look at where the tight spot actually is.Identify the real issues and road blocks. Get the facts and stats onto a giant sheet of paper and get the emotion and subconscious sabotage out of the way

• What is the real issue
• What are one or two NEXT steps you can do to help to address this
• Write them up on a giant post it note and make sure they are visible.

3. Awareness — step back and ask

• Do you have all the info and resources you need to hand.
• Is this a completely new challenge you may need to get some expert or friendly advice on?
• Identify your strengths and where you may need to ask for help

4. Engagement & Action. Get practical.

Make a plan

• What do you need to start. What’s the absolute first step on your list? Don’t try and get it all figured out – just list the FIRST thing you need to do to move forward.
• Do you have the resources, support and elements around you. If not, what/who do you need and how can you get this? Identify the skills, experience and exact support you need. Even if it’s as simple as swopping school runs with your partner twice a week so you can have some ME time for health and wellbeing..
• Delegate and empower others around you by leading by example and giving clear concise communication on what you need, where things are at and desired outcome.

5. Accountability

Make it transparent. Better out than in. Each week I write out a “Crap Sheet” on a giant post it note and assign action points to elements that are taking valuable mental hard drive space. Chances are there are some more emotional attachments to some business elements that can be quickly alleviated with common sense and a straight forward approach. Ditch the ‘stories’ and internal dialogue, and address any issues with clarity and conviction. Life is always going to throw curve balls – we need to lean out a little and recognise when we hit tight spots and what they really mean.

This challenge, discomfort or hard knock period is there for you to learn and grow as a person and a leader. What learnings are you taking with you to move forward, what elements can you leave behind that no longer serve you. This is the time to think like a true CEO and focus on facts not fiction. Experience a shift – you have a plan, know your resources, understand the issue and can break it down. So what’s the end result of this 5 step process? Ultimately you are back in the drivers seat.

You now have:

1. A toolkit for tight spots
2. A feeling of liberation and control – once you see the phases – recognise where you are at and plan accordingly
3. Personal connection and understanding – nothing beats a sense of knowing – it restores harmony, reduces internal chatter and allows you to own up to where you are at
4. Respect and authenticity. Being accountable is the number one rule. If you can’t lead by example how can you expect others to follow you
5. Self Belief! Trust yourself in this process – we know more than we usually give ourselves credit for – slow down and create space to make great decisions from within.

Remember the moment you get into a feeling of chaos it’s an opportunity to learn, build personal experience and trust. No one said it was going to be easy but boy is it worth it.