Why it’s important to reflect

It’s so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day of running a business that we sometimes forget to take a step back and check that we’re still on the right path.

Setting time aside to reflect on the past week, fortnight or month keeps us focused on the end goal and the tasks needed to get us there. We can see where things are going well and what needs improvement and make any changes early to not waste time on work that takes us in the wrong direction.

How to reflect

There is no set method for reflecting so it’s up to you how you want to do this. My pointers would be to:

• Put it in your diary – schedule it like you would any meeting and set a time limit.
• Have an idea of what you want to reflect on – know what you want to get out of the session.
• Have an open mind and be kind – especially to yourself. Don’t beat yourself up if the past week didn’t go as planned. It’s all a learning experience.
• Write down your thoughts – no matter how trivial, getting it down on paper clears your mind and opens you up for new ideas.

What to reflect on

Again, this is completely up to you. You might decide to split each week of the month into separate sections of the business, or goals one month and processes the next. Whatever frequency and focus that keeps you moving forward are going to be the best method for you.

You could reflect on:

Goals – are they still your goals, how are you progressing, do you have new ones, what’s your priority?

Vision – is what you’re doing holding true to your vision, is it the same vision?

Values – have you set these out, are they still true or have they changed, does how you run your business reflect these?

Progress – how are you and your business growing, what other areas are you seeing progress in?

Development – are you taking time for personal and business development, where could you develop further, what courses or other training is available to you?

Lessons – what have you learned through interactions, what does this tell you about what you might need in the future?

Message – does your messaging match your vision and values, is it getting through to your clients?

Schedule/time management – are you making the best use of your time, do you find certain tasks being put off consistently, are your work hours eating into your home hours, where would it be more efficient to hand over to someone else?

Tools/processes – are there tools and other processes or systems that could help you, are there any getting in the way?

What to do next

Reflecting allows you to see what’s working, what’s not, and to make a plan.

After thinking about the different areas above, what do you need to change or do more of? What will help you get to where you want to go – why you built your business in the first place.

You might find that you need more time, once you’ve reflected, to fix something. For example, you might find that your message is completely at odds with your values. In that case, you’ll need the time to understand where it went wrong and how to fix it.

The good thing is, now you know and can do something about it.

Summary

Working on your business is just as important, if not more so, than in your business, so see this time as an opportunity for growth. 

Do it regularly and you’ll get further, faster.

If you need more time on your business, we’re experts in taking on those lower-value tasks that eat up your time. Contact us and see how we can help you manage your time more effectively.

For more tips on systems and processes that help grow your business, subscribe to our newsletter here.

Get a little superstar treatment by contacting us on:

Email: info@jaxstarsolutions.co.uk

Telephone: 020 3362 4436

Mobile: 07811 393520

Website: https://www.jaxstarsolutions.co.uk/