10 Ways to Slow Down in Business (and Why You Would Want to)

Sometimes we just need to slow down. It could be our body telling us it needs a break. It could be our mind experiencing the first signs of burnout. But how do we do that? It might have been so long since we’ve changed our pace, we don’t know where to begin. Here are some tips on the best ways to slow down in business.

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1. Eliminate wasted time

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Take a deep look at your to-do list. Identify one task that you’ve always done that adds nothing to your business.

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2. Get off electronics

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What would you do if you had to stay off electronics? If you spend any time on social media, eliminating it even partially can be a huge pickup in time. Getting back into nature is healing for everyone.

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3. Get enough sleep

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If you are sleep-deprived, everything takes longer. Slowing down and getting enough sleep each night can make you more productive, reduce your work hours and help you feel more refreshed.

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4. Gain a new perspective

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Slowing down your normal routine can help you gain perspective. You might have been fighting fires in the trenches for so long, you’ve forgotten why you’re in business to begin with. Take time to re-connect with your mission, vision, and purpose. Make sure your employees understand their grander goals as well.

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5. Avoid multi-tasking

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Almost everyone thinks they are good at multi-tasking, but it turns out science says only a minority percentage of people can really multi-task effectively.

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6. Stop worrying about billable hours (for service businesses)

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At least for a while,If you are really fixated on billable hours, you may need to just let them go for a while until you can get your perspective back. There is more to life and business than billable hours.

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7. Re-connect with your business community

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If there has been no time to connect with your co-owners, customers, and employees, slowing down can provide that time. The most important thing is to simply show up and listen. You will learn a lot!

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8. Make time for strategy

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If your business is headed in the wrong direction, that is the ultimate time-waster! Slowing down allows you to re-visit your strategy, making sure you are working on the right projects, that you have the right company culture, and that your business goals are in alignment with your big-picture purpose.

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9. Do nothing

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It’s really okay to do nothing when you’re the business owner. You need time to come up with ideas, think about the hard issues, and even daydream.

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10. Get better at managing distractions

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If you get interrupted every five minutes, you will be drained of energy at the end of your work day. Get smart about managing interruptions so you can be more productive. This will free up more time for you to take breaks and slow your pace during your workday.

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If you would like JADDE to assist you with your financial and accounting options, we’d love to help!

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Let’s set up a time to chat here: https://calendly.com/jaddefs/intro-call