Sometimes we’re unhappy with the way our leaders are handling a situation. Or maybe we don’t think people are participating the way they should.

So, we blame others for what we see as lacking in them. We reprimand and deride them for not doing what we think they should be doing.

But this is a slippery slope, as it often leads to scapegoating. Here’s why scapegoating ruins your life, and what you can do about it.

Scapegoating Destroys Relationships

We can’t always trust our knee-jerk reactions, at least not in matters of business and negotiation.

When something goes wrong, there will always be the temptation to blame someone else for what happened, rather than taking ownership for the blunder.

In the short term, you might be able to come up with a convincing case as to why it was Joan’s or James’ fault, but in the long run, no one who knows your tendency to assign blame will want to work with you anymore. Plus, your lies will probably be found out at some point.

It’s much easier to gain a negative reputation than to build a positive one. Blaming others will destroy relationships and leave you with a reputation you won’t easily be able to downplay or repair.

Scapegoating Weakens Your Leadership

Avoiding responsibility is human nature. But for entrepreneurs and leaders, it’s simply not the way. Blaming others may make you feel better about a situation temporarily, but it will cause more chaos and confusion among your team than it’s worth.

Good leaders know to take responsibility for everything. They know that everything that happens, happens under their watch. If a team member or employee makes a mistake, the leader recognizes that something was missing in how the project was originally communicated.

A good leader isn’t someone who is constantly looking for something or someone outside of themselves to assign blame to. A good leader is someone who is willing to step up and take responsibility, no matter the mistake or its consequences.

Scapegoating Stifles Your Progress

If you value your personal growth, understand that scapegoating is lazy. Instead of looking at your own faults, or thinking about what you could have done differently to have things work, it has you focusing on the perceived deficiencies of others. How can you grow when you’re not focused on bettering yourself?

You may feel that exploiting the weaknesses of others will help you get ahead, and it might for a while. But if you keep it up, the only thing you will get better at is scapegoating. You won’t improve in other ways that might matter to you.

Stop Ruining Your Life – What to Do

If you’re ready to change, observe these steps:

• Accept responsibility. Start taking ownership of more things. It doesn’t need to be anything huge. For instance, take responsibility for the fact that the garbage wasn’t taken out yesterday, whether it was your fault or not.
• Take on some solo assignments. In a situation where you’re the only one working on the project, you can’t blame anyone else for failure (well, you can, but you’ll just look foolish).
• Give up positional leadership. Just because you’re a manager, C-suite executive or even an entrepreneur doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a great leader. Let go of the title and instead commit to your growth in this area. Consume materials by the likes of John Maxwell and Robin Sharma.

The post Why Scapegoating Ruins Your Life & What to do About it appeared first on Ghost Blog Writers.

That’s why it’s imperative that you continuously evaluate and look to improve your sales processes. And if you suspect your sales team is unproductive or could stand to improve, keep reading. Today, we’re diving into all the proven techniques, latest insights, and strategies to boost sales productivity and your company’s bottom line.

Evaluate Your Sales Productivity First

Be smart and calculated about tackling your sales productivity. That means first conducting a pulse check on your current sales processes and results. Sit down with your analytics to identify challenges, areas of improvement, and those efforts that prove to be doing well. Then, sit down with your sales teams and ask them individually about their sentiments of the overall sales process. Together, your metrics and direct sales team feedback can guide you to prioritize what changes need to be made. And you might be surprised by what your sales pros tell you.

Why and How to Measure Sales Productivity

The average salesperson only actually spends one-third of their time selling. The rest of their workdays are spent with emails, researching clients, managing data and funnels, and in meetings. And their productivity is going to directly impact your company’s bottom line – making it a top priority metric to prioritize. If sales productivity is low, they’re not covering their own expenses, and your business is losing money.

You can tackle sales productivity challenges in two ways:

1. Introducing methods and resources that increase how much time your reps are actually selling.
2. Introducing methods and resources that ensure teams are maximizing their sales efficiencies.

Sales efficiency is measured by identifying how many opportunities a salesperson has to convert a sale. You can also measure the length of time it takes to close a sale. Additionally, collect data that highlights the number of sales converted per initial cold-call contact. These metrics will help you get a big-picture understanding of where your sales teams need help and improved productivity methods.

Other Sales Productivity Stats That Will Blow Your Mind

Sales productivity matters, and these latest sales stats might just blow your mind. But they only reinforce why productivity is so important for so many business owners and sales managers.

• In 2021, 53% of salespeople reported working from home for more than half of their workdays.
• Only 24.3% of sales pros exceeded their 2021 sales quotas.
• More than 41% of salespeople say phone calls are their most productive sales tools.
• More than 80% of sales staff don’t take the time to review and/or correct their sales processes.
• One in every five salespeople say they don’t have the resources they need to be successful.
• Only 15% of all salespeople contacted more than 1,000 prospects last year.
• More than 66% of salespeople only contacted 250 or less prospects last year.
• As many as 77% of salespeople say their employers plan to invest in sales intelligence resources.
• Another 54% of salespeople say using digital sales tools helps them to close more deals.
• Of all the digital sales tools, 70% of sales pros say CRMs are “very important.”
• In B2B sales, 65% of most company sales are generated from referrals.

Eliminate Productivity Obstacles and Challenges

When improving your sales initiatives, processes, methods, and productivity, start by eliminating those aspects that serve as obstacles. Below are just a few of the most common sales challenges and obstacles to consider removing.

Is there too much performance pressure?

While sales quotas and funnel benchmarks are important for your sales teams to know what is expected of them, there can be too much performance pressure. And when your teams are under too much pressure, they can, over time, falter and cave to the weight. Consider giving your sales teams some breathing room with their quotas and activity reporting. And be just as judicious about rewarding them for doing the right things and not just landing sales.

Are your sales processes disjointed?

You might have multiple layers of sales processes in place and several sales levels of teams responsible for executing those processes. In fact, 63% of purchases involve more than four different people at your company, usually an inside marketing rep, a customer service rep, and others. But if you have a communication or process breakdown between all those different components, you’re going to have sales struggles. Look to streamline your online tools and prospecting with your physical teams. Bridge gaps between salespeople and sales support staff and both inside sales and outside sales. And make sure every tool and person within your entire sales process is seamlessly connected.

When was the last time you offered sales training?

Don’t presume that one round of sales training for your teams is enough. Instead, consider building out ongoing sales training to keep your teams sharp and productive. Keep these sessions short and value-packed, focusing on one sales topic at a time. For example, you could host sales training on cold calling, presentation techniques, building a proposal, overcoming objections, closing methods, or funnel management.

Are there breakdowns in sales communication?

Sometimes, breakdowns in sales productivity are a result of breakdowns in communication. Consider evaluating how your teams are communicating with each other, with you, with clients, and with sales support. Spot inconsistencies and create improvements and more efficient communication methods.

Is there resistance to new software or technology?

There are brilliant digital tools perfect for automating sales emails, prospecting schedules, and managing follow-up. But even with the best software in-house, they won’t work if your sales teams aren’t using them. If you suspect there is a resistance to using and leveraging the technology you have, consider hosting training sessions and imposing requirements for your salespeople to use these valuable resources.

Are you experiencing high rates of sales team turnover?

You won’t track sales momentum if you’re constantly having to hire new sales professionals. Check your turnover rates. Typically, sales roles turnover more frequently than administrative or management roles. But if there’s a higher-than-average turnover rate among your sales teams, it’s a sign there’s a problem. Troubleshoot to identify if you need to improve the company culture, change management, or improve resources.

Is your sales team creating a toxic environment?

Your entire sales team could struggle to meet goals and be productive if there is a toxic sales culture. And it only takes one bad sales apple to ruin the entire environment. Friendly competition is healthy. However, over-aggressive competitiveness can be toxic. Talk with your sales pros individually and ask them how they feel about your sales culture to learn if such toxic behaviors exist among the ranks.

Do your sales teams struggle with prioritizing?

Even some of the best sales executives struggle with organizational and administrative tasks sometimes. Your team’s lack of productivity could be remedied by simply introducing training and support for proper prioritizing and task management best practices.

Introduce Sales Productivity Improvements

Once you feel you’ve removed all the sales productivity barriers and obstacles, you can then begin to introduce sales productivity additions. Consider these new or innovative extras to add to your sales methods and support efforts to boost sales productivity.

Get your teams the best-fit productivity tools

Ask your sales teams what they think they need to be more productive. And then – give it to them. For example, maybe they believe their sales tracking software is outdated, hindering productivity. Some might need more flexibility in working hours. And others might benefit from additional layers of sales support.

Automate repetitive and mundane tasks

Look for more efficient ways to reduce or eliminate repetitive tasks or mundane sales processes that could be outsourced elsewhere. Your sales teams can be high-efficiency machines when they aren’t bogged down with spreadsheet management or administrative tasks outside of the sales prospecting, proposing, and closing cycles.

Invest in better sales training

Don’t just host sales training. Host high-value, effective training sessions. Ideally, Crunchbase says that once your sales pro connects with a decision-maker, it should take roughly six calls or engagements to convert the sale. And this might mean you have to invest in bringing in sales consultants for additional sales coaching. Or you might have to invest in making training materials available online for your teams to access whenever they need it.

Practice overcommunication

Introduce additional layers of communication to keep your door open, your sales teams connected, and every support person engaged. You won’t spot sales problems if you don’t know about them. And practicing overcommunication will ensure you’re always in touch with your teams.

Be smarter about prospecting

Some salespeople will waste time driving around or organizing who they plan to cold call without actually prospecting. Improve their productivity by introducing smarter and more efficient prospecting techniques. It can take, on average, as many as eight phone calls to finally engage a prospect. Show them how to make the most of every prospecting opportunity and how to avoid paralysis by analysis.

Try sales manager shadowing

The best leaders are those who can show, not tell. And sales manager job shadowing can be a great way to set the pace and lead by example. While 85% of today’s sales reps admit to having great sales coaching, only 24% say they’re being coached on long-term sales skills sharpening. Consider implementing a regular job shadowing or team sales schedule so your teams can get first-hand knowledge from the best – YOU!

Boost lead-scoring efforts

Look for ways to improve the quality of your sales team’s leads with boosted lead scoring. If they’re targeting the wrong leads, they’ll never be successful. So get better at providing them with high-quality leads and prospects that actually reflect your target market.

Celebrate every sales victory

Don’t just celebrate your top sales performers. Celebrate every sales victory, large or small. By establishing a culture where everyone wins with a conversion, you reduce the risk of over-competitive toxicity as team members compete for recognition at the top.

Sales Productivity Depends on These Key Elements

Whether you’re removing sales productivity obstacles or adding layers of productivity resources, every effort relies on these key elements. Look for those improvements you can make through these lenses to be the most effective.

Consistency Matters

Whatever sales productivity changes you make, stick to them. Consistency with your processes, oversights, and resources is key to building sales momentum. Commit to changes that work and build towards improved efficiency, and you’ll soon build a well-oiled sales team of top sales assassins!

Innovation Matters

If you’re not innovating, your competitors are. And this includes sales productivity and results. Always be looking for innovative techniques and solutions from top sales mentors, other business owners, and in the form of digital software. Your business is always evolving, and so should your sales process.

Concentration Matters

Avoid broad-stroked sales improvements that “might” work for everyone. Get focused on improving one aspect of your sales process at a time, concentrating on solving precise problems. Customize your sales support and training programs so everyone can improve individually, too.

Sales Culture Matters

Your company culture is important, but so is your sales culture. Always look for ways to create an evolving and healthy environment where every salesperson feels inspired to grow and succeed, individually and with your company. And this includes across the board, from entry-level sales to top-tier sales veterans and even sales managers or supervisory roles.

To really improve your company’s sales and conversion results, it’s time to take a closer look at your sales productivity. Talk with your teams and analyze the metrics. From there, you can begin to remove obstacles and introduce better tools. If you need more sales and entrepreneurial insights, come back here often! And for any thought-leadership content needs, business blogging, email marketing, or content requests, let the Ghost Blog Writers team do all the heavy lifting. Contact us and get a free trial post to get started!

The post Ways to Improve the Productivity of Your Sales Teams Today appeared first on Ghost Blog Writers.

Sometimes, we have a hard time believing it. But it’s true. We are each creating our own worlds.

And the most challenging part for most is accepting that no matter what we might be experiencing, we’ve had a hand in creating it.

Rather than obsessing over what has happened, however, your energy would be better spent changing your course for the better. Here’s how.

Use Your Attention Wisely

Whatever you give your attention to expands.

Case in point:

Try very hard not to think of a pink elephant right now. What did you think of? A pink elephant, right? And now it’s growing in your awareness.

Whatever you’ve given your attention to has largely determined the course of your life to this point.

There are two keys to using your attention wisely. Adopt these habits to take the wheel:

• Focus on desired outcomes. Many people say they are focusing on what they want when they are either focusing on what they don’t want or the absence of what they want. Your feelings will always tell you whether you’re really focusing on what you want, so trust your feelings.
• Focus on new things. Very rarely do we put our attention on anything other than what is in front of us. It becomes a habit. No wonder our lives often appear monotonous and repetitive. Try putting your attention on the trees outside the window, your car’s steering wheel or the cat wandering the neighborhood. Practice putting your attention on things you wouldn’t normally set it on and do this often.

Embrace Seemingly “Negative” Events

I’ve observed that the most successful people tend to embrace every circumstance or event as positive.

And on my personal development journey, I eventually came to understand that all events are neutral. We’re the ones labeling them as either “positive” or “negative.”

So, we need to condition our habitual responses to “negative” events, as they may very well be bringing us in the direction of our desires.

I’ll say it another way – breakdowns are always opportunities for breakthroughs!

When something “bad” happens, say “This is good,” even if you don’t know how or why. Don’t let the event disrupt your joy, Zen, or calm. If you are focused on the right things, trust that you’re on the shortest path to getting what you want, and that some turbulence on the ride is inevitable.

Trust Your Imagination

Have you ever heard that the mind can’t tell the difference between reality and imagination? It’s true.

Many professional athletes are known to use visualization techniques along with regular practice to prepare for competitions. And those who do both are inevitably more effective than those who only do one or the other.

“But why does it seem like my visualizations never become reality?”

The answer is usually, “Because you’ve doubted your imagination.” If you do not doubt your imagination, it is reality.

Conclusion

There is no need to change reality by force. This tends to create more resistance, making it difficult to set yourself on a desired path. All that’s required is faith. So, once you’ve made your wish, go on your way. Get back to work. Live your life as normal. Because whatever you’ve asked for is already reality. There’s no need to try to control the process.

The post How You’re Creating Your Own World & How to Change it appeared first on Ghost Blog Writers.

Today, we’re outlining all the right and wrong digital marketing strategies you might be using. Based on reliable data and proven results, knowing what to do and what not to do is about to get a whole lot easier. And you have plenty of time to make the necessary changes to your existing plans now, so you’re positioned for BIG marketing results in 2024.

Website Presence

Your online window to the world and storefront is your website and, within it, your subsequent landing pages. But they won’t generate leads for your business if you’re not routinely updating and improving your web game. Having a website and having an effective, lead-generating website are two entirely different concepts.

What You’re Doing Right

• If you’re copywriting and sharing original content, you’re doing your messaging right.
• If you’re mindful of SEO, with strong keywords and linking strategies throughout your site, Google searches will find you.
• If you’re leveraging great graphics with user-friendly designs, your site visitors will stay longer.
• If you’re continuously using site metrics to analyze your website’s efficacy, you’re doing it right.

What You’re Doing Wrong

• If your website feels too spammy for salesy, it will be a turnoff to new visitors.
• If you’re not keeping up with website design trends and user experience preferences, you’re losing visitors.
• If your website takes too long to load or doesn’t appear well on mobile, you’re losing engagement.
• If you’re trying to manage the upkeep and visibility of your website without outside help, you’re likely missing out on improvement opportunities.

Landing Pages

Dedicated landing pages are great funnel tools. Here, information lives that outlines precise offers or announcements. And these landing pages can live embedded in your website but are only visible to those who click the landing page link. That’s why they’re incredible for email campaigns and clickfunnels. See what you’re doing right and not-so-right with your landing pages.

What You’re Doing Right:

• If you’re using landing pages as part of your sales funnels, click funnels, and email campaigns, you’re doing it right.
• If you’re using amazing headings and graphics for your landing pages, you’re doing it right.
• If you’re keeping your landing page content simple and easy to follow, you’re doing it right.
• If you’re creating new landing pages for each specific offer, you’re doing it right.

What You’re Doing Wrong:

• If you’re not optimizing your landing pages for mobile devices, you’re losing your audiences.
• If you’re using links on your dedicated landing pages that take visitors away from your page, you’re losing engagement.
• If your landing pages are too complicated or make the users feel like you’re asking too much of them, they’ll stop engaging.
• If your landing pages are missing CTAs, your audience won’t take the next steps.

Content Marketing

All of your online marketing strategies and efforts have one thing in common – content. What you say to your audience and the message you send them should enlighten, entertain, educate, empower, and engage. And because there is so much content bombarding your target audience, you’ll need a dedicated strategy behind your content to break through the noise and make an impact.

What You’re Doing Right:

• If you’re engaging your target audience with relevant and valuable content regularly, you’re doing it right.
• If you’re keeping up with a consistent blog or newsletter, you’re doing it right.
• If you’re sharing industry news, company fun, behind-the-scenes content, and purchasing advice, you’re doing it right.

What You’re Doing Wrong:

• If you don’t have a content strategy or road map, posting and uploading random content, you’re not building momentum or engaging your audience.
• If your content sells too hard, asks too much, or manipulates, your audience is going to venture elsewhere.
• If you’re approaching your content marketing with a one-size-fits-all method, you’re doing it wrong.

Email Marketing

Another online marketing strategy you should be using is email. And today’s email campaigns are far more sophisticated than ever before. Before you go buying all the software solutions and platform applications to start sending mass email campaigns, there are a few things you should know.

What You’re Doing Right:

• If you’re using sign-up forms and opt-ins to grow your email list, you’re doing it right.
• You’re using poignant, brief subject lines that grab the attention of the recipient without overselling.
• You’re segmenting your email lists and sending sequences of emails that speak to each of those segments.
• You’re customizing your email campaigns to conversationally connect with each recipient.

What You’re Doing Wrong:

• If you’re buying email lists, you’re risking poor bounce rates, spam folders, and non-target audiences.
• Don’t send the same cookie-cutter email message to all your recipients without personalization.
• Don’t send any emails without first polishing your content for broken links, grammar, and spelling.
• If you’re using the same graphics, content, and subject lines without A/B testing and customizing, you’re burning through your email lists without engaging.

Paid Ads and PPC

There’s a misconception that if you spend money on digital marketing advertising methods, like Facebook Ads, Google Ads, and Pay Per Click, you’re going to see results. Unfortunately, with so many vying for visibility and positioning, there’s no guarantee your ads are going to turn into clicks, purchases, or leads. If you want to invest in online marketing ads, there’s a right and wrong way to develop your strategy, especially if you want conversions.

What You’re Doing Right:

• Do target your paid ads to a specific target audience.
• If you’re including brief and transparent calls to action, you’re doing it right.
• If you’re using quality graphics and mobile-friendly content with your paid ads, you’re doing it right.
• If you’re following a consistent approach and strategic messaging with your paid ads, you’re doing it right.

What You’re Doing Wrong:

• Don’t blow your budget on paid ads with expectations of instantaneous results.
• Don’t blindly pay for digital marketing ads without monitoring the metrics and analytics.
• If you’re over-cramming content into your paid ads, they won’t have the same impact as brief, precise content.
• If you’re paying for online ads without testing concepts first, you’re likely overspending in the wrong direction.

Social Media Marketing

There’s social media for your personal circles, and then there’s social media for business. And that’s just half the battle. Then you have to decide if you need a presence on Facebook, X (Twitter,) Instagram, or TikTok. Stop chasing the hottest “do this” and “be here” advice. Instead, stick with the pillar do’s and don’ts of social media marketing.

What You’re Doing Right:

• If you’re routinely updating your social media business profiles, you’re doing it right and demonstrating an active presence.
• If you’re sticking to a social media strategy that includes a regular posting/sharing schedule, you’re building visibility, momentum, and trust with your audience.
• If you’re engaging, responding, and following your audience quickly and responsibly, you’re doing it right.
• If you’re using your social media platforms to provide value, fun, and informative content, you’re delivering precisely what your audience wants.

What You’re Doing Wrong:

• If you’re trying to be on all the social media platforms without narrowing your focus on those channels that work best, you’re spreading yourself too thin.
• If you’re not setting social media goals and following engagement metrics, you’re flying blind.
• If you’re spamming your followers online or in their DMs, you’re turning buyers away.
• If you’re overusing hashtags, it’s working against you.

Search Engine Optimization

How visible your brand is online, especially when potential clients browse for things you offer, depends on your ability to master search engine optimization. If you’re struggling to know what you need to know about keyword strategies, local SEO, and Google’s latest algorithm changes, keep reading. Here’s what your business SEO strategy needs and doesn’t need.

What You’re Doing Right:

• You’re conducting keyword research for your specific niche business and including those keywords throughout your website.
• You’re crafting impactful meta descriptions that represent the page content well.
• You’re tying in local city/region information with your keywords to improve local SEO.
• You’re linking to other pages and blogs within your site as well as to reputable external sites, anchoring specific keywords.

What You’re Doing Wrong:

• If you’re over-stuffing your content with keywords, fitting them in where they don’t naturally fit, it can backfire in SEO.
• If you’re constantly changing your SEO strategy to chase trends, the inconsistency could harm your site’s performance.
• If you’re ignoring the search intent or motivations of your target audience, you’re not boosting keywords and SEO properly.
• If you’re not prioritizing mobile formats and responsive design, you’re missing out on Google’s favor.

Video Marketing

Video marketing isn’t just reserved for social media. A brilliant video can cut through the content noise wherever you’re engaging your target audience. From YouTube followings and influencer marketing to boosted engagement with email campaigns and social, video marketing deserves its own strategy. And there are do’s and don’ts to consider to ensure your video campaigns and efforts are driving results.

What You’re Doing Right

• If you’re planning a video content calendar with a strategy, you’re doing it right and will be primed to engage your audience well.
• If you’re sampling various video marketing platforms and channels testing for the best-fit channels for the message, you’re doing it right.
• If you’re keeping your videos short and value-packed with educational, inspirational, and valuable information, you’re doing it right.
• If you’re creating attractive and appealing thumbnails for your videos, you’re doing it right.

What You’re Doing Wrong

• Don’t use your video content as an infomercial, overselling your brand or offerings all the time.
• Don’t make videos with the goal of going viral only since they will lose their efficacy among your target audience.
• If you’re making lengthy intro statements for your video, viewers will tune out quickly.
• If you’re rushing video content without spending time on editing, aesthetics, and branding, your audience will recognize the careless delivery and not follow.

Hashtag Marketing

What used to be a simplistic pound sign has since turned into a wildly popular digital marketing method. Clicking on a hashtag (on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and others) will take you to a feed of posts and content related to that hashtag. And there are brilliant ways businesses can boost awareness and visibility with a well-planned hashtag strategy. Consider these do’s and don’ts to make sure your hashtag marketing strategy is working for your brand and not against it.

What You’re Doing Right

• If you’re being creative and strategic with choosing what hashtag phrases you’re using, you’re doing it right.
• If you’re aligning your content with relevant, existing hashtag communities, you’re doing it right.
• If you’re verifying that your social accounts are public, your hashtags will be available and visible to non-followers.
• If you’re including the same few key hashtags with each of your posts, you’ll be building a growing community of posts associated with your brand and business.

What You’re Doing Wrong

• If you’re using too many hashtags within your posts, it can count against you in the visibility algorithms.
• Don’t string too many words together because they won’t be easily remembered or found by those who encounter them.
• Don’t forget to include a brand-specific, event-specific, or sale-specific hashtag to showcase your core message.
• If you’re only using single-word, popular hashtags, your message will get lost in the noisy space and hashtag community.

Keep this online marketing roster of do’s and don’ts handy as you evaluate which channels, strategies, and tactics are best for your business model. And when you’re ready to make a BIG impact with your content marketing, from email campaigns to ongoing blog series, let the copywriting masters at Ghost Blog Writers be your go-to team!

The post What You’re Doing Right (And Wrong) with Your Online Marketing appeared first on Ghost Blog Writers.

Vangabonding isn’t exactly a new idea, as the author of The 4-Hour Workweek Tim Ferriss will openly admit. While there are new terms to describe the phenomenon, like “lifestyle design,” the idea of becoming an explorer and living a location-independent lifestyle is appealing to many.

As I’ve discovered, though, living as a digital nomad isn’t always a bed of roses. Your journeys will test you, and you will need to learn new skills for survival. Here are several skills you’ll gain by living nomadically.

Time Management

If you think you were good at time management before, as a digital nomad, you’ll need to become even better at it. From cross-country drives to long flights to new continents, travel is going to become a regular part of your routine, and you will need to make the most of it.

Most lifestyle designers have businesses or freelancing contracts they need to manage ongoingly. Some only need to tend to their operations for 20 to 30 hours per week, while many others work full-time or longer.

So, you will need to factor work into your journeys. But you should be thinking more granularly too – sightseeing, lunches, calls back to home, and more. Efficiency is key because your psychic energy will often be used up in travel.

Packing

And when I say “packing,” I really mean what to bring, what to leave behind, what to acquire along the way, and so on.

(Although guaranteed you will become much faster at packing too.)

It’s a little easier to plan for land-based travel, given that you can store bags in your trunk or in the back of your car. But here are a few things I’ve figured out along the way:

• Clothing. Too much clothing can become a burden. But you need clothing for warmer and colder climates (or seasons as the case might be). Ideally, you want lightweight clothing that folds into small squares and is washable in a sink.

• Laundry. There are coin laundry services in most cities. But you don’t want to travel with big, heavy jugs of laundry detergent or have to purchase detergent every time you go to do your laundry. Laundry strips are compact, easy to carry, and safe with most if not all machines.

• Electronics. It’s good to have backups for everything – USB cables for your smartphone, replacement tips for your Apple Pencil, power cords for your laptop, and so on. You never know when you might need them.

Problem-Solving

Problem-solving is a bit of a lost art but guaranteed it will benefit lifestyle designers just as it does entrepreneurs.

The unexpected can happen on your travels. For instance, at one point, I had my bank card frozen due to malicious-looking activity. Even after getting the card replaced, I found myself unable to make online purchases (it was my primary means of booking Airbnb stays). So, I had to stay at a hotel (where I could make a payment in person) as I sorted out the glitches with my bank.

At times, you may need to stay in hostels, crash on a couch, sleep in the basement of a church, or even camp! Be ready to think outside the box.

Final Thoughts

You will be amazed by what you learn as a digital nomad, whether it’s basic survival skills, how to save money on flights, learning new languages, or otherwise. Be prepared to stretch yourself. You’re not doing it right if you aren’t being stretched!

The post 3 Skills You’ll Gain by Living Nomadically appeared first on Ghost Blog Writers.

Today’s inspirational leaders are operating with a new rulebook. And if you hope to achieve similar successes, you might need to make some adjustments to your way of managing. Check out these insights and start realizing your own valuable leadership potential. Chart a new course for yourself as well as those around you. Realize how to become an effective and revolutionary leader in today’s ever-changing business climate.

What Does Business Leadership Mean?

Back in the day, like a generation or two ago, leaders were essentially just bosses. Anyone with authority or power to make decisions and control the efforts of others was called a “leader.” Of course, there were some true gems in there, with a deeper understanding of impactful and thoughtful leadership, changing the lives of others for the better. But a lot of folks with a title held positions of business leadership that had no rightly business being there.

Today’s leaders are not those old-school bosses of yesteryear.

Today’s business leaders are defined as those who provide leadership to organizational employees and vendors with the purpose of collectively chaperoning the group to success that aligns with the company objectives. In short, great leaders are those who support and guide individuals and teams in a way that benefits the individuals and the company together.

The duties might look the same as the leaders of the past. Today’s empower-ers are still responsible for making critical company or departmental decisions. They’re in charge of developing and implementing goal-driven initiatives. And they’re still charged with managing employees. But it’s how today’s leaders execute on these tasks that differs and sets them apart as revolutionary leaders.

What Distinguishes a Good Leader from a Bad Leader Today?

Trying to build, grow, or maintain a company in today’s economic environment is tedious. It’s far more complex now to manage employees, sell products and services, and expand into new markets. It’s fast-paced, too, with mission-critical decisions demanding your attention every minute of every day. And the stakes are higher since one delayed decision could cost thousands. Under these kinds of pressures, the greatest leaders emerge, and they all have the same roster of key characteristics…

• Integrity
• Courage
• Empathy
• Gratitude
• Self-Awareness
• Respect

Asking around, you’ll find that employees hold leaders in the highest regard when they…

• Demonstrate a variety of skill sets needed for the job
• Have strong and transparent communication skills
• Are emotionally intelligent to the needs and preferences of their subordinates
• Inspire people to be the best version of themselves
• Motivate individuals and the collective group effectively

Why Leadership Skills Are Important for Owners and Managers

Cultivating and improving your leadership skills, whether you’re a business owner or a departmental manager, is important for several reasons. In addition to making decisions and managing staff, you’re responsible for other pivotal responsibilities. Explore these distinctions to see how you’re doing right now with your current leadership methods.

• A marginal leader will give orders. A great leader will inspire action.
• A marginal leader will delegate tasks. A great leader will share the vision behind the tasks.
• A marginal leader will control staff. A great leader will motivate teams.
• A marginal leader will compete internally. A great leader will build relationships.
• A marginal leader will avoid risks. A great leader will assess and embrace risks.
• A marginal leader will be content with the status quo. A great leader will challenge thinking and learn new solutions.

Today’s businesses need great leaders to facilitate growth, adaptability, and scaling. It’s just that simple. And it’s why as a leader yourself, these new leadership skills, methods, styles, and strategies should matter to you.

Do You Possess Great Leadership Qualities?

Understanding what today’s revolutionary leaders do differently and why these types of leaders are important in business, you can now turn inward. Reflect on your own skills and leadership characteristics. Get honest about assessing your leadership qualities. And if any of these qualities are missing from your leadership style, you know precisely what needs improvement.

Authentic Leadership

The most respected leaders always lead from a position of authenticity. This management style trusts employees. These leaders are transparent and honest about their own motivations as they guide and support others with theirs.

Empathetic Leadership

The famed Tony Robbins often talks about empathetic leadership as the most impactful leadership style. These individuals are open and sensitive to the experiences, views, and opinions of others. They’re naturally curious and make decisions with a complete understanding of how those results impact others around them.

Adaptable Leadership

Innovative leaders are always reevaluating their positions and discovering better solutions. They’re not only comfortable with change, they crave it, always seeking a more efficient strategy. These leaders can often handle any challenge or workplace dynamic before them without missing a step.

Competent Leadership

Great leaders aren’t just all personality. They’re highly skilled for the role of leadership. Competent leaders tap into their knowledge, skills, and experiences and are typically self-disciplined to a tee. They’re also regularly embracing new ideas, education, and training to grow their competencies.

Commitment-Driven Leadership

Do as I do. Commitment-driven leaders are doers and often inspire others to make similar workplace commitments. The best leaders won’t ask anyone to do something they don’t believe in or wouldn’t do themselves.

Character-Inspired Leadership

Be honest and get comfortable with your own unique experiences and beliefs. Great leaders embrace these characteristics, good and bad, in a way that informs how they manage and support others.

Different Leadership Styles for Different Leaders

While the most effective and transformative leaders of today’s business environment have many of the aforementioned characteristics and skills, your leadership style can be unique. Every leader has a style. And it’s best to stick with the methods and strategies that best complement your style, personality, and uniqueness.

HubSpot lays out several of the various leadership styles of today’s most profound leaders. Explore these and decide which (or combination thereof) you identify with the most.

Democratic Leadership: Decisions are based on input from others.

Autocratic Leadership: Decisions are derived from a single source.

Laissez-Faire Leadership: Decisions come from employees individually

Strategic Leadership: Decisions are based on goals and strategies.

Transformational Leadership: Driven to work and think in new ways.

Transactional Leadership: Employees are rewarded for jobs well done.

Coaching Leadership: Encourages and nurtures individuals.

Bureaucratic Leadership: Decisions are rooted in company policies.

Visionary Leadership: Energetic enthusiasm and focus on the future.

Pacesetting Leadership: Setting aggressive and ambitious goals.

Situational Leadership: Leadership styles and decisions are addressed uniquely by the specific situation at hand.

Taking Action to Transform Into a Great Leader

When you’re ready to take action and transform your leadership initiatives, there are great first steps to explore. Recognizing how you can improve is only half the “revolutionary” leadership battle. Now it’s time to put some verbs on your to-do list and execute your leadership transformation.

Find an Inspirational Role Model or Mentor to Follow

It’s always best to find and follow another great leader you admire. Do your homework to discover a great leadership example with many of the same experiences, personality traits, or industry scenarios. Reach out and ask questions. And always be a sponge in learning new perspectives and strategies for successful leadership.

Conduct a Current Positioning Survey and Leadership Assessment

Leadership assessments are great tools for honing your managerial strengths. These efforts can boost your self-awareness, too. Get feedback from your teams anonymously about what they love or dislike about the current leadership styles. Uncover immediate needs they might have so you can prioritize resolutions. Don’t be too proud to take criticism, either, or you’ll never transform into a revolutionary leader.

Start with One Person, Today

Don’t just make a leadership improvements to-do list and let it collect dust on a corner of your desk. Take action right now by seeking out one team member who needs your help today. Find one person who could use additional support or reassurance and then BE what they need. Build action-driven leadership momentum that starts with intentional assistance, one employee at a time.

Be Proactive About Seeking Out Leadership Opportunities

If you want to be a truly transformative leader, you’re going to need to be proactive about seeking new opportunities to demonstrate great leadership. Be liberal about doling out credit where credit is due. Be encouraging to your teams during long work days or difficult projects. And always be available to roll up your sleeves and help when your teams need it.

Practice Leadership Outside of Work

Great leaders aren’t just pivotal at the office or on the job. They’re usually inspiring and motivating others in all aspects of their lives. Look for ways to practice great leadership elsewhere, with friends, at church, or within your community. Live a life where strong leadership values and skills transcend the workplace and positively impact every corner of your world.

Take Steps to Get Organized

You might look at your messy desk and think it’s organized chaos. But it’s not organized, and you’re not inspiring anyone else to get organized when your office space appears cluttered. Take steps now to bring organization to your life, including that messy desk. Great leaders are organized and inspire others to maintain schedules and order in their work. The more organized you are, the easier it’s going to be to multi-task projects and work. And data suggests that when a company is led by an organized leader, the entire team is more likely to perform efficiently and function like a well-oiled machine.

Trust and Delegate

Here’s another action step you can take right now, but it might be challenging at first. The greatest leaders today recognize that they can’t achieve success by themselves. You’re going to need to tag in other employees and managers who can grow with you and exceed collective goals. It can be tough to hand over the reins, especially if you’ve been in control of them for any length of time. But you’re going to have to trust and delegate others to join your efforts. Doing so will only bolster your results. And you’ll allow others to step forward and build their leadership skills.

Share Your Leadership Knowledge and Journey

The most innovative of today’s leaders don’t hoard their knowledge and skills. They instead share their expertise and experience for the benefit of others. As a business owner or manager, you have an opportunity to impact a broader audience. Thought leadership isn’t just about teaching new concepts or sharing new ideas. It’s also about sharing lessons learned, mistakes, and decisions that led to some of your biggest breakthroughs. Don’t hog your success and expertise. Share your leadership journey and inspire others. Here are just a few ways you can do just that:

• Volunteer to be a guest speaker at a local event.
• Share your stories within your networking groups.
• Create thought leadership content, including blogs and videos online.
• Write a book about your leadership journey.

Start Your Leadership Transformation

Today’s leaders are different from those of past generations. Being a leader in today’s business landscape, with its complex and ever-changing elements, requires a new playbook for success. Keep these insights in mind as you explore ways to improve your leadership skills and styles. And for all your thought leadership content efforts, let Ghost Blog Writers be your guide! Our team of talented wordsmiths can help you capture your leadership experiences and storytelling in a creative and resonating way. Connect with us and sample your free trial post to get started!

The post What It Means to Be a Revolutionary Leader in Today’s Business Landscape appeared first on Ghost Blog Writers.

From the time we were young the ideals of persistence and perseverance were reinforced as worthy ideals.

Yet, there isn’t as much virtue in staying in unfavorable, miserable, or downright toxic situations as people seem to think there is.

Fundamentally, we are all after a feeling we think we will get when we obtain something. And if we were to accept that as true, following one’s bliss truly is the only thing to prioritize in life.

So, is it time to step away to pursue a new path?

Are You Exhausted?

Push the body to its limits. Drink caffeine. Work 16-hour days. Give up social events. Sacrifice sleep. Anyone who plays the “sacrifice game” long enough will burn themselves out, and it will probably happen sooner than they think.

But the only type of work that truly exhausts you is the work you resist. If you are resisting something, you have one of two options:

• You can change your context for the work and approach it from a fresh perspective (you’ll probably need to step away from it for a couple of weeks to be able to gain a new perspective).
• You can choose something new that gives you energy and step away from what is stealing your energy.

Not everything is guaranteed to go right just because you’re doing something you love, but on balance, you will be resisting less, and as a result, you won’t be exhausted all the time either.

Are You Excited About Something Else?

Just because you’re flirting with the new and exciting doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the right path for you. Simultaneously, excitement will always accompany the path best suited for you.

If you’ve been despising your current path for years while taking an interest in other passions or potential business ventures, then you have all the evidence you need already. The time to take a new path is now.

Your new idea will probably take everything you’ve got to execute, so you don’t have the luxury of being double-minded. You’ve got to take a leap of faith to fulfill your new vision.

Do You Have a Hunch?

Perhaps the most difficult aspect of stepping away to pursue a new path is that no one else can tell you when or when not to do it.

Your family and friends want the best for you. Or, it might be more accurate to say they want the safest path for you. So, if you were to ask them for advice, there’s a good chance they will tell you to stay the course and “hang in there” no matter how miserable you might be.

This has proven bad advice for countless budding entrepreneurs who’ve chosen the safer path instead of going with their gut.

The entrepreneurial journey is rarely easy, but it is almost always the more fulfilling.

If you have a hunch you’re supposed to be doing something else, you probably should be entertaining those thoughts. Circumstances may not appear to favor you now, but there is no such thing as perfect timing, and if not now, then when?

Closing Thoughts

Andrew Hitz of The Entrepreneurial Musician says he has yet to find a single example of people who followed their heart and stepped away from seemingly amazing careers to do something else and have ultimately regretted it. They’ve always come out on top.

It’s easier said than done, but there may come a time when you need to step away to pursue a new path. Be open to what shows up.

The post Is it Time to Step Away to Pursue a New Path? appeared first on Ghost Blog Writers.

For now, you know your success in business relies on your]]>

Understanding the Differences Between Growing and Scaling

Generally speaking, when you think of business growth, you think of linear growth. Business growth usually requires additional capital, technology, people, or resources. And with those investments, you expect the bottom-line revenue to grow. Scaling is a different form of growth, however.

Scaling is a rapid increase in profits at a faster rate than rising costs. Growth implies an increase in profits as they directly relate to an increase in resources or costs.

Scaling involves increasing your company revenue without linearly investing in additional resources. In fact, business scaling can allow you to increase revenue while minimizing costs. Where growth is more about the size of the business resources, scaling is about the value proposition and boosting results with little to no changes in core resources.

Here’s an apples-to-apples look at scaling versus growth:

• Growth – Focuses on the company
• Scaling – Focuses on the revenue and earning potential

• Growth – Revenue and resource increase together
• Scaling – Revenue grows faster than incurred costs or used resources

• Growth – Is a linear transformation
• Scaling – Is an exponential transformation

• Growth – Aspires to attain a goal or singular end result
• Scaling – Capability to exercise all goals and results together

Different Types of Business Scaling

To help you better understand the methods and strategies for business scaling, consider the different types of scaling efforts.

1. Bootstrapping – this type prioritizes organic growth through internal means.
2. Slow Scaling – this type uses external financing to supplement growth.
3. Fast Scaling – this type of scaling usually involves venture capital and viral growth.
4. Blitzscaling – this is Zuckerberg’s “move fast and break things” approach to leverage new techniques for lightning-fast growth.

In addition to the four types of business scaling, there are four directions to direct that company growth.

1. Scaling Up – upscale existing strategies
2. Scaling Deep – strategically upscale with internal mindset shifts.
3. Scaling Out – making your impact and offering transferable.
4. Scaling Down – grow your impact by cutting back on nonessentials.

The 5 R’s of Scaling

When you’re ready to put your business scaling ideas to task, create a checklist. And for many of today’s leaders, scaling success is achievable when you vet your ideas through the lens of the five Rs.

Readiness – Evaluate how ready your teams, customers, and arsenal of resources are to facilitate your ideas.

Resources – Determine if your scaling ideas require additional resources, like customer service channels, internal staff, or technology enhancements.

Receptivity – Make sure you have the market research data to support your scaling strategy and business-boosting ideas.

Risks – Assess every risk associated with your ideas for business scaling.

Returns – Outline the intended and projected returns, worst and best-case scenarios to set ROI goals.

Don’t attempt to initiate business scaling strategies until you’re comfortable with each of these points. Doing so prematurely will only result in additional challenges, increased risks, and more costs.

How to Scale in 2023

Once you and your leadership teams have a deeper understanding of the concepts needed to scale your business, you’re ready for the fun part. Now, you can start exploring the to-do lists and execution strategies to bring those business scaling ideas to life.

Center Everything On Your Company Offerings

The first priority with any scaling effort is centralizing and building on your company’s core offerings. Now’s the time to really analyze your data and sales metrics to identify which product or service is the most lucrative. A scaling strategy requires leading with this “best foot” forward. And organizations that focus their efforts on a specific offering (instead of casting a wider net to try and scoop up every possible purchase) will scale substantially faster. Consider these steps to apply pinpoint precision to your core offerings:

• Recognize and fully understand your lead offering’s strengths and weaknesses.
• Find and own your niche – then scale.
• Know your competition inside and out.
• Target your core audience’s primary pain point.
• Learn your existing customers’ preferences and purchasing behaviors.
• Create messaging and solutions to those specific customer needs.

Start with Revamping Your Strategies

Start by reviewing your current methods and strategies for sales, customer service, product development, distribution, and marketing. All of these current strategies might need revamping to adjust to your scaling goals. For example, you might need to revise a sales strategy to include additional markets or promotion of additional products and services. Your customer service channels might need improvement to accommodate a growing customer base and need for support. And any current marketing strategies might need adjusting to reach new target markets.

Invest in All the Latest Technology

Companies that don’t continuously evolve and adopt emerging technologies will soon find themselves behind the competitors who do. Today’s technology, from data management to CRMs, can streamline time, money, and resources. And all of those assets are essential to facilitating your business scaling plan. Explore some of these more common automation solutions:

• Project Management Software
• Appointment Scheduling Software
• Employee Onboarding Software
• Accounting or Payroll Processing Software
• Sales Management or Funnel Management Software
• Chatbots or AI Customer Service Solutions

Anywhere that you have an opportunity to automate to save time and money is a must-take opportunity before initiating any business scaling.

Internal Teams

Be prepared to augment your staff and teams with any business scaling plan. This kind of amplified growth usually translates to a need for more sales professionals, customer service teams, and production workers. And with those staff increases comes a boosted need for human resources and internal training. Today’s companies are onboarding new staff with remote or hybrid capabilities, too, to eliminate expenses associated with office space.

Elevate Your Processes

Talk with each of your departments about their current processes and procedures. When scaling your business model, you’re likely going to need to make adjustments to various policies and procedures to accommodate the influx of new business. And your frontline managers and teams can help you itemize the most efficient and effective methods for moving forward.

Outsource and Get Help

Scaling often requires additional insights and services. Don’t be afraid to outsource certain aspects of your business or bring in experts who can help. Small businesses, for example, might outsource payroll and HR functions during a scaling phase, with plans to bring those services back in-house once revenue levels can support doing so. Many companies also lean on outsourced marketing partners for proven results in advertising, content marketing, and product launch efforts.

Diversification Is Key

One of the pivotal strategies for business scaling involves diversification. Look for ways you can boost revenues with one of three basic diversification strategies:

1. Concentric Diversification – This is growth by adding similar products or elements of services to an existing line.
2. Horizontal Diversification – This is growth by introducing new products or unrelated services to the existing line.
3. Conglomerate Diversification – This is growth by acquisition.

Be specific about your growth direction and strategy, identifying the necessary business support and components needed to facilitate growth. And always be open to more passive revenue streams, including subscriptions or monthly service contracts, that can significantly boost revenue without exhausting resources.

Invest in Leadership and Management Development

With all the strategy, process, and marketing changes you’ll be making to prepare your company for scaling, you’re going to need to develop your internal managers and leaders for new dynamics. Mid-level management is responsible for motivating your teams and engaging your customers. So, it’s imperative that they be on the same page about company and team goals. Make sure they have all the training, tools, and resources available so they can be effective in their new management capacity. Skills your managers and leaders should prepare to sharpen include:

• Change Management
• Time Management
• Critical Thinking Skills
• Problem-Solving Skills
• Strategic Planning

Scalable Business Examples

You might be able to scale various segments of your business in stages. Typically, the following examples of business offerings or resources have great scaling potential. Consider testing your scaling strategy with these easy-to-boost elements of your business first. If you can’t scale within these segments, you’re not ready to scale your enterprise just yet. And starting small can allow you to spot challenges to address before taking your scaling efforts companywide.

• eCommerce platforms
• Company blogs
• Affiliate marketing efforts
• App development
• Podcasts or video content strategies
• Email marketing campaigns
• Online courses or downloadable assets

Business Scaling Mistakes to Avoid

When you’re executing plans for business scaling, be sure to avoid these common pitfalls and mistakes. These tend to be the most prevalent mistakes business owners make that end up backfiring and often costing valuable revenue and leading to missed opportunities for growth.

• Avoid scaling too fast.
• Don’t prioritize short-term goals over long-term goals.
• Avoid losing focus on the scaling plan to chase other opportunities.
• Don’t hire teams based on quantity over quality.
• Avoid trying to scale without the systems and processes needed to facilitate your ideas.
• Don’t forget that agility in scaling is key to success, so be ready to adapt.

Don’t Think About Scaling Without a Strong Brand

All of these insights and business scaling best practices won’t move the needle unless and until your company has a strong and well-defined brand. If you’re the slightest bit inconsistent with your brand style, purpose, or voice, your marketing isn’t going to be as effective. And a weak marketing impact will shutter any potential scaling. So, be honest about your current brand positioning and reputation. You can tap into these steps for building a falter-proof brand and foundation for scaling your business.

Brand Positioning – This statement describes what your company does, your unique value proposition, and your perfect-fit audience. It’s a definition that should grow with you as you scale.

Brand Promise – This sentiment describes what people should expect every time they encounter your brand or do business with you. If you can’t deliver on your brand promise in scaling, you’ll need to redefine your brand.

Brand Personality – This sentiment is the personality you want others to associate with your brand, company, and offerings. Imagine your company with human characteristics and use those voices and styles consistently throughout your messaging and marketing.

Brand Story – This story describes your brand history and establishes credibility. It’s a brief statement that captures the essence of your “why” and inspires others to support your growth efforts.

Brand Association – This is a collection of physical attributes for your brand, like the logo, tagline, or imagery. Here’s where you’ll define guidelines for font, colors, and visuals you’ll continue to use as you scale.

Not sure how strong your brand is? Consider putting it through a few tests and measurements. Use your existing brand metrics to evaluate your brand’s strength and see how well it…

• Is specialized to a niche
• Leads in the industry
• Has personality
• Is distinctive
• Is visible
• Is positive
• Exudes persistence
• Extends goodwill

In Conclusion

Scaling your business means making all the necessary changes and setting the stage for all elements to support the growth of your company. Get planning, secure any needed funding, implement the best-fit systems, hire the right people, adopt the right processes, and work with the best partners.

If content is a challenge for you, either in strengthening your brand position or in a new business scaling plan, rely on Ghost Blog Writers! Our team of brand-boosting wordsmiths can help you with marketing collateral, email campaigns, social media content, blogs, newsletters, and so much more! Make GBW your first partnership in your quest to scale your business today! Our strategists and content contributors can bring incredible value to your messaging. And we’re uniquely qualified to assist companies large and small, meaning we can grow with you as you succeed in scaling your business.

The post Everything You Need to Know About Scaling Your Business in 2023 appeared first on Ghost Blog Writers.

To assume that there is only one solution to any given problem is to question the very nature of reality. Yet, because many people are not trained in problem-solving, they can’t see a way where there are potentially dozens or even hundreds of solutions.

Problem-solving is a lost art. But if you can master it, it will improve your relationships, career, business, and life.

Why Do Problem-Solving Skills Even Matter?

No matter how good your strategy, execution, or team, you will encounter various challenges Google can’t solve for you. From cash flow problems to personal challenges that threaten to take you out of the game completely, the surprising and unexpected crop up at inopportune moments.

If you have good problem-solving skills, you will waste no time brainstorming with your team, coming up with dozens if not hundreds of solutions that could work. It sounds simple, and it is when you know what to do and how to do it. The problem is that many entrepreneurs are not taught how to do it, so they are cast into desperate situations where they feel there are no workable solutions.

But how do you build your problem-solving muscle? If you want to know, read on…

Train Yourself to Look for the Alternatives

Have you ever been stuck in a traffic jam before? Of course, you have, right? Despite the slowdown, most people will stay on the same road and hope for things to get better instead of considering alternate routes.

Of course, there are situations where there are no workable alternatives. But there are also times when taking a bit of a detour, cutting through a parking lot (crude example), or even going back the way you came can end up saving you a lot of time.

If you train yourself to look for alternatives in every situation, you will begin to see that there are almost always unexpected or unconventional solutions to the problem you’re encountering.

Practical Examples of Problem-Solving

Having experienced many ups and downs in my business and financial life, I’ve had to problem-solve on countless occasions. Here are some practical examples:

• I was frequently at business events where people left empty cans and bottles by their seats. I started collecting them so I could bring them to the bottle depot and put some funds back in my pocket for business expenses or tickets for major events.
• I owned a car whose passenger side window went off track. I asked a mechanic how much it would cost to repair, and it was far too much for a 10-year-old car. I duct-taped the window shut and kept going. I did the same when two other windows did the same (of course, you’d want to watch out for authorities).
• I once had an eBook to complete on a tight deadline. I wanted to cover several more sections before calling it “done,” but I compromised for minimum viable so I could move on to the next steps in my project.

Conclusion

While you don’t want to violate any laws or values you hold dear, problem-solving will mean looking at problems from different perspectives. So, stay open to possibilities and don’t discard any ideas at the brainstorming stage. Write everything down, and then prioritize your list (e.g., “We’ll try these three ideas before we try anything else.”). In time, you will get so good at finding alternatives that you will do it on autopilot.

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Before you shy away, thinking this is another one of those listicles with tips and suggestions you already know you NEED to be doing, keep reading.

These suggestions are easy-to-implement changes that even the busiest professionals can make. If you’re looking for smart, effective ways to take care of yourself, this is the list of ideas worth considering. And it’s all about taking one subtle step at a time to start seeing real improvements in your life.

1. Remove the Toxic Ingredients from Your Diet

Instead of adding things to your daily routine and hectic professional life, give yourself a boost of energy by removing things. Make a list of not-so-great ingredients you can purge from your life, including overly sugary lattes in the morning, fast food lunches, or take-out dinners. Treat yourself, sure, once in a while. But try to remove those afternoon sugar crashes. Order the smoothie. Try packing a healthy lunch. And take it one snack or meal improvement at a time to start. You’ll soon be cutting back on unhealthy ingredients and feeling more energized as a result.

Here’s a shortlist of potentially unhealthy or toxic ingredients that might be wrecking your energy levels:

• Too much sugar intake
• Poorly or over-processed foods
• Excessive alcohol
• Donuts in the conference room
• Overdoing the cups of coffee

2. Replace One Bad Decision at a Time

It can be overwhelming to try and introduce new routines when you’re already a routine-driven professional with limited free time. So, instead of trying to do too much at once, be mindful to just make one smart routine replacement at a time. This will force you to recognize when you’re making poor health decisions. And picking one small change to implement at a time will help you build momentum and comfort in keeping those changes. Spot something about your current routine that you know is likely contributing to your reduced energy levels. Pick one and try to focus on making improvements there first.

Here’s a short list of some poor decisions you might consider addressing, one at a time, of course:

• Stress smoking
• Stress eating
• Not drinking enough water (we’ll get to this one next)
• Staying up late
• Working too late

3. Drink the Water (Seriously)

You’re not going to find ANY list out there, health and wellness related, that doesn’t insist you boost your intake of water. Drinking water is a natural energy booster. But let’s be honest; your body needs it. You don’t have to jump to eight glasses every day at first to make a difference in your energy level, either. Try bringing a bottle of water to work with you and making a conscious effort to consume it throughout the morning. Gradually work in more as you adjust your routine. You can also explore trying to drink a glass of H20 when you first wake up or right before you go to bed. Dehydration is an absolute tanker of energy. So, the more you can introduce into your day, the better you’ll start to feel.

Here are some refreshing ways to incorporate water into your everyday routine:

• Bring a refillable water bottle you can refill and reuse on the go.
• Try healthy water flavorings to perk up the taste.
• Add lemon or other fruit to your water for added antioxidant boosts.
• Keep bottled water at the office, at work, and at home.
• Have a water buddy who’s also trying to drink more with you.

4. Try Healthy Snacking Every Three Hours

If you’re a super-busy professional, running from appointment to appointment, running a business, putting out fires, meeting clients, and doing the work, you’re probably also a hard-core meal-skipper. When there just isn’t time to sit down for lunch, you’re also no stranger to the mid-afternoon burnout feeling. Instead of skipping meals and depriving your body of the nutrients you need to stay energized, try taking small snacks. Pack granola bars, bananas, or trail mix for your time in the car. Keep easy-to-eat snacks at your desk that you can grab and consume while responding to emails. Science suggests that healthy and protein-packed snacks every three hours can do amazing things for your energy level.

Here are some easy and healthy snacks to keep handy when you’re looking to keep a three-hour snacking habit:

• Dried, assorted fruits
• Almonds, cashews, or peanuts
• Protein bars
• Traditional granola bars
• Lean jerky

5. Commit to Sleep

If you’re always burning both ends of the candle, you’re eventually going to run out of wick. Busy professionals and business owners are notorious for late nights and long days. And the stresses of work can keep you from finding your much-needed REM sleep, too. However, not giving your mind and body the ample amount of rest it needs means you’re running short on energy. Try committing to better sleep one week at a time and force yourself to step away from the hustle and bustle of business. Allow yourself to rest by remembering that a refreshed you is better than a dead-tired you for your professional life.

Here are some suggestions to help you start effecting change to your sleep habits:

• Take midday weekend naps.
• Commit to an earlier bedtime by one hour.
• Introduce nighttime relaxation apps with soothing sounds.
• Make your bedroom a quiet, sleep-conducive oasis
• Avoid sleeping with your television on in the background.

6. Try Virtual Therapy to Relieve Stress

It’s not uncommon for successful professionals to feel the stresses and anxieties that come with work-related projects and deadlines. And some stresses can be healthy as they drive us to pursue goals, meet deadlines, and overcome obstacles. But too much of the wrong kind of stress can be overwhelming and have a negative impact on your mental health and energy. Distress, or those situations that manifest out of your control, can send your mind racing down the “what if” rabbit hole, too. If you feel work and life stress is taking a toll on your ability to perform, function, or be happy, consider therapy. There are a host of virtual therapy services you can access from anywhere, putting you in touch with professionals who can help you navigate and find stress relief.

Here are just a few of the virtual therapy services to start exploring:

• BetterHelp
• Talkspace
• Grow Therapy
• Brightside
• Online-Therapy.com

7. Take the Stairs Every Time

Some of the best methods for boosting your energy level involve exercise. And while you can’t always find the time to commit to a gym or workout schedule, you can implement a few changes to your routine to introduce a little more physical activity. For example, start taking the stairs. Commit one or two days each week to climbing instead of riding the elevator. Work your way toward more days of taking the stairs until you’re comfortable with climbing every day. Getting your heart pumping, even just a little, can be rejuvenating. And taking in more oxygen can help you feel more refreshed.

Here are some other ways to get your heart rate up throughout your busy workday:

• Park far away and speed walk.
• Keep small weights at the office and work in some calisthenics.
• Break away from your car or your desk and take a walk.
• Close your office door and do a set of planks or push-ups.
• Take periodic breaks to do arm and leg stretches.

8. Get a Physical

If you’re struggling with keeping your energy levels high, it’s always good to check with your physician. Schedule yourself a physical so you can rule out any potential health problems that might be contributing to your stress and energy depletion. Even with exercise, proper sleep, and a healthy diet, you could be feeling rundown and overwhelmed. Your doctor can also help you pinpoint and identify any underlying risk factors and concerns and prescribe medications when necessary. Make sure you’re aware of your health conditions so any changes you do make can contribute appropriately.

Here are just a few of the health conditions that might be contributing to your reduced energy levels:

• Diabetes or sugar-related anomalies
• Heart disease or high blood pressure
• Thyroid malfunction
• Arthritis or joint pain
• Sleep apnea

9. Know Your Circadian Rhythms

Everyone’s body keeps its own body clock or circadian rhythm. Some professionals find they’re most productive in the early morning hours, for example, while others are more efficient at night. Your daily energy pattern is mostly determined by your unique genetics and brain chemistry, making it tough to change. Don’t fight against your patterns. Instead, recognize your productivity rhythms and work with them as you implement more energizing habits. Schedule your more demanding activities for those times of day that you feel most productive.

Here are some examples for breaking up your schedule in a way that matches your unique circadian rhythm:

• Use your most alert and energized times for important meetings.
• Schedule brief blocks of time for answering calls and emails.
• Allocate demanding project work for those high-energy times of the day.
• Sleep when your body clock dictates.
• Off-peak energy levels are great times for networking and less-intensive work.

10. Mindset Energy Matters, Too

A lot of what happens to your body during peak and valley energy levels is physical. But don’t discount the power of mental energy. Addressing your mindset matters, especially if you’re looking to find a renewed sense of energy and productivity. Try making a conscious effort to start thinking positively about people, work situations, and real-life scenarios. With a little practice, you can start finding the silver linings in almost anything. And you will be more energized when your mind’s not weighed down with negative thoughts, worst-case scenarios, and confidence-draining self-talk.

Here are a few mindset improvements you can consider to keep your mood energized and positive throughout the day:

• Force yourself to find two to three positives about every situation.
• Practice gratitude – both giving and receiving.
• Appreciate nature at least once per day.
• Allow yourself mental breaks from tough challenges.
• Surround yourself with positive people.

11. Recognize What’s Draining Your Energy

In addition to incorporating these more subtle yet impactful changes throughout your day, practice mindfulness about your habits and routines. The first step to relieving stress and regaining energy is recognizing what it is that’s impacting your life. When you spot negative habits, toxic contributors, or energy-draining situations, you can then take the necessary steps to eliminate or minimize them.

Here are some energy-draining examples and scenarios that might be affecting your daily routine:

• Toxic or overly-negative individuals you can avoid.
• Relentless traffic you can seek to avoid with an alternative route.
• Skipping breakfast in the morning.
• Lack of sleep that you can seek to remedy.
• An overpacked schedule that you can look to lighten up with more free time.

If you’re feeling drained of energy these days, try some of these easy-to-implement strategies. Start committing to self-care so you can continue to deliver your best every day – to your work and personal life. You don’t have to make drastic changes that are practically impossible to stick with long-term, either. Instead, tackle a few of these improvements one day, one effort at a time. And work your way toward a better routine with a healthier lifestyle and renewed energy gradually, with better results.

And, as always, if any of your work-related stress and energy-draining tasks involve content, you can always let Ghost Blog Writers take the reins for you! Don’t get bogged down in writing newsletters, drafting blog posts, creating social media content, or developing email campaigns when you can delegate those efforts to our team of top-notch writers and contributors. Let us help and take advantage of your first free trial post to see just how easy your content creation can be!

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