Back to school isn’t just about the kids

Back to school isn’t just about the kids

I know it’s still August as I write this (just about) but there is a definite sense of Autumn being imminent in our house.

Not only is there that chill in the air in the mornings that signals September is around the corner, but there are new school shoes being worn in left by the door and name labels are being ironed into everything.

A new school year quickly approaches.

The end of the school holidays seem to be filled up making lists of what needs doing to be ready for school:

  • uniforms to buy (done)
  • sports kit (half done)
  • school shoes (done)
  • lunchbox (done)
  • haircut (done)
  • homework (oops – we’ve left this till the last minute again!)

If you want some tips on getting organised for the kids going back to school then here are a couple of good articles worth checking out:

http://babybudgeting.co.uk/5-top-tips-to-ease-going-back-to-school-podcast/  – a podcast from Becky at Baby Budgeting

http://www.themomwrites.com/2012/08/7-smart-solutions-for-an-organized-back-to-school-season.html – a blog post from Prerna at The Mom Writes

Also, if you’re having or expecting problems getting the kids back into their morning routines, reward charts can work a treat for younger ones and www.kiddycharts.com has some great ones you can personalise.

Anyway, enough about the kids. Let’s talk about you and your business.

Does September feel like a key stage in your year too?

You’ve come a long way baby

Take a little time out to review how far you’ve come this year. What were things like for you in January and what have you achieved since then?

Maybe you were employed and dreaming of your own business and you’ve taken steps to achieve this.

Maybe you were on maternity leave and decided you couldn’t face going back to your job and decided to set up your own business.

Maybe you’ve grown your business from where it was at the start of the year.

Maybe you’ve got some new customers.

Maybe you’ve set up that new website you wanted to.

Maybe you’ve achieved something else fabulous.

However small it may seem, take a few minutes to jot down what you’ve achieved this year so far and appreciate what you’ve done.

Go on – enjoy it! In fact, I think you’ve done so well you deserve a little treat for yourself.

Review and re-set

Okay, now you’ve appreciated what you’ve achieved so far, time to go back and have a look at the objectives you set at the start of the year.

Which ones still need some work? How are you going to do this, and by when?

Which ones no longer apply and can be scrapped?

What is missing and needs adding in?

Review your objectives and re-set them based upon what you now know.

We’re moving into the last quarter of the year so be realistic about what you can achieve this year and what will be part of next year’s objectives.

Get organised

It’s not just the kids who need new stationary you know! What do you need to make your business flow better?

Do you need some new trays to store your paperwork better? How about a wall planner so you can see your Marketing activities for the year at a glance? Maybe there’s some new software you’ve been eyeing up that will save you time on your admin.

Go on, treat yourself. The time saved from getting organised and improving your systems will pay back dividends if you use this time to generate money for your business.

What do you need to learn?

Which part of your business have you been meaning to learn more about ‘when you get the time’? Marketing? Processes & systems? Being more productive? How to use social media effectively? Selling?

What are you waiting for?

What workshops are being held that you can attend? What courses are being run? What conferences are being held in your business sector? Which mentors would you like to work with?

Take some time to draft your own personal development plan to make sure you are investing in improving your skills and keeping your knowledge up to date.

If you’re not sure if this is worth the investment, then the question to ask is – how crucial are you to your business?

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Alison Bradford

Alison Bradford is a business coach who works with smart, ambitious business owners to get clarity about how they can grow their business and increase profit. Sign up here to learn 6 easy ways you can boost profit in your business today.
2 Comments
  • Prerna@The Mom Writes
    Posted at 11:19h, 28 August

    Hi Allison,

    Thanks for linking to my post.. Delighted to have found your site.. Looks perfect for a mom entrepreneur like myself! Look forward to staying connected!

    Warmly.

    Prerna

    • Alison Bradford
      Posted at 14:06h, 28 August

      My pleasure Prerna. I hope you enjoy it here!