No dark sarcasm

Have you ever ‘hit the wall’?

I’m talking about the metaphorical wall when you feel like you can’t go any further.

The Oxford Dictionary describes the phrase as when you “experience a sudden loss of energy in a long race”.

Although it is a sporting reference, this is very apt when it comes to running a business, and the potential for burn-out – both mentally and physically.

LIFE IS A ROLLERCOASTER

I started my business over five years ago, and I am really glad I did.  I have a great team; fabulous clients; and have made a lot of friends along the way.

However, the old cliché that it’s a rollercoaster is so true.

As a business owner and an employer, there is so much to contend with.  I’m grateful that I outsource a lot of the things that I’m not an expert in, such as accounting and marketing – but I still have to oversee it all, and there’s only a finite amount of time that I (or any other business owner) has.

Similarly, being an independent HR consultant, I provide an outsourced function to my retained clients – I deliver a service where I’m the expert, so my clients don’t have to worry about it.

NO ROOM FOR GROWTH

Currently, I am not actively marketing my business (beyond the regular things I do such as networking) as my retained client base is full.  However, I continue to get approaches.

This is not a ‘humblebrag’ – this is showing that my marketing is continually working – and the best kind of marketing is doing a good job for your clients.  Subsequently, I get a lot of word-of-mouth referrals because my reputation – that I have built over years – precedes me.

However, even with a team of four, it’s difficult to balance everything – it feels like I have hit a wall as there is no room for growth.

Of course, this is a classic case of ‘do as I say, not as I do’ – I am going through the thought-processes around business growth, and this is exactly what I help my clients with.

MY WIFE IS A GODSEND

I have recently brought my wife onto the payroll and she has been a godsend, but it’s just so difficult trying to decide whether to recruit again because work often comes in peaks and troughs.

Nearly all business owners go through this conundrum – there is the desire to grow versus the knowledge that things could rapidly change, so often maintaining the status quo is the best option.

I don’t like turning work away – not just because I have ambitious business goals, but also because I like helping my fellow business owners get over their HR hurdles and challenges.

But I also know that there is only so much I can do myself.

It is all part and parcel of running a business.

CLIMBING OVER THE WALL

For me, there are a number of things that I do to mitigate the feelings of burn-out.

Regular readers will know about my dog, Basil.  Every morning, I get plenty of fresh air thanks to my daily walks with him, and this helps to clear my head and set me up for the day.

I am also much better at not working out of office hours.  I have a ‘hard stop’ on Friday evenings and a regular diary note an hour before the end of the working day that reminds me to finish things off. This is thanks to my former business coach Hana Smiddy.

Being a task-focused person, I also know that my team and I are at capacity, so although I understand the limitations, I can also make quick decisions and mitigate anything unexpected.

HOW I CAN HELP YOU

As I said, I have outsourced a lot of the support that I need in my business, and employed the right people around me to help me in delivering a good service for our retained clients.

As an independent HR consultant, my focus is to provide a highly-experienced outsourced HR function for business owners and employers who are going through growth.

If you are looking to expand your team, or need HR support for the team you have, please do not hesitate to get in touch for an informal chat about how me and my team can support your business.

THE FOOTNOTE

The phrase ‘dark sarcasm’ is a lyric from ‘Another Brick In The Wall Part 2’ by Pink Floyd (because, whenever I think of a ‘wall’, it reminds me of this fabulous track).

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