The Dangerous Reality of Hustle Culture

The Dangerous Reality of Hustle Culture

by | Sep 23, 2024 | Business Chaos, Busy Trap, Juggle Street, Profitability and business growth, Smart Growth, Time Freedom

We live in a world that glorifies the hardcore hustle – the idea that working harder, longer, and faster is the only path to success.

But behind the scenes, this version of hustle culture that so many of us subscribe to is a leading cause of burnout, strained relationships, and declining mental health. 

This doesn’t just affect leaders; it impacts entire teams.

Have you ever felt that taking a break is a sign of weakness? 

Or that your worth is measured solely by your productivity?

The truth is, this relentless grind is unsustainable. 

It leads to exhaustion, not excellence. Worse, it often results in focusing on tasks instead of meaningful outcomes.

It’s time for a mindset shift.

We’ve all heard “hustle hard,” but what if that mindset is actually holding you back?

Success shouldn’t come at the cost of well-being.

How to Escape the Daily Whirlwind and Focus on Growth

The whirlwind of daily tasks can trap us in a cycle of busy, making us think the solution is to ‘work harder’. But real growth requires a smarter approach.

Here’s how you can break free:

  • Delegate tasks: Focus on what only you can do, and empower others to take ownership of the rest.
  • Set clear priorities: Align your daily actions (set weekly top 5’s) with your larger goals (quarterly milestones), both in business and in life. This clarity will make decision-making easier.
  • Carve out time for what matters: Block out regular time for deep work, strategic planning, and essential but often neglected tasks, like coaching your team or reviewing finances.

It’s time to step out of the whirlwind and into a space where you can focus on what really makes a difference.

BOOK A CHAT WITH NICKY

Supercharge Your Business!

Join us to receive expert podcast episodes and tips on how to achieve the work-life balance you've been craving while still watching your business grow.

Are you addicted to your business?

Are you addicted to your business?

by | Aug 9, 2024 | Business Chaos, Busy Trap, Juggle Street, Peak Performance, Smart Growth, Time Freedom

You dream of having a smoothly running business, a high-performing team, and the freedom to step back without the constant need for you to be in the business. 

After all, it’s why you went into business in the first place.

But what about when you achieve this ideal scenario? 

Have you stopped to consider the often-overlooked downside?

When your business no longer hinges on your every move, you may find yourself grappling with a surprising challenge: the lack of significance and validation that comes from being the go-to problem solver.

Because you’ve built your business from the ground up, it’s really hard to let go. 

The need to swoop in and save the day, to validate your importance through solving daily issues, can become addictive. 

Even when your team is performing well, it’s tempting to fall into the thought pattern of “I would’ve done it this way,” despite the fact your team is achieving the same results. 

This urge can make it difficult for you to step back and fully trust your team.

But the idea of having nothing to do can be simply daunting. 

Your fantasy of endless beach days can quickly turn into boredom. 

Because you’re wired for growth, always seeking the next challenge. 

This drive is part of your DNA as a successful business owner, but it can also be a double-edged sword, leading to what some experts call “entrepreneurial addiction”.

Amy Morin, a psychotherapist and mental health author, describes addiction as compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli despite adverse consequences. 

This definition is particularly relevant for business owners who find themselves compulsively working longer hours, neglecting personal relationships, and sacrificing health and well-being for the sake of their business.

Amy identifies 6 warning signs of entrepreneurial addiction:

1. Obsessive thoughts (constantly thinking about your business – getting new clients, introducing new products, the next onboarding round…)

2. Withdrawal (once that big pitch or project is done withdrawal symptoms can occur, boredom, depression, anxiety, a feeling of ‘coming down’)

3. Self-Worth problems (never acknowledging how far you’ve come or celebrating your successes before searching for the next big thing will impact your self-worth, it’s never enough)

4. Increased Tolerance to your substance of choice, in this case unhealthy ways of working (the long hours, no lunch breaks or lack of sleep become the normal way to function)

5. Neglect (other areas of life come second and are neglected – your health, family, time for you, hobbies, sleep)

6. Negative Outcomes (continuing your way of working despite the negative effects on your health, relationships, and life)

Do you see any of these warning signs in you?

If yes, then you need to break the cycle.

You can start this by setting clear boundaries – allocate specific times for work and personal activities, and stick to them. 

Celebrate your achievements and acknowledge your progress to maintain a healthy sense of self-worth. 

Most importantly, remember why you started your business in the first place. 

Reconnect with your initial goals and ensure they’re being met without compromising your well-being.

Taking these steps can help you regain control and create a sustainable work-life balance. 

If you find yourself struggling, consider booking a clarity call with me to discuss strategies to get yourself out of this mess. 

It’s time to move from being indispensable to leading a thriving, self-sufficient business so that you can enjoy the freedom and fulfilment you deserve.

Ness is a Business and Leadership Coach. Her approach is grounded in practicality and empathy because she believes in the power of careful, thoughtful decision-making that respects your needs. Having run successful coaching businesses since 2015, Ness is obsessed with helping business owners and leaders thrive. She helps her clients install smart business growth strategies and leverage leadership for peak performance.

BOOK A CLARITY CALL

Supercharge Your Business!

Join us to receive expert podcast episodes and tips on how to achieve the work-life balance you've been craving while still watching your business grow.

Grow Smart, Not Hard: Secrets to Building a Thriving Business 

Grow Smart, Not Hard: Secrets to Building a Thriving Business 

by | May 16, 2024 | Business Chaos, Busy Trap, Juggle Street, Peak Performance, Time Freedom

Smart growth in business isn’t about relentless hustle or sacrificing your well-being for the sake of performance. 

Instead, smart growth focuses on combining strong leadership and effective people strategies to ensure that you, your team, and your business thrive.

If you want to reclaim time and step away from being everything to everyone, so that you can work smarter, not harder then it’s time to lean into smart growth.

Let’s look at how you do this.

Strong People Leadership

By fostering a culture where your team can make decisions independently, you free yourself from daily operations.

This takes a commitment to empowering your team, coaching and supporting their skill development.

It also means you drop any micro-management behaviours that could have snuck in.

The payoff? 

Enhanced productivity and increased job satisfaction for you and your team. 

Redefining Business Success

What does success mean to you?

Is it just about turnover targets getting achieved at all costs?

Or does it include caring about your team’s mental health?

Is it about reacting to economic uncertainties at all costs? 

Or do you embrace challenges without compromising your health and that of your business? 

True success combines profitability with well-being, steering clear of burnout and building resilience against whatever challenges get thrown your way.

Strategic Focus for Daily Challenges

Managing a business or a team requires constant attention to operations, client delivery, and lead generation. 

It’s easy to get sucked into the vortex of the whirlpool and feel like you’re drowning.

The challenge is to remain proactive rather than reactive.

For you to remain forward-thinking and robust you need to step on the balcony and focus on the bigger picture.

Without the ability to take time to work on your business instead of in it, you are leaving yourself open to feeling like business is chaotic.

Empowerment Through Decision-Making

What would you rather – a team of decision-makers or a team of doers? 

Decision-makers need structures to follow to set them up for success.

They need to be able to make mistakes and learn from them, be supported to grow and learn.

This shift not only empowers your team but also ensures that the business can continue to operate effectively, even in your absence. 

When you have a team that operates autonomously, you get the time freedom to focus on whatever is next for you.

Where do you sit right now?

We’ve created a 60-second quiz for you to identify which phase of business growth you’re in.

Your results will identify which one of these four categories you fall into – Crisis, Build, Growth or Momentum mode.

And we’ll give you the blueprint to move to Momentum from whichever phase you’re in.

The blueprint includes our favourite tools (you’ll get access to them straight away) that are working for our clients at the moment with sales productivity, profit planning and team engagement.

Click here to do the survey now – https://businesstogether.typeform.com/smartgrowth?typeform

Ness is a Business and Leadership Coach. Her approach is grounded in practicality and empathy because she believes in the power of careful, thoughtful decision-making that respects your needs. Having run successful coaching businesses since 2015, Ness is obsessed with helping business owners and leaders thrive. She helps her clients install smart business growth strategies and leverage leadership for peak performance.

BOOK A CLARITY CALL

Supercharge Your Business!

Join us to receive expert podcast episodes and tips on how to achieve the work-life balance you've been craving while still watching your business grow.

Unlocking Your Business Potential with Extended DISC Profiling

Unlocking Your Business Potential with Extended DISC Profiling

by | Nov 2, 2023 | Business coaching for women, Busy Trap, Time Freedom

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying ‘going into business is the biggest personal development journey you can go on’.

Cheesy? Yep!

Also true though? Absolutely! 

Looking back at my 8 years in business, I just can’t help but wholeheartedly agree with that statement. 

No matter who you are, when you start a business, the only certainty is that it will stretch you beyond what you think you’re capable of. 

And those who don’t lean into the growth fall into the 60% that shut down their business within the first 3 years (figures from the ABS). 

There’s no other way through it: overcoming fears and reshaping belief systems becomes essential for success.

 As a coach, I often find myself helping clients explore the depths of their behaviour and motivations. 

Self-awareness is key, and one powerful tool we use is the Extended DISC profiling tool. 

DISC helps us understand what drives our behaviour, why we procrastinate on certain things, and why we’re naturally drawn to some activities but avoid others.

You see, it’s not just about knowing how to run a business; it’s about understanding human behaviour and how it impacts everything in business – from what you focus on to how you communicate. 

We all have things we avoid like the plague… perhaps it’s handling conflicts, scheduling appointments, or making important phone calls. 

Then there are tasks that come naturally to us, making us effortlessly productive and feeling like we have the energy to keep going for hours.

Extended DISC profiling is the best tool I have come across that helps us understand this and more importantly, helps us understand what we need to do differently.

The DISC model distributes behaviours into four primary styles: 

🔴  (D) Dominant

🟡  (I) Influencer

🟢  (S) Stabiliser 

🔵  (C) Conscientious

Each style has its unique characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses.

The Dominant (D) style is future-focused, outcome-driven, and direct. 

They thrive on taking quick actions and are often seen as assertive and results-oriented, yet can come across as direct and blunt

The Influencer (I) style is charismatic, extroverted, and sees endless possibilities. 

They excel in communication and connecting with people but can be easily distracted by shiny new opportunities.

The Stabiliser (S) style is the nurturer, reliable, and great at building relationships. 

They excel in creating a sense of community and are always willing to help others integrate into a team, but tend to not share their opinion easily

The Conscientious (C) style is analytical, detail-oriented, and introverted. 

They love diving deep into data and are often seen as experts in their field and can appear as cold and withdrawn

What’s fascinating is that most people have a blend of these styles, so can’t be pigeonholed as only one particular style, which makes understanding your unique mix incredibly empowering.

For example, in my partnership with Nicky, she leans towards the Influencer (I) and Dominant (D) styles, while I leans towards the Conscientious (C) and Stabiliser (S) styles. 

This becomes especially evident in our business roles, and one of the reasons why our clients love working with us because we cover all four styles.

Nicky gravitates towards the creative aspects of our work, such as website design, sales pages, and content creation, all the fun stuff. 

On the other hand, I tend to excel in the behind-the-scenes work—finances, detailed processes, and content organisation.

This harmony in our behavioral styles allows us to handle diverse tasks effectively. 

Understanding our differences and knowing how to make the best of them has been a game-changer in our business. 

The beauty of DISC profiling lies in its ability to simplify complex behaviour patterns. 

As a predictor of human behaviour, it’s not about boxing people into categories; it’s about gaining insights into your specific behaviour and using that knowledge to your advantage.

If you’re curious to find out about your own DISC style or how we could help you and your teams to communicate more effectively by understanding each other, reach out for a chat.

Meet Nicky & Ness

Supercharge Your Business!

Join us to receive expert podcast episodes and tips on how to achieve the work-life balance you've been craving while still watching your business grow.

Your Blueprint for Work-Life Harmony

Your Blueprint for Work-Life Harmony

by | Sep 21, 2023 | Business coaching for women, Busy Trap, Time Freedom

Do you have a belief that you can’t have it all? 

Do you believe that business success can only happen at the expense of a fulfilled life outside of work?

Imagine instead a world where your business flourishes and allows you the precious gift of time freedom, where you get to decide purposefully how to spend your time.

I’m here to tell you there is a way to achieve it!

But first, you’ll need to understand the six essential human needs that drive us every day.

This concept was introduced by Tony Robbins (a bit of a guru in the personal development space) back in the 90s.

These needs underpin our daily actions and choices, shaping how we feel every day about business and life.

They are

Certainty

The desire for stability and predictability in our lives.  

Uncertainty 

The desire for variety (as they say, it’s the spice of life!), fun and adventure.

Significance 

The desire to be acknowledged and validated. 

Connection

The fundamental desire to form meaningful relationships and feel a sense of belonging.

Growth

The drive for progress and improvement, that you get through learning something new. 

Contribution

The desire to make a positive impact, like giving back to your community.

How you translate these concepts into your everyday life will depend on where you focus your energy and attention.

And this is where the concept of primary vehicles comes in – the areas or activities in your life that satisfy multiple core needs. 

Think of them as the foundational pillars that uphold your sense of fulfilment and balance.

Your business, relationships, and hobbies are all primary vehicles. 

They’re the building blocks of your happiness and feed into your personal identity. 

The key to being able to find that elusive balance between work and life is not to rely solely on one vehicle.

So take a moment to reflect on your personal blueprint… 

  • Jot down your top three primary vehicles – those aspects of your life that consistently bring you satisfaction. 
  • Then, consider how these vehicles align with your core needs and ensure they’re nourishing your overall well-being.

If there’s a gap, it’s time to reconsider how you can meet your core needs in a resourceful way that’s sustainable, in order to feel like you have the freedom to do what you love with your time.

Meet Nicky & Ness

Supercharge Your Business!

Join us to receive expert podcast episodes and tips on how to achieve the work-life balance you've been craving while still watching your business grow.

Is Conventional Time Management Letting You Down? Try This Fresh Approach!

Is Conventional Time Management Letting You Down? Try This Fresh Approach!

by | Aug 7, 2023 | Business coaching for women, Busy Trap, Time Freedom

Can we just take a moment to appreciate how time seems to fly by so quickly? It’s like we blink, and another day, week, or month has passed. 

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I catch myself thinking, “If only I had more time, I could… [fill in the blank with aaaaall the things I wish I had time to get to]!” 

Let me tell you a little secret I’ve discovered on my journey since experiencing burnout in 2012. 

It’s not about finding more time; it’s about how we’re viewing (and appreciating) the time we already have. 

Now, don’t get me wrong; I love a good time management tool as much as the next gal! 

I mean, who hasn’t Googled something to the effect of “how can I manage my time more effectively”!? 

Well actually, I’ve  googled this exact phrase over the last 2 years as a little experiment. And the number of search results that have come back has increased by over 2 billion! Yep, in November 2021 there were only 514M results compared to 2.7 billion search results just last week. 

It’s insane how many resources are out there when it comes to tips, tricks and frameworks to help manage your time! Overwhelm much? 

And guess what? Despite all those tools available at our fingertips, business owners are still feeling overwhelmed and stuck on Juggle Street.

What’s the missing piece to this time management puzzle? 

The way we view time and the choices we make about where we spend our time can truly make or break our productivity. 

Think about it – we all have the same 24 hours in a day. So why are some people total rockstars at this and others suck? 

Well, it comes down to the choices they make around their time, and owning these choices, that sets them apart.

A part of the problem is falling into the trap of letting everyone else demand a piece of you, always being available to solve every problem. Sound familiar? 

But here’s the thing – it’s not about being everything to everyone; it’s about being intentional with your time and setting boundaries.

If you notice you’re saying, “I have to…” or “I must…” you’re giving away your power and neglecting yourself. 

And you’re probably not facing the truth that you are choosing where you spend your time.

Here’s where the magic happens. 

When you shift your language, mindset and realise that you do have a choice, a whole new world of possibilities opens up. 

Sure, there might be things you want to say yes to, but sometimes, you have to say no or not right now to create space for what truly matters the most to you. 

Read this line again 👆👆👆

I know it’s not always easy to make this shift, especially when life gets busy and you feel a sense of responsibility to those around you. Not to mention when FOMO gets in the way. 

Gimme the practical steps I can take?

  • Start by reflecting on your language, are you noticing the words or the feelings of “I must” or “I have to”. It’s a feeling as though you don’t have a choice and are being forced into where you’re spending your time. 
  • Notice any “yeah but, but, but” statements coming up as you do this?
  • If you resonate with the above points, it’s time to own your choices and embrace the discomfort that comes with it. Remember, you’re not alone – many of us face this struggle. Have a listen to the part 1 podcast ep we recorded on this listed below, it will help!
  • Practice makes progress. Why not choose one boundary you can set for yourself around getting a little time back for yourself, maybe for some self-care. Start small, even start micro if you have to! 
  • All of this will help you drop the “I have to” and embrace the “I choose to” attitude. 

As busy business women, we wear many hats, but let’s not forget to wear the self-care hat too. 

It might take some practice, but you’ll find that when you’re intentional with your time and make room for what truly matters, you’ll be amazed at how much you can achieve without feeling overwhelmed.

Here’s two podcast eps we recorded that will help you do just this:

Part 1: The truth is, you don’t need another time management tool!

Listen on Apple

Listen on Spotify

Part 2: Feel like time is slipping away? Discover where your time is really going.

Listen on Apple

Listen on Spotify 

You’ve got this, and we’re here cheering you on every step of the way. Keep slaying, superstar!

With an instinctive curiosity for human behaviour, over 20 years of experience in sales and leadership, Nicky and Ness are obsessed with helping women in business break the cycles that hold them back from creating profitable businesses they love, without sacrificing time or life. 

Each having run their own successful coaching businesses for 7 years, they came together to start Business Together working with female led, service-based businesses with teams.

Their clients have often experienced rapid growth not being able to keep up with the systems, structures, and team growth. As a result the business owner gets stuck in the busy trap, they’re juggling all the balls in business and find themselves in a place of business chaos. 

If this sounds like you, book a complimentary chat with Nicky and Ness to see if they can help you find time freedom again, get peak performance within the team and have a focus on smart growth in the business.

BOOK A CHAT

Supercharge Your Business!

Join us to receive expert podcast episodes and tips on how to achieve the work-life balance you've been craving while still watching your business grow.