Photo Credit: www.chagrinvalleydir.com

Have you ever felt so overwhelmed with work, projects, and life you simply had no idea where to begin or what to do?

Sound familiar? For many of us, that feeling of having more on our plate than we can handle seems to come along more often than we would like. Here are a few simple tips on how to deal with your overwhelming life:

1. Learn to say NO.
It is so hard to say NO to potential customers, especially when you are first starting your business. Entrepreneur Melani Gordon says that when she first started her service-based business, she would say yes to every client who walked in the door. Eventually she realized that she “can’t be everything to everyone” and began being more selective with her clients and types of services offered.

This being said, you also need to learn to say NO to time-consuming projects that might not be a great fit for your long-term goals. As a successful small business owner with brains, you might have people knocking at your door with different business ideas, ventures, and proposals. Learn to say NO. If it doesn’t fit into your business goals and area of interest, do not be afraid to say so. Despite what they say, you are not the only one who can do the job, so let someone else.

2. Divide your life into compartments and make appointments with yourself.
Pull out your planner, make a list of everything you have to do, figure out deadlines, and prioritize. Now make appointments with yourself and keep them. When you are working on a project, you already have an appointment with that project so do not let anyone else take away from this time. I’ve had many entrepreneurs tell me that many new customers really can wait another week or two until you have the time to meet with them. This, of course, depends on your line of business.

I divide my life into work life compartments and personal life compartments. Even in my personal life I have my must do activities: clean, exercise, visit with friends, spend time with my spouse, and travel. Some things are higher on my to do list than other things (I never claim to be Martha Stewart). Never let your work time interfere with your personal time and never let your personal time interfere with your work time. It’s all about balance.

3. Take a step back and relax.
There are times when you have to say enough is enough and simply take a step back. If you are feeling stressed, sometimes if you leave everything and take a step back for a few minutes or hours, you can come back feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the world. We all need a break, so take one. Go for a walk, inhale and exhale the fresh air, meditate, do something else, or try working on another project for a few minutes. Come back to your activity after you have had a short break and try again.

4. Just do it.
It’s not just a Nike slogan. Quit putting your project off, sit down, and do it! Why waste more time while other things pile up? Live in the moment and do it now.

Katie Skow
Entrepreneur Goddess

Pompilates

Pompilates did it again! Our Spanish-language exercise video made it into the Top 100 Best Seller List on Amazon.com. We’re one of the top exercise videos, AGAIN! This time, we beat out George Foreman’s (yes, the grill guy) video, among some other well known names in the game.

We’re happy, excited, and jumping for joy! Moments like these drive my entrepreneurial spirit and motivate me to do more. With thousands and thousands of videos for sale on Amazon.com, this is a true taste of success! After all, not everyone can be in the Top 100.

At Amazon, the more frequently and often we appear on the Top 100 list…the more (free!) exposure we get and therefore the more videos we sell. It’s a wonderful vicious cycle!

A special thanks to all who buy Pompilates, we couldn’t do this without you! If you haven’t already picked up your copy, buy it today.

Entrepreneur Goddess wants to hear your entrepreneur success story. Send an email or comment!

Wishing each and every woman success,

Katie Skow

Entrepreneur Goddess

In this video, Nely Galan talks about her entrepreneurial aspirations. At age four Galan immigrated to the United States from Cuba and today she owns Galan Entertainment, a multi million dollar media corporation. Most likely you’ve heard of The Swan and Celebrity Apprentice… now you know that both were created by Nely Galan. This interview on The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch is inspiring and gives great advice for aspiring women entrepreneurs:

1. Be patient, but persistent. Big things take time.

2. You have to want it with all your soul.

3. Be prepared to sacrifice in order to reach your goal. You can’t be spending a fortune on clothes if you want to invest more in your business.

4. Read, read, read. Also, interview entrepreneurs to find out what makes them so successful.