As entrepreneurs and business owners, we often find it really hard to say “No”, especially when good opportunities come our way. 

Being able to set goals and stay focused on reaching them is one of the most important skills you need to master if you want to see your business flourish. 

I will never forget attending a conference when my eldest, Lucinda, was just a baby and I was struggling; struggling with being a new mom and all of the emotions and hormones that came with that, struggling with the amount of hours that I was working, and struggling with the growth I was trying to achieve in my business. 

There was a speaker at this conference who said: “When you say “Yes” to a new opportunity, you have to think about what you’re saying “No” to. 

When I was saying “Yes” to teaching that extra class or attending that new professional development opportunity, I was in fact saying “No” to being with Lucinda. It was a lightbulb moment for me. I suddenly realised the importance of being really strategic about what was most important for me to focus on, both for my business and my family. 

So I want to ask you to consider: What are you saying “Yes” to, and what does that mean you’re saying “No” to, by default?

As much as it would be wonderful to be able to say yes to every opportunity that comes our way, it’s just not realistic; there aren’t enough hours in the day and, as small business owners, there will always be so many competing priorities we need to juggle. 

Another way to think about it is from the perspective of DISTRACTION and FOCUS. 

• What is it that you’re being distracted by?

• What are the things that are taking you off course? 

Is it jumping into your inbox first thing in the morning, distracting you from the things that really need to get done in your business? 

Is is scrolling your phone or binging Netflix when you could be listening to a podcast, taking an online course or reading a book you’ve been wanting to learn from?

Is it the happenings out in the “big wide world”? 

Do you have an office where your door is always open so you’re constantly being distracted and taken away from the work you’re trying to focus on? 

Do you set aside time for deep work so you can get stuck into executing on your goals, or are you constantly relying on “stolen moments” of time to get work done? 

Could you consider an out-of-office message that lets people know you don’t check your inbox until 11am each morning, giving yourself some solid hours to tackle the big tasks first thing?

Similarly when it comes to your family, it’s important for you to know what is a priority for you. 

When we can’t pinpoint our priorities, we neglect to give ourselves the boundaries we need to help with knowing when to say “Yes” and “No”. 

For me, it’s bedtime with the kids. If there’s an opportunity that falls in that 6-7pm time bracket, I have to say no to those opportunities, knowing that it’s important for the kids and it’s important for me to make sure that I’m there as many nights as possible during the week. It’s not perfect and it doesn’t happen every single night, but I do have some pretty clear boundaries around how many nights a week I can afford to be out doing things, and how many nights I need to be at home making time for my family.

It’s really important as business owners that we’re aware of:

• The things that are red flags and most likely to distract us. 

• What our boundaries need to be to help us determine what to say “Yes” and “No” to. 

• Whether we’re effectively communicating our boundaries with everyone around us and those we frequently interact with. 

• Our goals we’re trying to achieve. 

• That the opportunities we say “Yes” to are ones that step us towards our goals in our business. 

• The tasks in our business that are our priorities to help us make money and move the needle. 

How can you increase your focus and eliminate as many distractions as possible?

This isn’t just about setting boundaries. It’s about COMMUNICATING them. 

My homework for you… I want you to determine what your biggest distractions are and then put some boundaries in place and communicate them to help you eliminate these distractions as much as possible.