Don’t Run Your Business Like a Runaway Train
This week is the final post in a series about the busy lives of people in the construction business. I understand busy. The point of these posts is not to magically make life less busy.
The point is learning how to handle the busy.
The previous posts were:
- Being Too Busy is a Choice – You have control over your business and life, but it’s up to you to take it. If you don’t, things will continue to be out of control.
- Too Many Things to Do – You need to be clear on who you are and what your core values are. This foundation helps determine what is important and what isn’t.
- Taking Control of the Big List – This is about breaking big, overwhelming tasks into smaller more manageable pieces. It’s like building a large brick building. You can only lay one brick at a time.
- Deciding What to Do First – It’s up to you to decide. You have control. Running a business is like triage. You need to determine which things are critical to the survival of your business and focus on those first.
Breaking big things down into smaller pieces makes them easier to manage. Prioritizing gives you an order of importance.
Scheduling is where intentional action happens.
This is where things actually get done. Scheduling gives tasks a deadline. It’s like getting ready to go on a trip, when you know you have to leave at a certain day and time, you make sure the things that need to get done actually get done.
Not having a schedule is like being on a runaway train. It creates a busy, nonstop, overscheduled, out-of-control life. It’s like riding a speeding train that we are supposed to be in control of.
The problem is, instead of sitting comfortably in the engine car at the front, we’re barely hanging onto the ladder of the caboose, desperately trying not to fall off. As the train keeps speeding along, we have no control from the caboose.
So, you start pulling yourself forward, one train car at a time. After making some real progress, you start feeling pretty good. “It won’t be long now, and I will have this train back under control.”
Then—wouldn’t you know it—the train hits a bump. You lose your grip and catch the caboose as it flies by. Now you get to start clawing your way back forward all over again.
How am I ever going to get this crazy train under control?
If you’ve ever felt like this, here are a few ideas that might help:
Have a plan – This is where gaining control starts. The key is to never quit. Don’t let go of your train. Be intentional about how you want your train to operate.
Review the past – Look back at what has worked and what hasn’t. What caused you to lose your grip? Understanding this will help you to know how to hold on moving forward.
Find your purpose – God has given each of us specific talents that fit who we are created to be. It is up to us to find out what those gifts are and put them to good use.
Don’t overload your train – Once you determine what kind of train you’re on, you can decide what kind of cars it should pull. Most likely, there are some that need to be disconnected and left behind. Overloading your train is a very common problem. It’s okay if we don’t pull every.
Get help from other trains – Sometimes our trains are overloaded, and others can help carry the load. Maybe they can give us a push, a pull, or even take a few cars off our hands. It’s okay to ask for help.
There is no such thing as a perfect train. We will never have complete control or a ride without bumps. What matters is that we don’t give up or quit.
Work every day to make your train the best train it can be—and remember, ENJOY THE RIDE!
Here’s how I use scheduling to help me control my train:
I have recurring appointments on my calendar with reminders. The first thing I do each day is read my Bible and praying. Next, I journal. This is where I sort through things and align my plans for the day with what God wants.
From there, I move into my daily planning process. This includes:
- A quick review of my life plan
- Reviewing and processing emails
- Reviewing my to-do list
- Looking at my calendar and making additions as needed
- Reviewing the action lists for the different areas of life
This process usually takes about an hour and a half each morning, but the control and productivity it creates throughout the day are well worth the time invested.
If you would like help getting control of your runaway train, you can schedule a meeting with me or join our Builders Coffee every Wednesday at 10 AM CT, where we talk though the difficulties in getting construction businesses under control.