How Busy People Can Think Big Picture

Business owners and entrepreneurs are busy people. I know, that statement is probably shocking to hear, but the day-to-day of an entrepreneur is filled with a wide variety of stressful situations that can be overwhelming and exhausting, to say the least. These little tasks can take up a lot of time, but unfortunately for entrepreneurs, they aren’t always the most important.Not only do entrepreneurs have to worry about the little day-to-day things that affect their business, they also have to be on top of their big-picture problems. The truth is that the big picture can be tossed aside amid the daily grind (and often is). But, talented entrepreneurs never let the nitty-gritty elements of their job get in the way of their strategic thinking.Here are some tips on keeping big-picture goals in sight and building towards a better future:

Connect daily tasks towards larger goals

When scheduling small tasks, find the link between them and your larger goals. Ask yourself “what effect will this task have on my big-picture goals?” You’ll find that most tasks connect to your bigger goals well, even if you didn’t realize it before. Prioritize tasks that link strongly to your big-picture goals and set aside (or, if possible, eliminate) those that don’t.This tactic allows you to not only assess the value of your tasks, but it constantly reminds you of what your big-picture goals are as well. Remember that even the most mundane tasks can pay big dividends toward larger goals, so long as you perform them with those goals in mind.

Review big-picture goals on a regular basis

While evaluating your day-to-day tasks is a good way to keep your goals top of mind, it’s also important to evaluate the goals themselves on a regular basis. Take some time once a week (or more, if necessary) to sit down and ask a few questions: Has progress been made? Are there things you should be doing that you aren’t? Are there things you are doing that you shouldn’t be?Be honest with yourself and evaluate your efforts as objectively as possible. Keep a written log of this exercise and compare your notes from different weeks. This way, you will know if you are progressing, regressing, or stagnating, and you will be able to adjust your actions and your expectations accordingly.

Don’t be afraid to delegate

Even the most hard-working, forward-thinking, and talented people get overwhelmed sometimes. Being a business owner or an entrepreneur is not easy, and there are so many things to do on a given day that anyone can end up getting sidetracked or losing focus. When this happens, don’t hesitate to pass some of those smaller responsibilities onto your team. Better yet, assign these tasks to your employees in advance to prevent possible burnout.By freeing yourself from these chores, you will have more time and energy to think deeply about strategy. Your team will have more opportunities to develop their skills, making your business stronger overall. When leaders effectively delegate, the entire organization benefit from their decisions, both in the short term and in the long term.

Use failures as an opportunity to refocus

It’s inevitable: all entrepreneurs have their bad days. Maybe something didn’t go as planned, maybe an idea you thought would work ended up failing, or maybe you missed out on a big account. While these incidents might be difficult in the moment, they provide a great opportunity to refocus your efforts on your ultimate goals.Too many entrepreneurs get discouraged after a result goes the wrong way. They use a little failure to justify lowering the bar on their goals or rationalize why a goal went unachieved. The greatest benefit of big-picture goals is that there’s more than one way to achieve them. So, when those failures occur, don’t dwell on them. Instead, look to your big-picture goals for guidance. They will encourage you to think of creative strategic solutions that you might not have considered before your previous efforts missed the mark.For a busy entrepreneur, it can be difficult to make time for high-level strategic thinking. When you’re stuck down in the trenches, it’s hard to take a step back and evaluate when changes need to be made to prepare your team for greater success! Luckily, thinking big-picture can be done in small bursts by connecting tasks to goals, reviewing goals regularly, delegating effectively, and using missteps as opportunities for re-assessment.