Wrong

4 Things Women in Business are Doing Wrong

We women are AWESOME, and we do a lot. But as we strive to give our best, we need to evaluate what we are doing, because there are some things we are not doing quite right. Here are a few things we are doing wrong.

Saying Yes.

We say YES far too often. And I get it, we want to be helpful and support others. The truth is, however, that saying YES too often is stealing time away from other things we need to accomplish. We need to shift our focus from saying NO is a bad thing, you understand that it is perfectly acceptable to say No and still be successful.

Business Coach, Christie Wright said “an honest NO is better than a dishonest YES”. When we say yes and do not really mean it, we are not giving our best or showing up authentically. So, how can we say NO and not have it cause issues? Well one way is to say it in a better way, such as “I would love to help you with that, but I have a previous commitment”. Another thing you can do is line up the request with your goals – if it fits into helping you achieve your goals… do it! If not, pass.

No Self Care.

We cannot help and serve others when we are burned out. Self-care needs to be a non-negotiable to us. It keeps us healthy, focused, energized and happy. Far too many women put themselves and their needs on the back burner telling ourselves we do not have time. We need to MAKE the time. It doesn’t have to be hours, a simple 5-15 minutes a day to step away and take care of ourselves can make all the difference.

Here are some simple tips to self-care: Drink more water, take a 5-minute walk

outside and get some fresh air, put on music and dance, call a friend and laugh, take a BREAK and get out of your office.

You do not need to over complicate it. Sometimes the smallest gestures and actions can make all the difference.

Helping Everyone.

Going in conjunction with saying yes, we also cannot help everyone. What I mean by this is, yes be kind, but if someone is not your ideal client or needs a specialist in another field, you do not have to work with them. The truth is we are not the perfect fit for everyone.

This was a lesson I have had to learn the hard way. Early in my career as a consultant, I was afraid to turn away business, so I took on everyone possible. It was a disaster! I simply could not meet the needs of some clients, and for others I just did not have the expertise in the areas that they required. And you know what…. it is OK!

Get clear on who your ideal client is and serve them well. For the others, serve them by directing them to someone else that can be a better fit. Not asking for help.

Another think we do wrong is that we try to do it all on our own. There is no shame in asking for help. I created a mindset that asking for help was a sign of weakness; I felt that if I showed I needed help my clients and team would think less of me and that they could not count on me. Boy was I wrong.

By trying to do it all on my own, I became overwhelmed, burned out and miserable. I have learned to accept what I am good at, and not so good at and bring in others that can balance out my strengths. Asking for help has given me more time, better relationships, a strong referral business and happy clients. No one can do it all…. so stop.

There you have it – we are pretty amazing, but not perfect. But we can get better! When you stop doing thing the wrong way, you open up space and time to focus on the right things. There is where true growth and success happens.

Cheers to your success!

Clara Capano “Strategist for the SMART Woman” is an Best Selling Author and Award Winning Educator. Executive Producer/Creator – the Working Women’s Channel https://www.youtube.com/ channel/UC7HkFgvq4S9bdB3LygEo0Sw Clara has been featured on: NBC, ABC, CBC and FOX. She is contributor with Forbes.com and the Forbes Coaching Council. Watch Clara on Season 3 of AmazonPrime’s Speak Up. Visit Clara’s website at www.claracapano.com