Maybe it’s the girl boss in me, but when I started my own business, I LOVED the idea of being the CEO of my own company. And that’s exactly what you are when you run a small business – you’re the CEO! But it’s actually kind of hard to get into that mindset and act like a CEO because we’re focused on the day-to-day tasks of running our business. But as a CEO, your job is to look at the big picture and set the direction and forward movement of the entire company. It’s good to look up from the daily grind every once in a while and make sure your company is headed in the direction you want it to go.
That’s where the idea of scheduling a CEO day comes in!
A CEO Day is a day where you clear your calendar – yes CLEAR it – to focus on the “CEO things” of your business. It’s where you strategize your future planning, set and review goals, analyze your numbers, envision where you want to be, and figure out what types of resources you’ll need to get there.
Personally, I do this once a year and I find it to be super helpful. I’ve heard of some business owners who do it monthly, sometimes even weekly. If you’re able to work it into your schedule more often, do whatever works for you!
Yes! The key to a CEO day is that it is uninterrupted and not infringed on. If you only schedule a couple of hours, it’s so easy to let other work spill over into that time. A meeting could go long, a client could expect something a little more from you, and the next thing you know the time is gone. If you don’t plan for and protect the entire day, chances are you won’t even get an entire hour.
Can you do this at home or in your typical workspace? Sure. Is that the best way to execute a CEO Day? Maybe not. I’ve found that sometimes it’s best to get out of the space where you usually do your day-to-day work if you want to think more clearly and objectively about the big picture of your business.
So whether that’s reserving a conference room in a fancy building (or your local library!) for a day, or just picking a new location that’s clean and clear of the usual work, change your environment [link to last week] to get more productivity out of your day.
That is 100% up to you! Some people like to strategize alone in a room, others like to talk it out with their team. If you have a collaborative team that thrives by getting together, get the people together! Make sure you have an agenda and stay on task. On the other hand, if you find more people and more input to be distracting and frustrating, do it on your own.
Here’s a list of questions you can ask yourself during your CEO day. By no means is this a complete list, but it should help get you going in the right direction…
All that may seem like a lot, but it is so important to pause and take stock of these things so that you ensure your business is working for YOU and is growing in the direction you want it to grow.
So even if you feel like you’re too busy with Zoom calls, order filling, proposals, and the general running of your business – take a moment to intentionally schedule a day to focus on planning, strategy, and the big picture of your business. Future you will thank you!
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With over 15 years of experience, I've worked with countless small businesses just like yours. I can provide you with the tools and resources that will help make marketing less overwhelming.