12 things I’ve learnt in business that are life lessons

Have you ever been given some advice or been told something important only to say that you already know it.

I have.

The fact is, you don’t know it unless you’re using it.

For me, life is one long learning journey, mainly learning from trial and error. It’s an emotional way to learn but because of this association its actually stayed with me. And because it stays with me, it makes me adapt the way I think, speak and behave.

It’s that continuous self-improvement to be better and to progress further in life. Something that we all strive for but not all of us take seriously.

My biggest opportunities to learn have appeared since I started my own business. And although I have learnt them since being in business, they are lessons for life.

Here are my top 12.

1. Being busy is not necessarily a good thing

I was and am so good at being busy. And being busy is good if you’re working on the right things. The things that are important and essential. But if being busy is about filling time and space then that’s actually counterproductive and can lead to burnout.

That’s has happened to me.

I tend to be so focused on being successful and achieving stuff that I can take on too much at once. The result of which is burnout. Feeling sorry for myself. Not being able to see the wood from the trees. Wanting to give up because it’s all too difficult.

One of the most memorable times this happened was in 2018 at Christmas. I’d been so busy I was exhausted which led to the pendulum swinging the other way. I simply wanted to now do nothing! And I couldn’t snap out of it. That was until I looked at my children and in an instance a switch was flipped. I realised that being numb to life. Basically, surrendering and giving up was not only not good for me but would mean I’d miss out on the fun times with my children.

2. You either win or learn

Growing up, there only seemed to be two options. You win or lose. You’re either right or wrong. You either succeed or fail. But that’s not it. You only lose, are in the wrong or fail if you don’t learn. Mistakes and failures are our greatest opportunities to grow, problem solve and find a better way.

I could say my biggest failure was not making Fill That Space, my previous business, a roaring success. But that would be wrong. I learnt so much from running my business. The biggest one being realising what I really wanted to be doing, ‘Mummy on a Break’.

3. Working hard doesn’t always get you what you need

It’s not about working hard. It’s about working on the right things. Focusing on what is essential and important. If it’s neither of these, then it’s irrelevant! 

This is all about knowing what your priority is and focusing on that. There are limited hours in a day so use them wisely. It’s not just about doing but also taking time out.