I Couldn’t Scale Myself - But this 7-Point Checklist Saved me
Whether you’re a solopreneur, a business owner, or working in companies and/or startups, you will often face the issue of being overwhelmed at some point. I’ve been working in a startup for close to a decade, and trust me when I say that I’ve been there, done that. Now, here’s what no one talks about when you’re in a rut and feeling like you’re simply doing too much.
There is actually a system.
A system that can help you manage better.
These are based on real personal experiences that I’ve been through, and I’m sharing them with you today in a simple, easy to absorb format that you can apply for yourself.
1. Master the Art of Brutal Prioritization
This means being able to focus on your high-impact tasks and say no to low-value work that do not value-add to your growth.
I was known as the ‘girl who can do 20 things at once and multitask’. I wasn’t actually doing 20 things. I was simply managing my work smartly and prioritising them to the core.
You can use frameworks like Top 3/Next 3, or the 80/20 rule to help you prioritise your own workflow. I also have a personal framework that helped me seem like I was multitasking: If the task can be completed in 5 minutes, just do it.
2. Develop Your Personal OS (Operating System)
Create your own personal habits, routines, and workflows that will help you maximize your productivity. It works different for everyone, but this is critical for scaling.
I use Notion for overall planning, Notes for daily task tracking, Slack for thinking and scratchpads, and Figma for any flows that I needed to get off my chest. I also keep a written personal journal for reflections.
You can leverage Notion, Asana, or other tools to streamline your processes, and the key part is the consistency of using them over a period of 6 weeks (that’s when it gets ingrained).
3. Be Curious - It won’t kill the cat here
Keep on learning. Continue to learn and evolve with industry trends, but don’t get stuck in the vicious cycle of constantly trying to apply everything you see, because that wouldn’t work too.
I’ve been innately a curious individual that could not sit still, and that got me to where I am today with multi-faceted skillsets, but not feeling overloaded with new information.
You control your Learn mode: Absorb what you need, when you need it, and apply where you see opportunities.
4. Scale Your Network, Not Just Your Work
Having mentors can really accelerate your growth because they are able to help you learn the ropes through actual experience. Build key relationships with mentors, peers, and industry experts for functional learning.
I’ve had the privilege of working with some great peers & managers, alongside some amazing mentors (official and unofficial) that has given me so much insights into what to do and what not to do.
Even if you’re an introvert, try to leverage new introductions, and be open to some form of networking, you may be surprised.
5. Learn to Manage Up, Down & Across altogether
This is one very key aspect if you’re working in a company: You need to be able to keep not just leadership, but your peers and your reports aligned on your top priorities and impact on the business.
I’ve seen too many people who could only do 1 directional management - meaning they were either great with upwards management, or downwards, but rarely both. It was also detrimental to them at the end when they could not manage expectations both ways.
From the start, foster strong cross-functional relationships, learn what your leaders are like and what they react to, and empathize with your team members.
6. Make Yourself Actually Replaceable (So you can move up, not out)
I don’t mean quitting and finding a replacement, what this means is being able to either operationalise your role through systems, or being able to actively delegate so you’re not tied to daily operations.
This was one of the hardest for me to break out from because I’ve been naturally a hands-on person from the beginning of time, but the more I began to accept that I can’t do everything, the more I could do to grow myself.
Get out of the mindset that I have to be the only one doing the work. By doing so and moving forward, it actually makes you more indispensable at a higher level.
7. Patience is Key: Play the Long Game
This is where the Why comes in. Persevering through anything is tough, and how do you align your growth with the vision of your business, the company, and yourself as an individual is going to fuel you for the next however many years you decide.
I guess there was a reason why I’ve managed to push through 9 years in 1 startup?
Once you’ve aligned yourself, start investing in both hard and soft skills that will make you value the long-term plan.
Hopefully this simple checklist can now help you scale yourself 10x anywhere.
It doesn’t have to be difficult, we simply need to wrap our minds around it.
And take action.