How many of you work tirelessly in your business? Always doing more today, or striving to, than the day before?

Are you up all hours of the night filling orders for your clients, writing new proposals, sending invoices, creating content, doing key word research, creating client strategies, coding, working on a hot new design, or any of the many other tasks that make your business hum?

All of the above is important, even critical to the success of your business. Work needs to get done, and for startups those responsibilities typically fall to the founder(s). I know, because I’ve been there a number of times, and I’ve not always come out successful and unscathed.

Through the many challenges, I’ve learned many lessons. One of the most pivotal towards success has been the realization that it’s just as important to work ON the business instead of just IN the business. Meaning, doing the work itself (until you can pay others to do the work for you) while making sure the business is positioned for future success.

I was the “ultimate engineer”, as Michael Gerber from The E-Myth describes it. Doing all the work and not spending any of the time actually growing the business. By never taking the time to work on the business it eventually fails.

Don’t make the same mistake.

Ask yourself how much of your time is spent on the tasks that matter tomorrow, next month, next quarter or even next year. Look back at your schedule for the last month and see how much time you’ve spend on some of the following tasks:

• New Product/Service Development
• Market Research & Trends
• Competition Analysis
• New Training & Education Programs
• Previous Business Analysis

Each of the above is important for your business. Neglecting future focus can, and often does, lead to temporary defeat or failure. You may look at the list above like a deer in headlights, asking yourself, “How do I find the time or resources to accomplish that?” Here’s what’s worked for me:

Start small.

One step at a time. One slight shift after another can lead to a huge impact in just a couple weeks. Here’s how…

• Spend 30 minutes once a week for a month on one of the above tasks. Do this for 1 month.

After 4 weeks you’ll have spent 2 hours ON your business.

That’s easy right? Everyone can spare 2 hours this month. Mark it on your calendar now. Don’t over complicate things. Just block out the time and determine the best task to focus on when you get there – so long as it is an ON task instead of an IN task (see what we mean here).

• Now, each month increase this by 30 minutes, and do this for 6 months.

At the end of 6 months you’ll have spent 42 total hours working ON your business. Think of all the insights and optimizations you’ll have identified and begun implementing by taking one small step at a time.

Myself, and others, whom have used this process have experienced a profound impact on our businesses and our lives. Some personal experiences have been: greater sense of direction, focus, ideas and shifts the business have truly benefited from.

Most beneficial has been seeing opportunities for future business that we were able to capitalize on early.

So this is a reminder, always for myself, but mainly for you. Stay aware, be present and remember to spend time working ON your business. If all you do is the work IN the business you’re going to have a harder go of it.

You’ll fail to see changes, to grow, to live the life you started out for and in the end that’s what you’re really looking for right?