On Facebook this week I was reading many responses to the resignation of Georgie Gardner, one of the hosts of The Today Show. She explained that she was leaving so she could spend time with her family while her children are still young. Most women admire her decision, although the reaction has also been “Georgie seemed like she had it all, but even SHE can’t balance a demanding job and children”.

Georgie certainly isn’t suggesting (in words or example) that every working mother needs to follow her lead. But it did prompt me to think again about how business women achieve some sort of balance.

Everyone who has started a business has encountered numerous situations where they needed to seek expert advice. Seeking assistance (with tasks outside your skill set or on larger ‘direction’ and goal issues) is essential to taking back time.

You need to ensure that you plan the next steps and goals in your business: but you also need to be prepared to throw it out! You will waste time and create more stress by sticking with a plan that isn’t working.

Although it likely goes against your very core as a business owner, you need to stop aiming for perfection in everything you do. There will always be something that can be improved and if you wait for ‘perfection’, you are likely to miss opportunities and waste a great deal of time aiming for the unachievable.

We all feel overwhelmed at times. But the sooner we realise that extensive hours (and inadequate sleep) has more negative than positive results, the sooner we will find a better balance in life.

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

Like most women in business, I have read many books related to running a successful business. Some are general and inspirational in nature. Others are more specific on topics like marketing. Whenever I read these books, and particularly the ones that have specific strategies, I always find myself wondering “well why isn’t everyone doing this?”.

What I have realised over the years is that while many of us may be motivated to read a book or listen to expert advice, actually making the required changes are on a whole other level.

There can be lots of reasons why we do not act on what we read or hear. Sometimes it is lack of energy or motivation. Sometimes it is lack of time and resources. Sometimes it is even a fear of success (what will that change mean for me?).

If you are anything like me, my biggest stumbling block to change is this: I read about some amazing strategies, I want to do them all at once, and then the task becomes too overwhelming. Sound familiar?

There is a simple solution: even though it goes against the grain for a perfectionist like me, it is perfectly OK to chunk the change down to smaller, more manageable tasks. You do not have to act on everything, or make massive changes all at once. Some sage advice from Brad Sugars is this: “you double the size of a business by adding 1% in 100 ways … not by adding 100% with just 1 idea”.

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

Having just been through a particularly overwhelming time of dealing with a critical situation in my business, I feel like I’m writing this article for myself! But I am certain that there will be many of you feel the same way, either now, in the craziness of the season, or in the past or future.

Being responsible for the running of your business can at times be overwhelming. The very same advantages of being your own boss can also become sources of stress. Often it is financial issues, but in addition, every business owner is busy and generally stretched to capacity, which is why time constraints and deadlines can be a regular source of stress. Getting sick or dealing with an unscheduled interruption is really not an option and can be overwhelming.

Clutter and disorganisation can add to the feeling of being ‘out of control’ and definitely impacts on productivity and efficiency. In general, not knowing what to do next and having the constant pressure to make crucial decisions, can all add up to being overwhelmed.

So what’s the answer? At times, it will be a case of pushing through. As Dr Phil says “Anyone can do something when they want to do it. Really successful people do it when they don’t want to”.

But you also need to be sensible. If you feel overwhelmed more often than not, then you need to seriously take stock. Are you wearing too many hats? Do you need to make some hard decisions about where you spend your time and energy? Being overwhelmed to the point of inaction, or worse still, at the expense of your health, is not a viable or sensible long term solution.

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender