As small business owners, we can get completely sucked into researching various tools, plans, programs, packages etc. And typically time is the most precious resource that we have. I, for example, am currently on a Twitter kick. I am spending a whole bunch of time trying to figure out how this works and how it might benefit my business and my clients . . . so how do we know when we are wasting time versus investing time?
I think the key is staying focus on creating results. Not every investigation will succeed. Maybe Twitter won’t improve my business. But if I investigate with the idea that I am trying to see how this could benefit my business, and constantly stay focused on the goal then I would argue it is time well invested. We all need to be looking for new ways to add value in our business. I think the real danger comes when you keep playing around with things and lose sight of any real business applicability.
This takes a lot of discipline though. And you have to be careful not to investigate too many things at once. Prioritize. And measure the results. If you can keep your eyes on the prize, a little playing never hurt anyone and might just become a great new addition to your business!
Related posts: