Meagan Kerlin

No matter what type of work you do or what type of business you run, you will experience times during which you may not necessarily enjoy your work. Everyone goes through periods when they will dread waking up and heading to the office. Fortunately, however, there are ways you can reclaim your workday and learn how to enjoy your work once again. A few simple habits can not only make your work day easier, but they can also help you regain your sanity and find the enjoyment you used to have with your job.

If you are experiencing burn out and no longer enjoy what you do, it may be because you are working too much. One of the simplest ways to regain your joy with work is to work less — find ways to take time off, use your vacation days, take breaks, and leave the office at a decent hour each day. There are many ways you can still be very productive and successful while still keeping your personal life and your work life separate. Doing some of the following can be simple yet effective ways to learn how to enjoy your work again:

• Delegate tasks and allow your employees and teammates to thrive
• Learn how to schedule and organize your workday tasks
• Listen to music or work from an alternate location for a change of scenery
• Practice techniques that can help you concentrate and focus
• Find a way to organize tasks in a way that is logical and time conducive
• Stop planning and attending meetings that waste your time

These are tips that will help you be more effective, organized and productive, and they can have a direct impact on improving your outlook on your job. If you are unhappy with work, it is likely because you feel overwhelmed, behind or unfocused. Harness your workday and make the hours in the day work for you — you will be a better worker, and you may find you are a happier worker as well.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

Owning and operating a business is hard work. It can be overwhelming and mentally challenging, especially when you have a staff and clients who depend on you. Sometimes, the stress and obligations can catch up with you, and many entrepreneurs can experience issues that include depression, mood disorders and exhaustion. There are certain strategies that you can put into place that will help you address the stress and the pressures of being a business owner, allowing you to protect your mental health and help you stay well and productive.

One way that you can protect your own mental well-being during periods of significant business-related stress is to take time for things that make you happy and bring you peace. If you love to read, make time to read and clear your head. Even if it feels impossible to add anything else to your schedule at this time, taking small breaks to enjoy things completely unrelated to your work is freeing. As much as you are able to do so, maintain your hobbies and do things that you enjoy — this is significantly beneficial for your mental health.

Another thing you can do to be intentional about your mental and emotional health is to make the effort to turn your brain off. Overthinking and overanalyzing can be major a stressor for you, especially if you do not make it a point to take a break. Get into the habit of taking “brain breaks” — read, take a walk, listen to a podcast, see a movie, take a nap — find out what works for you and make it happen on a regular basis.

Mental health is critically important, especially for entrepreneurs, and you may need to be intentional about protecting yourself and your well-being. When you learn how to protect your mental health, things like stress, difficulties and other obstacles will seem less overwhelming.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

Life as an entrepreneur is not all sunshine and roses. There are times when simply keeping your head above water can feel impossible, and you may not be sure how you will keep going another month. It is especially difficult when you feel like you are being attacked. Businesses come under fire for various reasons, including everything from an unhappy customer to a negative review in a public forum. No matter the reason or source of the negative attention coming your way, it’s important to know how to fight back and how to protect your interests when under attack.

One way to deal with attacks is to know they are coming. These difficult times are the unfortunate reality of doing business — it will happen, and being prepared can help you react appropriately when it does. It is important to prepare your team for this likelihood. Train your team well, and give them the tools to handle things calmly and effectively when a customer is ranting or there are serious efforts to undermine your company’s reputation. It is also smart to prepare yourself.

Prepare yourself to reject the temptation to play the victim. The attack you are facing may not be personal, even though it may feel that way. It’s simply a part of doing business, and you can spare yourself a lot of stress and emotional struggling if you can learn how to play offense. This does not mean you should behave the same way as the other party, but there are ways you can proactively protect your company. Respond calmly and professionally, but be honest. Take to social media to respond to questions. Refuse to give in to unreasonable and financially irresponsible demands.

It’s important to evaluate and decide what “fighting back” would look like in the context of your business operations and long-term goals. Build your attack plan based on what you believe would be the most appropriate yet effective response to any type of negativity coming your way. Prepare well for various types of attack, and your business will be able to handle these difficult situations when they arise.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

There may come times when you find yourself at odds with others you work with, or you may find there is a person who is intentionally trying to undermine your position and potentially harm your career. While antagonistic behaviors are unprofessional and unacceptable, you would be wise to learn how to protect yourself in the event that someone is attempting to cause harm to your career or your reputation.

Handling attacks, snide remarks and negative actions of others is something that everyone should know how to do, regardless of their career or business. While you cannot control what other people say or do, you can control how you react. In fact, your response to attacks on your career or reputation could actually garner the respect and admiration of others. It is important to never react emotionally or in an equally harmful manner, but instead, respond professionally and calmly. It may not always be necessary to verbally respond, so learning how to take the high road can actually be a smart step for your career path or small business.

Another way to deal with the negative actions of others is to simply keep proving that person wrong. Work hard, be honest, treat people well and refuse to stoop to low levels, and people will find it hard to believe when someone says something negative about you. It’s impossible to make everyone happy all the time, but it is possible to learn how to react with class and dignity when someone attacks you. Your reputation is a huge asset, and protecting it may mean responding to crisis in a smart and non-reactionary manner.

At some point, you will likely face a situation in which you find a colleague, employer, customer or other person acts in a way that seems like he or she is intentionally trying to harm your reputation, your business or your career path. You are certainly entitled to defend yourself, but it is prudent to be thoughtful and practical in your response. Don’t sacrifice the high ground simply because someone is angry, irrational or unprofessional.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

Are you busy to the point where taking time off seems impossible? Are you afraid taking a vacation could compromise your career, projects or the overall health of your business? Many American workers and business owners take very little vacation time every year, with many of them simply leaving a majority of their vacation days unused. There is an unspoken assumption that those who work the most will be the most successful, but there is significant evidence to the contrary. In fact, people who take vacations and time away from work are often more productive and better employees.

It may seem impossible right now, but it is good for your overall wellness and mental health to take vacations. One way you can have the best of both worlds — time away while still managing your responsibilities — is to take a working vacation. With advances in technology and good wifi available almost anywhere, you can work from the beach, the mountains or wherever you choose to go. Working vacations can allow you the balance between spending time with your family and checking on things at work.

In order to make a working vacation work, you have to commit to minimizing your time on the computer or your phone, otherwise you might as well be back in the office. Work for two or three hours in the morning, check-in at lunch and stop checking your email after a certain time. Determine the bare minimum of work you will need to do, then commit to sticking to a schedule while you are away so you can make the most out of your vacation hours.

If a full-fledged vacation with no work responsibilities is not an option, consider a working vacation. Taking a break is important, and this could be a smart way to keep an eye on work while still resting, relaxing and enjoying your loved ones.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

Small business owners wear many hats, and they often have to fill many roles in the everyday operations of their businesses. As your company grows, it may be harder to personally manage every aspect of your company, and it may be more important to learn how to delegate.

Delegation could be crucial for your sanity and the well-being of your business. Positive growth and expansion will likely mean that you will have to allow employees to take over certain tasks because you simply can’t do it all yourself. Learning how to delegate well is a skill that every business owner should develop, and it can be a smart way to foster growth, development and creativity in your employees.

The exercise of assigning tasks and delegating responsibilities involves much more than just telling people what to do. It’s about aligning the right person with the right task. Allow the people who work with you to exercise their talents and grow by giving them the space to thrive. This may mean handing over some of the things you are used to handling, but a fresh perspective from a new person can be both beneficial and, over time, profitable. When you refuse to delegate, you may be keeping control of something that would be better off in someone else’s hands — don’t be afraid to let others lead, create and grow.

It is impossible to delegate if you are not working with people you trust or who are not committed to the well-being of your business. Strive to hire well and implement the right training, and over time, you can delegate to people you know will work diligently to do their tasks well. If you feel like you are always running on empty and never able to catch up, it may be time to evaluate what aspects of your business you can delegate. Lightening your load is not only smart for your peace of mind, but it can free you up to brainstorm, develop new services and focus on other aspects of your business that may need your attention.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

Starting a business is risky, and it is important to do everything in your power to minimize your exposure to risks and issues in every way possible. Many entrepreneurs end up starting business organically — allowing a hobby, talent or idea to slowly develop into a venture that actually pays. Whether you are jumping in with both feet with an official launch or your business sort of grew slowly into what it is today over time, it is smart to take heed of common business traps and work to avoid them.

It is an unfortunate reality that a large portion of small businesses fail. There are many reasons why so many are not successful, and it can be helpful to look at what might have gone wrong and how these companies may have survived had they made different choices. One of the most simple and common traps businesses fall into is choosing the wrong name. Your company name should be easy to remember and appealing as well as translatable across various markets as your company grows.

Another trap that catches some businesses is lacking a formal marketing strategy. When your business has seen a significant amount of growth through word of mouth and customer referrals, it can be difficult to see the importance of having a serious marketing plan. However, as you formalize your operations and attempt to reach new clients, it is smart to do this in a professional manner. When you have a strong marketing strategy, you can see significant growth for your business.

One of the most common errors new businesses make is to significantly underprice their products and services. Charge what you are worth — if you value what you offer to customers, they are more likely to also value it. Cheaper prices may lead to more customers right away, but that won’t help you pay the bills, and it can cause trouble in the future if you need to dramatically increase prices.

Avoiding common business traps will not only help you stay in business, it can reduce complications and stress you may experience as a business owner. As you start your business or move to formalize your business operations, it can be beneficial to learn about certain pitfalls you will want to avoid.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

As an entrepreneur, you know the benefit in sticking with what you know will work. At some point, however, even the best ideas and clever branding schemes can wear thin and wear out, meaning you are no longer reaching potential new customers and clients. When your current branding is no longer effective or you believe it is time to try something new for the sake of recreating your image, an entire rebranding effort may be beneficial.

A brand is about much more than a logo — it includes the logo used for your company, but also pertains to everything else that communicates to the customer about the personality, tone and culture of your business. Strong branding carries over to everything from your company letterhead to how your company interacts with people on social media. It’s crucial that branding be visually appealing and consistent in the tone it sends about your business. If it is time to rebrand, the following questions can help you narrow your focus and choose the approach that will work best:

• What problems am I hoping to solve by rebranding?
• What story am I hoping to tell by rebranding?
• Who are we trying to reach and attract?
• How can we connect meaning and importance to our new branding?

Many major companies that have rebranded unsuccessfully have learned that it is crucial to be thoughtful and careful when taking this step. In some cases, a company has had to backtrack from its campaign and revert back to the old branding, and it can take a long time for customers and clients to move past it.

Rebranding is a big step. If your customers are changing, your business has changed significantly or fierce competition has necessitated the move, rebranding, if done the right way, can boost sales and garner the attention of potential clients. In fact, it is such a big decision that many companies invest in extensive research and development before launching a rebrand. Before you make the choice to move forward with this, take the time to carefully weigh the benefits and drawbacks of presenting a new “face” to your company.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC