Lagom (and that’s not French for ‘the eraser’ like it sounds…)

I recently bought a notebook, this is nothing new as I always have one on me for notes and lists and various other things and I go through about one a month. I love bright colours, but this time I bought a simple, grey book because on the front were some words that I loved:

Lagom – (adv.) | Swedish | [‘la:gom] Not too little, not too much. Just right.

How great is that? It’s absolutely my own mantra for business – and for life – which is that you should always be yourself.

You see so many memes and posts about this that I’m not even going to talk about the life angle but when it comes to business trying to be someone you are not is a sure way to end up stressed and anxious. That’s why I thought I’d list out 3 of my top tips on how you can stay true to yourself through your business:

1.       Follow your Instincts

In the past I’ve had clients where they exhibit some behaviour that I don’t think is acceptable but on the whole they’re a good client to work for – because they pay well, because the work is fun or because deep down their heart is in the right place. So, does that mean one should ignore any red flags because of the all the good stuff or should you make more of the bad, perhaps side-lining the good …

Neither of those seem right to me. However, one thing I will say is that you cannot under-estimate gut instinct, so if you feel like something is wrong – however small, listen to that voice inside

2.       Say No

This one is really easy to say and not so easy to do, it’s one I’ve had to learn over the years and I’m not going to lie and tell you it’s easy but if you don’t want to do something – don’t. Really, no amount of money or kudos is worth it. Over the years I’ve been running my business I have learnt the signs when I don’t think a client is right for me and I’ve learnt to listen to it.

3.       Ask for Help

We all like to think we can do it all and we dislike admitting that we can’t and asking for help but I’ve learnt that there are some things in which I am not an expert and I’ll happily admit that but over the years I’ve built a really strong network of people who can fill my own skills gap so when client’s need something I can’t offer then I can recommend someone who can. This is really key for not over-promising and ensuring that I deliver the best service possible to my clients.

So those are my thoughts, nothing earth shattering but things I’ve learned over the years that are really key to how I run my business (and stay, mostly, sane)