One of my favorite Rush songs of all time is one by the name of “Time Stand Still.” Particularly, one line resonates with me undoubtedly on a daily basis – you know, this one:
Freeze this moment a little bit longer…
I realize that the song wasn’t written about a guy in the 21st century who has plenty to do. In fact, it’s a whole lot more than “plenty” – rather an abundance of ideas, thoughts, emails, support, opportunities and so on.
How often do you find yourself saying… “If I just had one more hour to finish this up”… or “Hang on kids, I’ll be down in just a few minutes”…
The bottom line for us all is that there are 24 hours in the day – and there will NEVER be more than that. I supposed one option is to sleep less, and many of us are capable of doing that – until it catches up.
I’ve learned that the only way to get more done, is to get more people involved – which ultimately takes you from a “do-er” to a manager. This past year I’ve seen myself radically undergo a metamorphosis which has placed me into much more of a managerial role at my company that I had planned. Don’t get me wrong – I’m not complaining, nor saying I wish I wasn’t in this position.
After all, the visions I had for my business are being carried out much quicker than I thought – and it’s not because I found more time. Rather, I found more people…
I am a hopeless Starbucks addict, freelance internet consultant living in Chicago.
I’m at that point in business and I needed to hear that message today. Thanks for sharing it.
You bet Bryce – I really think a lot of people get to that point, and struggle with the same stuff we do. It’s natural for us to think we can do it on our own, and to balance more work. StudioPress really took off once I let go and hired good people.
I have watched this metamorphosis and glad to see your growth! Especially since I have been there and done that.
I also know of others who have not evolved and their companies continue to struggle because of the strangle they have put on it.
Stepping back and looking at the big picture plus setting goals is not easy for some people and they can’t seem to ever get out of their own way.
Thanks for the encouragement – both in this comment, and in every conversation we have. For those of you who don’t know, Craig is my COO – and the person who has challenged me along the way. As someone who has “been there and done that”, he’s been someone who has helped put StudioPress where it’s at – primarily with his expertise and experience in the business world.
I’ve slowly started to hire people for certain things and every time I do – I’m glad I did. Knowing that projects continue to progress, even if I’m not working on them, brings a peace of mind I can’t put a price on!
And I got tired of telling the kids…”one sec….let me finish this up”….after all, they’re the reason I’m HOME doing this!
Thanks for the reminder.
I’m glad to be one of your people
The StudioPress team is a great place to work, and it will be exciting to see the ways the company continues to grow and change as you grow and change. It’s been a fun time so far!
You are right. To sleep less is no option as you will get more and more tired and unconcentrated. You found the right way. Managing people, employees, freelancers. The only and biggest problem is to find qualified people that can be paid. It takes time to replace those that make you more work than before, because managing people means managing independently working people. We need to manage them, but don’t need to think for them.
I’ve watched SP grow and evolve since the days of Revolution, back when I first sent you an email about potentially showcasing one of my sites. I consider myself lucky to be part of the team and am really happy it’s grown into such an amazing company. User experience is such a top priority for me with anyone I work with, and SP definitely focuses on that. Way to go Brian!
I’ve taken the luxury of working for a full day just on my online business and letting my offline languish for a day. Technically. I’m still bursting with ideas, urgencies, must do’s and such about both businesses. Yep. The person who manufactures time now that we can create and split cells, will be feted with more praise and money than they can handle. In the meantime, it’s about prioritizing and remembering why we’re doing this. Maybe enlightenment comes with aging! Thanks for the head-check.
WOW. Three years already. I remember when you first started. You have done amazing work and have contributed to the world of blogging and web design with high standards. I still come around from time to time to see what you are up to and your growth has been nothing short of amazing. Key people are very important. Don’t want to spend your time looking over shoulders to see if its being done right. Great team you have and here is wishing you more success! Thanks for all you do…
love your themes. love more the fact you love RUSH.
Great reminder. It is so easy to think you need more time or that you can stretch out the hours in a day. I think we all needed to hear this thought. And RUSH is how we are reminded… even better.
Brian, there are two great themes running through this post: you can never recoup lost time and you have to let go. I don’t know any family person who works from home who hasn’t dealt with both issues. We work from home to be closer to our family, yet working at home can consume those precious moments you will never get back; pretty soon your little girl or boy grows to where they won’t tug on your sleeve or tell you what they are thinking – and it will haunt you. Also, we have the double-edged sword of creating a business, yet holding tight to every aspect as if only we are capable of doing every job. The dream we creates becomes a nightmare and the idea of freedom becomes a trap. Delegate. It is a difficult concept for perfectionists, but it is the only way to grow.
How often do you find yourself saying… “If I just had one more hour to finish this up”… or “Hang on kids, I’ll be down in just a few minutes”…
I just said that last one a moment ago so i could read this post. : ) or as my son would say : ** (