5 Lessons from Ant to save a Soul-o-preneur Precious Time

5 Lessons from Ant to Save a Soul-o-preneur Precious Time

I've been watching the sugar ants in our kitchen (that we've been trying to encourage to go outside), but they are determined to march across the kitchen floor, up the kitchen counter, and over to the sink. They stop to chat with each other briefly, but are constantly on the go. Then, it dawned on me. There are a lot of them because they are small. They are constantly on the go because their only job is to feed the queen and the nest. As Soul-o-preneurs, we're running our businesses a lot like Ant searches for food. Here are a few lessons that we an learn from Ant:

Stay focused. Your time is precious, so make sure you're focusing that time on the things that are going to move your business forward. These things are: creating products, marketing your services, and laying your business foundations. Staying focused on one thing at a time will get everything done faster.

Stay organized. In order to save time, organize everything from your files (hard copy and online) to your work area. Make sure that you are using a system that works for you. After all, you don't see Wolf using Ant's systems.

Know and write down your processes. If you create a system that works for you (i.e. a product launch, filing system, or marketing system), write it down. This will help you grow your business in the long run. As soon as you're able to delegate a task, someone else can step in and do it just the way you've always done it, because you have a process.

Delegate. You don't see the Queen Ant coming up and looking for food, because that's not her job. She has delegated the job of gathering food for the nest to the worker ants. You can do the same thing with tasks that are not your strengths or that you simply don't like. There will always be another Soul-o-preneur whose passions can step right in and get the job done. And then, we're spreading the energy/money, love, and all of us get to shine our lights.

I know. I hear you...it costs money, but how much is it costing you in time? Your time is a limited resource as well. Most importantly, is the task taking up time that could be devoted to creating for your business?  If so, delegate it! And where there is a will, there is a way!

Communicate your needs. Don't sit in silence and suffer. Spending your precious time researching how to do a task is not an efficient use of your time. If you haven't got it within an hour, it's time to ask everyone you know if they know how to do it. Someone will know or can recommend someone to you.





These tips will help you save time now and in the future.  If you want to grow your business, it's really important to work smarter, not harder. Working 80 hours a week is not serving you or your tribe. Implementing some of these tips will have your business working for you, not the other way around.

For more tips, techniques, and support, head on over to the Wise Woman's Society. What Lesson from Ant intrigues you most or that you already use in your business? Leave a comment below.