When’s the last time something unexpected happened in your business?

Maybe you lost a contractor and had to scramble to find another one only to realize that your program could no longer launch in time.

Or maybe your family had an emergency and needed you, so you got behind on a few projects.

Unexpected things happen and sometimes we’re not able to follow through with the systems we’ve set in place.

Don’t get caught up in feeling disappointed.

Get yourself back on track!

How to Get Back on Track When You “Fall Off the Wagon”

Tip 1 – Know your priorities

You know the old adage: “You can’t get anywhere if you don’t know where you’re going.”

Setting your priorities gives you focus.  Not setting them can cause you to spend a year lost in confusion about what’s really important for the success of your business.

Choose one major business goal for the next twelve months.

Knowing this goal makes it easier for you to get back on track with your systems.  It’ll help you realize which systems are vital to reaching your target and how to tackle setting your priorities.

Tip 2 – Plan Ahead

Decide ahead of time what you’ll do if you get off track with your systems.  Make a “Potential Roadblocks” list before something unexpected happens.

Do this:

Make a list of everything that might get in your way of sticking to your systems. Then, read over each potential roadblock and create a way of conquering it.

You’ll quickly discover that you need backup plans, like a “What If” system, so you’ll be more aware of what’s truly urgent.

Here’s a sample.

• Roadblock: My mother is ill, and I might need to go to Florida to take care of her.
  • Solution: I’ll delegate more tasks to my virtual assistant in order to make up for the time that I’ll lose.
• Roadblock: It’s hard to do a weekly review when I have so many other things on my plate.
  • Solution: Create a recurring task in my project management system to remind me to do my weekly review each Friday.

When you plan ahead for situations that might pop up, it’s easier—and quicker—to get back on track.

Tip 3 – Take it step by step

Instead of jumping head first into your systems after falling off the wagon, take the piecemeal approach.

Make a list of the systems that need to be revived. Go through the items on the list slowly so you can regain the comfort of your routines.

You’ll fall behind again if you try to cram everything back into your schedule.

Tip 4 – Reward yourself to acknowledge your progress

Do something nice for yourself each time you reintegrate a piece of your system.

Choose 5-10 things that you can do when this happens.

Examples:

• Taking a half or full day off to enjoy a luxurious bubble bath and curl up with a book
• Buying a bottle of champagne to share with your partner
• Going out to a nice meal at a restaurant you’ve been wanting to try
• Sharing your success with your mastermind group or team

You’ll be more motivated about reviving your systems when you give yourself gifts!

Tip 5 – Be clear on how you want to show up in the world

Systems ensure our businesses run smoothly.  Actually, they ensure our business runs period! However, your systems must be aligned with your beliefs and values in order for your business to become your pride and joy.

No two businesses are alike when it comes to client intake, client management, customer support, relationship building, blogging, podcasting, and social media.

The systems you create reflect how you want to show up in the world.

Marie Poulin, for instance, prides herself on building close relationships when she creates websites for her clients.  She values being a mentor and guide for her clients.  Marie’s built communication and project management systems to ensure just that!

Carrie Green, on the other hand, focuses on building a supportive, accessible community for as many female entrepreneurs as possible.  She values generosity and kinship.  Her systems reflect exactly that—Carrie’s back-end systems allow her to produce massive amounts of amazing content and be present on social media asking questions, getting feedback, and being of service to her audience.

You don’t create systems in a vacuum.

You don’t create systems just to check off the list that you have systems.

You create systems to express yourself and the values you want to share with your community.

Clarity about how you want to show up in the world makes it easier to get back on track with the most important systems first.

Wrapping it Up

Falling off the wagon with systems is going to happen.

Take small, consistent steps to get ahead, and you’ll be back into your routine before you know it.

Back to You

What do you do when you fall off track? Which tip are you most looking forward to using?