Lessons learned from moving to a new country that can be applied to business

If you’ve ever moved to a new country, you’ll know that there is a lot of life admin to sort out… and I mean A LOT. You’ve got to think about registering as residents, buying a new car, setting up a new business, finding somewhere to live, buying new furniture, the list is endless! And then there’s the added challenge of trying to do it all in a language you neither speak nor understand. The silver lining is you get really good at making quick decisions and learn a ton of stuff that can be applied to your business life.

Tackle the elephant one bite at a time
I can’t remember where I first heard it, but the saying goes “How would you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!” and it’s true. When you first make a list of all the things that need doing it seems kinda endless, and if you try to think about everything at once you will probably want to cry, go for a lie-down, and pretend it doesn’t exist. By breaking the enormous list down into manageable chunks you reduce the feelings of overwhelm and can celebrate every small win.

For example, we bought our new Dutch car while still in possession of our UK car. On the way to the garage to pick it up, our friend asked us what we were going to do with our UK one, we answered we have no idea but we’re going to deal with that situation when we get to it. It might sound crazy but you cannot plan for every eventuality – so deal with what’s immediately in front of you and worry about the rest later.

Being organised is vital
At points, it will feel as though you’re creating as many problems as you’re solving, especially in the early days of business. THIS IS COMPLETELY NORMAL! Get organised and find a system that works for you. Some people swear by the Pomodoro Technique, can’t live without their planner, or have giant great-big to-do lists that they work through daily and weekly. Personally, I put absolutely everything in my calendar, including time to work on my own projects. Without a system in place things will get missed, and there is no worse feeling than that of a dropped ball. If you’re a fan of to-do lists try prioritising yours using the Eisenhower matrix, it was introduced to me by an old boss and has been absolutely life-changing.

Treat it like a full-time job
Because, well, it is one! There have definitely been points over the last few months where it’s felt like moving is a full-time job, what with all the paperwork, appointments, and general headspace it’s taken up. If I hadn’t taken some time off to deal with it I would have got completely snowed under! The same is true for your business, whether you’re doing it as a side-hustle or have thrown yourself in full-force if you don’t treat it as a full-time job when you’re working on it, it won’t pay you like one. It’s as simple as that. People talk about a “growth mindset” and this is basically that, putting your full effort into your business and genuinely believing it’s going to work.

You won’t realise what’s stressing you out until it’s no longer an issue
As mentioned above there is A LOT to do when you move to a new country. Which means lots of small things weighing on your mind, in addition to all the normal day-to-day things we all think about. Something that really struck me was how much I didn’t realise something was bothering me until it was no longer a problem. I also noticed the same thing with my business, every time a proposal comes back as a yes, or clients pay on time, you get that wonderful feeling of your shoulders moving a little further away from your ears. Cherish it because they’ll find their way back up there soon enough!

Things are easier when there’s more than one of you
I can honestly say I would not have been able to manage the sheer volume of stuff we needed to do if I had to do it by myself. Yes, moving has been stressful, but nowhere near as stressful as it was if I’d been trying to do it alone. It’s the same in business, running a business on your own doesn’t mean you have to be alone. There are so many brilliant people who make the whole thing just that little bit easier, whether it’s being there to listen to a frustrated rant or offering advice about something that’s had you tearing out your hair. Having a good support network is important when you run a business so, if you haven’t already, go out and find yours.

If you’re in the process of setting up your business, about to launch something new, or generally having a bit of a think about whether you can improve some stuff, book a Sixty Minute Strategy session and we’ll get you clear af.