The Bare Minimum for Maximal Impact

While visiting my friend Tammy in Phoenix for a few days, I was fortunate to also connect in-person with radio personality and master podcast instructor and creator Shannon Hernandez. I met Shannon online (Google+) about eight years ago. It was wonderful to finally have an opportunity to hang out face-to-face for a brief while. As we caught up on what’s happening in our lives and professional ventures, I found myself using the phrase “bare minimum” when referring to my work M.O.

I know “bare minimum” has negative connotations:

• Just O.K.
• The lazy way out
• Born from a lack of motivation
• Nothing special

But it doesn’t have to—and shouldn’t—mean any of those things.

Adopting a bare minimum mindset involves getting maximal impact without becoming overstressed and overwhelmed. It’s about finding the right combination of clients, types of assignments, and volume of work so that you do your very best without sacrificing your well-being.

Considerations for Achieving a Lucrative Bare Minimum Work Approach

Striving for the bare minimum is a win-win for all when driven by the right intentions.

Consider these things:

• Do you see a pattern in the types of clients (size, industry, etc.) you like to work with the most or least?
• What tasks are you doing for clients that could be done better or more efficiently by another resource?
• Which types of assignments energize you? Which types leave you feeling drained or distracted?
• What do you do exceptionally well that offers the most value to your clients?
• Have you priced your services too low? That can cause prospects to underestimate your skills and knowledge. It can also push you into a “make it up in volume” situation, where you’re forced to overload your schedule.
• Are there viable and relevant passive income opportunities you’ve overlooked? (This one continues to elude me!)
• What could you change now that would allow you to do more of the types of assignments you love for the types of clients you enjoy working with most?

In Other Words

Another way to convey “bare minimum” is “path of least resistance.” Why work harder not smarter (cliché alert) by doing what you dislike or aren’t particularly good at doing? Especially when that effort will detract from (rather than enhance) your quality of life and the caliber of service you deliver to your clients?

Your turn! What would you add to the list of considerations for creating a professional scenario that provides more satisfaction and less stress?