A few weeks ago, I did something I rarely do!

I was really ill, so I went to the doctor to get some help.  I agreed to a steroid shot – something I NEVER do.  (You know I was feeling bad.)

I was diagnosed with sinusitis and bronchitis, and the doctor prescribed antibiotics and a cough suppressant to get me healthy again. Yum!

As I was lying in bed that night, I thought about how nice it was that the cough suppressant was drying up all the ‘gunk’ in my head – until I also noticed how uncomfortably dry my throat was getting, forcing me to grab a throat lozenge.

It occurred to me that this same thing often happens to us in our businesses. We see a downside to our business, something that’s keeping it from being as healthy as it should be, and we choose a solution intended to take care of the problem, only to cause another problem.

Keeping your business healthy requires the right tools, but sometimes the recommended tools (just like those meds I was on) can have both an upside and a downside. That’s why it’s so important that you combine effective strategies with the necessary help and support to guide you through any possible ‘downside’ periods.

I tell people all the time how great Infusionsoft is because it can do so much. But that’s also what can make Infusionsoft overwhelming.

The way to avoid being overwhelmed by all the Infusionsoft plugins and options is to hire someone who keeps up on all the latest plugins and options, letting them help support you in your Infusionsoft application.

In your own business, you may not need to do everything that Infusionsoft is capable of doing, but you DO need to have someone on your side that can help support you.

Facebook is another example of a tool that can benefit your business – or create other issues for you. Yes, Facebook is an important piece of marketing your business, but it can also become a vampire – sucking the time out of your day!

I’m on Facebook every day – but I’m there for a purpose – to read through messages on the Infusionsoft Certified Partner and The Machine groups. This is where I learn and see possibilities and provide support to others by answering questions. Very seldom do I look through the News Feed, and when I do, I set a timer and get in and get out!

So if you’re going on Facebook to check out what your friends are doing, be sure to set a timer. Or at the very least, have a specific intention and purpose for going on Facebook – and stick to it.

Email is a necessary tool that can quickly become overwhelming. It’s easy to get on too many newsletter lists. Unsubscribe from those that no longer interest you or provide you any value. Then, be sure to set up folders to keep your inbox organized.

Oh, and one more thing you can easily do: Only check your email at certain times throughout the day!  

Once you spot what’s causing a ‘downside’ in your business, think of the right strategies as the medicine needed to cure what’s wrong and keep your business healthy and on track.

You might want to check out this time-saving system that I wrote about in a previous article on organizing your email inbox. It’s been a real sanity saver for me!

What are some of the tools you currently use in your business that have both an upside and a downside? Share with us below and while you’re at it, include your tricks for making the downside not so – well…DOWN!