Last week I wrote about how we, as founders, have more agency in our working lives than most people.

You're in control. You can shape your business, and your own working life, as you wish.

You should feel immense freedom.

Except it's all too easy to sacrifice (or simply forget to nurture) this freedom — and end up just feeling over-weighed by obligations instead.

This then leads to feeling less like an entrepreneur, and more like you've simply created yourself a really stressful job.

So many founders end up falling out of love with their agencies — because, ironically, they've lost their sense of agency.

That's why it's really important to have a regular rhythm of 'thinking as the owner' designed into the way you run your business.

Have an annual owners retreat (even if you're the only owner). A day or two away from everything to think about your life, how owning the business is serving that, and what needs to improve. Set a mandate for the business as an output of that retreat. (Convivio members can look in the Agency Playbook to find how to run an owners retreat, a suggested agenda and a template for the owners mandate)

Then, in your work as the CEO you should review each month how the business is delivering on that mandate, and decide on actions to take.

If you haven't already, schedule in your annual retreat and monthly reviews today.

Begin making the time to think as the owner of your business if you want to be anything more than just the most stressed employee.

Actively work on growing your sense of agency.