Hi, it’s your Money Mavens – can we talk about your schedule?
And your workload? And your personal time? And your ever-growing to-do list?
That’s the life of a business owner, right?
Always another task, another call to return, just “one more email before Mommy’s done for the day and then we can watch your show, ‘mkay?”
You want to be there for your clients. You also want to be there for your family, be an amazing mom (or dad), and stay in a happy, healthy relationship with your partner…
While also staying sane and profitable in your business.
That may sound like one of the world’s toughest magic acts because that’s a lot to expect of yourself as an entrepreneur.
So, how do you keep track of it all – without losing your mind (or yourself, your kids, your partner, or your health)?
Setting the right boundaries for your life and business.
We know. You’re probably thinking, “I know about boundaries. I try to set boundaries all the time in my business…but then, things get out of control little by little and I’m back where I started or worse!”
The good news is our team had the same question when it came to setting boundaries, making the most of our time, and not having to choose between a great business and a great life.
Enter Amber de la Garza. She is a wunderkind when it comes to managing your time, being there for the moments that matter, and staying super productive (and sane!).
Amber’s advice? You need to S.T.O.P. as a business owner.
Think of this acronym – S.T.O.P. – as four buckets for how you set up your schedule.
S = Self
What do you really want your life to look like this next year, month, or even week? Build your schedule to help yourself thrive.
(Remember: your schedule is meant to serve you; you’re not meant to serve your schedule.)
The problem is we all procrastinate. It may not necessarily be scrolling Amazon (ooh, cute shoes!) or thumbing away through social media.
It may mean you’re scheduling your days in a way that puts the one big task you know you need to get done later in the day…
When you’re not as motivated…
When you’re in the mid-afternoon lull…
And you’re trying to convince yourself you can just bump that super important task to tomorrow and let Tomorrow You figure it out… as a random example. 🙂
What’s the best time for you to get done what you really need to get done so it gets done and you feel amazing about yourself? Start there.
T = Time
One of the best ways to maximize your time is knowing when you’re the most productive.
Having themes for your days can be super crucial to you feeling energized and ready to invest your best efforts into what’s right in front of you.
If you’re a coach, having all your coaching sessions in the morning may give you the best energy for your most important tasks: coaching.
If you’re an introvert, doing deep work like writing an article, doing research, creating a sales presentation, or building your next prototype may be what you need first thing every morning.
If you’re an extrovert, you may want to have all your calls in the morning where you can charge up before the afternoon. Or vice versa.
Whether you block certain days or times of day for calls or projects can change how you show up and recharge yourself.
O = Organization
Amber loves deleting items off your to-do list because it can actually mean you’re more productive.
How many times have you looked at a list of six, eight, even 10+ items and thought, “I have no idea where to start!”
It can be deflating and leave you stuck wondering which to choose first.
By having fewer items on your to-do list, it means you put true priority to what really needs to happen today.
What if you organized down time in your calendar? Time to think, plan, and be intentionally strategic about your business.
Start with the next two weeks. What’s one big goal you want to cross off in the next two weeks?
Put some time on your calendar to work on that one big goal – and protect that time like it’s a meeting with your biggest client.
P = People
Who are the people in your business and personal life that you can trust to help you stay on track?
If it’s your partner, see if they can share some perspective on how your schedule looks.
They know you best and they can see some potential gaps in time or responsibility.
If you’re a parent, you probably already have your child’s school schedule.
What are those times you don’t want to miss? A dance recital is one of those memory-making moments.
Having a team member (or an entire team) gives you the freedom to trust their expertise with specific areas of growing your business.
Add all of this up – S.T.O.P. – and you have a much better chance of increasing your profitability, lowering your stress, and truly feeling guilt-free.
It means you can have the time to do what matters most without sacrificing your sanity, relationships, health, or future.
Yes, it may take a bit to work for you, but try putting in these boundaries to see what’s possible.
To your prosperity,
Your HWM Money Mavens
P.S. – Hilary goes into more depth on this topic of boundaries for business owners in her interview with Amber De La Garza on Profit Boss® Radio. Listen here.
