The Freedom Flywheel - Blog , Command

Practicing Being Unavailable: the Art of Setting Boundaries

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 15:04:34 +0000

Setting boundaries can be difficult for those of us who are overachievers. It's not our default setting. Instead, we're wired to be constantly available, tackling problems and checking items off to-do lists. We thrive on achievement and solving problems. But – this mindset doesn’t always serve us, or our businesses, well. Practicing unavailability isn't just a skill that’s nice to have; it's a necessity for maintaining your mental health, productivity, and overall quality of life. It's also essential if you want to exit your business one day.

The Art of Setting Boundaries

Setting boundaries in a healthy way means creating deliberate containers for your time and energy. It's a conscious effort to define when you'll answer calls, do work-related tasks – or dedicate time to personal or family matters. This deliberate approach is a game-changer, and it allows you to take control of your time – and, ultimately, your life. There are lots of different ways to set boundaries. While some people might thrive on structured time blocking, you may prefer a more flexible approach. It's not about conforming to a specific method, but more about discovering what works best for you. Whether you divide your day into focused time blocks or embrace themes for certain days, the goal is to provide your brain with breathing space and reduce the burden of multitasking.

Why We Need to Practice Saying No

The journey to unavailability starts with the powerful act of saying no. This is about embracing the idea that not every opportunity, task, or social engagement deserves your time and attention. Learning to decline politely, without unnecessary apologies, is a skill that brings you both freedom and autonomy. We all know that over-committing ourselves can lead to burnout, but we tend to underestimate the true risk here. Protecting your mental health means being selective about the projects and engagements you accept. It's about recognizing that saying no is a form of self-care, and it helps make sure you never reach the breaking point where everything falls apart. The social media illusion of perfect work-life balance can be dangerous. Instead, focus on creating a life that aligns with your values. If you don't practice saying no, you are never going to get to the point where you truly have freedom in your business. Establish boundaries that safeguard your personal time, ensuring you don't compromise on the quality moments you spend with your loved ones.

Tips for Getting Started

For a recovering overachiever, saying, “no” the first time can be the hardest. Here are some tips to get you started:

Apply a “hell, yes” filter – Adopt the philosophy that, "if it's not a hell, yes, it's a no.” This mantra serves as a North Star, helping you tell the difference between genuine enthusiasm and obligation.
Identify Your Priorities: Know your non-negotiables in life and work. When your choices are in alignment with your values and the things most important to you, everything feels easier - even saying no.
Communicate Simply: Say no clearly but kindly, without lengthy explanations. "Unfortunately, I can't commit to that right now", is enough to get the point across without being rude. Much better than making up an excuse or telling a white lie to get out of it.
Start Small: Practice saying no to minor requests first. BJ Fogg suggests that starting with tiny habits makes it easier to create lasting change.
Leverage Technology: Use email autoresponders, do-not-disturb settings, and calendar blocks. Make tech your friend and cut off intrusions at the pass.
Schedule Personal Time: Treat self-care as a non-negotiable appointment. There's something about having it on your calendar that makes it seem like a formal commitment that you're less likely to cancel at the last minute.
Reframe Your Mindset: Saying no to one thing means saying yes to something more important. Like...YOU and your priorities.
Set Boundaries Proactively: Define your working hours, preferred communication methods, and workload management upfront. If you don't create a structure, it's harder to know what to say no or yes to.
And Regularly Review Them: Adjust them as your life and priorities evolve. We don't live in a vacuum, so we need to adjust as our situation changes.
Be Patient: Understand that setting boundaries is a skill that improves over time. You're going to slip up along the way and say yes to some things you'll later wish you hadn't. Just review the tips above and keep on going. You'll get better and better with practice.

The art of being unavailable isn’t just about creating an empty schedule – it’s about curating a life that aligns with your values.

Think of it like a journey of self-discovery, finding balance between productivity and fulfillment. Remember, the first steps might feel uncomfortable, but with practice, setting boundaries will become second nature. So, protect your time, prioritize what truly matters, and reclaim your freedom.

3 Common Business Owner Fears and How to Overcome them

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 14:33:41 +0000

Halloween is just around the corner. It’s the scariest time of the year, which makes it a great time to explore some of the biggest fears that business owners have. And, believe me, I understand these fears – I’ve experienced every single one of them myself. But when you push past those fears to really understand what’s going on with your business, and to take positive action to optimize it, you’ll be glad you did. There’s a lot of success waiting on the other side. So, let’s dive into the scary spaces.

The 3 biggest fears every business owner faces

In my experience, there are three common fears that tend to pop up at some point for every business owner. Here they are:

Looking at the numbers
Having difficult conversations
Admitting having problems

Let’s look at how each one of these fears shows up – and what you can do to push past them and make your business healthier and more profitable than ever.

Fear #1: Looking at the numbers

When you’re working 80-hour weeks to get everything done, it’s easy to convince yourself of just about anything when it comes to your finances. You can imagine the worst – that you’re in terrible financial shape and on the precipice of disaster at any moment. Or you can imagine that you’re doing better financially than you really are, creating a false sense of confidence. But at some point, you need to take a good, hard, objective look at where your money is and how you’re performing financially. I know it’s not fun – but I promise you that worrying about your financial situation and making up your own stories about the shape you’re in is much worse. You need to find great financial advisors both for your business (accountant) and personally (financial planner). Understanding your business numbers is important for all of the obvious reasons. Are you profitable? Will you make payroll next month? Should you invest in that new software or cool toy you really want? Getting a grip on your personal finances will allow you to understand what your business is really doing for you. Is it doing enough? Or do you need more from it? Find advisors that you trust and go through this process with them. One of the most valuable things I've ever done in my adult life was to work with an advisor to create a financial plan. Because it gave me options. Push past the fear. I can tell you from experience that it’s highly unlikely they will tell you anything worse than what you’re already imagining. And even if what they tell you is your worst-case scenario, at least there are actions you can take once you understand the situation. A good financial partner can help you identify where your assets are, articulate how you’re spending money (both personally and professionally), and assign a current value to your business. Armed with this information, you then can take necessary steps to increase your business’ value – and ultimately make it attractive for someone else to buy. (Or equally attractive for you to keep running!) Remember that having knowledge makes you powerful, and it helps you identify your options. It’s just like turning a light on in that dark, scary corner.

Fear #2: Having difficult conversations

No one relishes having uncomfortable or difficult conversations – but the most successful business owners understand that they’re sometimes necessary for the overall health of your business - and the health of your relationships with your team. Just like avoiding your numbers, walking around with the weight of a necessary conversation can be so much more stressful than having the discussion. When you know you need to broach a difficult subject with someone, take the time to prepare. Think through what you need to say, and even practice it if that’s helpful. And then do it. It might be awful. It might be just as hard as you expect, even. But then it will be over, and you’ll no longer carry around the ball of anxiety related to it. Best-case scenario, you might even come to a resolution that’s good for both parties. Ultimately, having the courage to initiate a hard conversation is a sign of leadership. When you avoid those conversations and let issues fester within your team, you’re unintentionally creating an unhealthy and unhappy culture for your business. Don’t be that leader.

Fear #3: Admitting having problems

There is a nagging and completely unfounded fear most leaders hold – and it’s the fear of acknowledging that there are problems with your business. It makes us feel like we’re not smart enough or not good enough to lead. Too many leaders view any kind of admission like this as a failure when it absolutely isn’t. It’s simply a byproduct of participating in the marketplace – and it shouldn’t isolate us or make us feel we have to figure out everything on our own. Just like the proverbial skeleton in the closet, all business leaders face problems and have to course-correct. Keeping the closet door shut only gives those skeletons more power – when you bring your problems out into the open, whether with a business advisor or a group of fellow leaders, they lose their ability to frighten you. If my experience is any indicator, you’ll find that other leaders are struggling with the same things – or at least with challenges that are similar.

Being a business owner and good leader isn’t for the faint of heart

It takes courage to face the challenges of the marketplace while also nurturing a supportive environment for your team. So it’s a good thing you don’t have to do it alone.

The 60-Day Dash: A New Approach to Year-End Success

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 15:03:24 +0000

When it’s time to close the books for the year, it's easy to feel worried, nervous or stressed about how you’ll finish. But the last sprint to the yearly finish line also can represent a time of tremendous focus, clarity and tenacity – if you approach it the right way. Here’s how you can make the most of a final, year-end sprint with your team.

✅ Do a 60-day sprint instead of the 90-day version

✅ Harness positive energy

✅ Set realistic goals

✅ Involve your team

✅ End with a celebration Let’s explore these tactics a bit more.

Do a 60-day dash instead of the 90-day sprint

You may already know my feelings about the 90-day sprint – it’s a great way to dial up the pressure for your team in a healthy and productive way. But what about a 60-day dash? If you’re nearing your fiscal year deadline, 60 days is still plenty of time to crush some impactful goals. And by focusing on short-term achievements, you can concentrate on small, manageable wins that still move the needle for you. As with any sprint, start by clarifying the goal(s) you’re working toward. Make sure everyone understands the ultimate finish line and what they need to do to get there - and ensure they have the necessary resources. Then, make sure they know the lines of communication are open. Have short, regular check-ins along the way – NOT meetings - quick check-ins on Slack can ensure that everyone stays on track. Your role as leader is to make sure you remove any roadblocks that come up - so your team needs to know you're ready and willing to do that as needed.

Harness positive energy

Your team will always look to you to set the tone. If you seem worried about whether you’ll finish the year strong, chances are they’ll also experience a crisis of confidence. But – if you engage with your team in a positive, optimistic manner, it’s likely they'll find your positive energy infectious. While it’s important to remind your team of their upcoming deadlines, do so in a spirit of collaboration – let them know you’re all in this together, and that you have every confidence the team is up to whatever task is before them. Show them that you’re willing to help provide the support, resources, and coaching they need to be successful. You might be surprised at how often – and how impressively – your team will rise to a challenge if they feel like you believe in them.

Set realistic goals

It’s always important to be realistic with your goals, but this is never more true than at the end of the year. Don’t let large, ambitious goals that sound great but are simply unfeasible drive the process. This is an ideal time to re-examine the overarching goals of your yearly plan – sometimes we set goals that are simply unreachable because of unexpected variance in the market. Or – you may find that your initial goals were too timid and that you’d like to push your team toward higher achievement. In any case, make sure you’re conferring with your team members about what’s feasible and realistic from their perspective. Buy-in is even more important at crunch time! Let them help you adjust any goals as necessary.

Involve your team

The end of the year can feel stressful. Everyone on your team will feel stretched to meet their goals – and you, as the leader, have the power to create a positive and collaborative culture. Make sure you’re communicating regularly, openly, and honestly with your team about what they need to accomplish, and encourage them to help each other. But don't bog down your process with too many meetings! Pull your team together as needed for brainstorming sessions and progress checks. Reward them when they collaborate and support one another. Depending on your culture, a fun holiday-themed contest might be appropriate – just make sure it stays light-hearted and inclusive rather than rewarding your team members simply for individual performance.

End with a celebration

No matter your results, it’s important to end your year with celebration. Reminding your team of everything they’ve accomplished and thanking them for their commitment to your business goes a long way toward earning their continued loyalty and engagement. In fact, celebrating your team’s wins is a powerful technique for everything from building morale and improving company culture to retaining top talent and boosting overall productivity. Celebrating your team and showing them your appreciation has the added bonus of spurring creativity and innovation, helping ensure that you start the next year on a strong foot. Sprinting through the end of the fiscal year represents a delicate balancing act – prioritizing performance and accountability while also providing support, encouragement and a sense of optimism. It’s a heavy lift for any business leader, and it often requires skills that need to be honed and developed over time.

Finish the Year Strong: How to Have a Great Q4

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 15:48:52 +0000

For many business owners, the fourth quarter of the year means crunch time. It's often a company’s most profitable quarter, and it represents your team’s last chance to hit targets and meet your goals for the year. It also gives you a chance to set yourself up for success next year. And while every business quarter is important, Q4 often needs special attention. It can feel like an exciting, but also stressful, time for many teams. As your team’s leader, you want to help manage the pressure of Q4 so that it remains productive –and not disheartening – for your team. Here are some sound practices that can help you close out the quarter, and the business year, strong:

Lean into your dashboard
Be realistic
Make time for planning
Prioritize what you want to accomplish
Break it down and delegate

Let’s look at each of these practices in a little more detail.

Lean into your dashboard

Your dashboard is your greatest ally during the fourth quarter of the year, showing you exactly what needs to be done to reach your goals. If you’ve done your due diligence in building a progress dashboard that lets you see how your business is performing against KPIs, you’ll have all the knowledge you need, right at your fingertips, to develop a winning Q4 strategy and finish the year strong. It doesn’t matter whether your dashboard is represented by a fancy custom app, a simple spreadsheet or something in between – but the information it contains is invaluable to your business success.

Be realistic

It's helpful to look back over your business performance for the previous two to three years during Q4. What are your performance trends? What is it reasonable to expect from your team? Also, make sure you’re carefully analyzing your pipeline and forecasted performance. How large is the gap between what you need to accomplish and what your pipeline potentially can yield? This piece is key – it’s important to understand where, if anywhere, you may have been overly ambitious and your goals simply aren’t feasible anymore. This can happen based on reasons beyond anyone’s control, but it needs to be accounted for and planned for.

Make time for planning

When you’re heavily into the work of the fourth quarter, you and your team will resist the need to stop and thoughtfully assess your year-end strategy. But you have to do it. Take the time to meet with your team, discuss their strategies for doing the most meaningful work that will ensure the biggest impact during your last quarter. It’s a good idea to do this together as a group at the beginning of the quarter, and to continue on a monthly basis. You may also want to hold one-on-one meetings with team members at regular intervals to support them in meeting their individual goals. It’s not enough for your team to simply be busy during Q4 – they must concentrate their efforts where they’ll yield the highest return. This type of planning and regular reporting ensures that everyone on your team has agreed on the deliverables, knows what they are personally responsible for, and has the information and resources they need to succeed.

Prioritize what you want to accomplish

You may find yourself in a situation where it simply isn’t feasible to accomplish everything you wanted. That’s when you and your team need to prioritize what is most beneficial for your business – both in Q4 and into the future. When you’re staring at the end of the year, you can’t waste a moment on tasks that don’t move the needle for your business. Choose the tasks and goals that will make the biggest impact for your organization and focus your efforts, time and attention on those. The more clarity you have around a few simple goals, the more likely you are to reach them.

Break it down and delegate

As the business leader, you know the buck stops with you – but that doesn’t mean you’re solely responsible for finishing with a strong Q4. If you’ve done the work of building a high performance team, lean on them. Break down large goals into smaller, more manageable tasks and let your team take ownership of them. Also look for opportunities to outsource or automate more mundane tasks if you can – this frees you up to do the work that only you can do as the leader of your organization. That means you’re spending your time planning, forecasting and coaching your team rather than focusing on other details. You need to make your highest-level skills available to your team to help get them over the finish line.

Struggling to find work/life balance? Try this instead.

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 16:24:57 +0000

Many of the business owners I work with tell me that they want to achieve better work/life balance. To be honest, I cringe a bit when I hear that term. If you’re struggling to find a good balance between your work life and your LIFE life, it’s probably because work/life balance just isn’t a sound philosophy. It’s not you – it’s the approach. Here’s why.

Why work/life balance is unrealistic

The concept of work/life balance assumes that you can put your work responsibilities and your personal obligations into boxes and weigh them on a scale. And if they don’t come out at equal weight, you must be doing something wrong. Here are some signs that work/life balance just isn’t working for you:

You’re neglecting self-care because you’re so busy at work, you just can’t find time for it.
You’ve stifled your personal goals – sacrificing them at the altar of your business.
Work is invading your home life – or vice versa.

Under the work/life balance model, you compartmentalize important pieces of your life and have them compete over which one gets the most of your time and attention. And you never feel like you're doing it right. Because it just isn’t reasonable. Life doesn’t work that way. We don’t function in boxes. Instead, life is messy, and elements of our work life bleed into our personal life – and vice versa. So why not embrace it – and make that blending work for you instead of working against you? I call this approach work/life integration.

Why work/life integration is a better option

When you pursue work/life integration, the elements of your life work together instead of competing against each other. You look for ways to mix your work and personal obligations in order to minimize your stress. You allow your business and your life to support each other, rather than working in competition. For example, you might work from home for part of the week so that you can handle school dropoff and pickup for your kids – or help elderly parents get to doctors’ appointments. Or you might carve out part of your work day to take an exercise class, run errands, or visit with your child’s teacher. Then, perhaps, you might catch up on some work later in the evening when your kids are in bed. The point is that you don’t have to reserve 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. as only for work, with the intention of using the remaining time only for life. (And then working during that part too. Or was that just me?) With some creativity and flexibility, you can seamlessly include both your work and your life as simply part of your day. Here are 2 tips to help you adopt this philosophy.

1. Choose what you want to focus on in your life

Achieving work/life integration looks a little bit different for everyone: we’re all individuals with specific goals and needs. A good first step is to consider the various areas of your life. These may include:

Business or career
Finances
Health
Family and friends
Romance
Personal growth
Fun and recreation
Physical environment

If there are other facets of your life that are important to you, add them to the list. Take some time to reflect on how satisfied you feel with each item on the list. Give yourself a rating somewhere between one and 10. Once you see how these areas score, you’ll be able to see where you want to adjust your time and focus. For example, if fun, recreation and health score lower than other areas, build those pursuits into your work day. Schedule time to exercise, have lunch with friends or get a massage. Even better, form an exercise accountability group within your business – so that everyone benefits. They’ll see you setting a good example, and they’ll also be able to enjoy the benefits of some fun and recreation. If family and friends need more attention, arrange to leave early one night a week to have dinner with friends or family. Or work from home part of the week so you that you can be present with your family while also completing work tasks.

2. Plan your work in manageable chunks

It also helps to recognize that no one is productive for eight hours straight – so why should our work day be structured this way? Plan your work in manageable chunks during the day. Accomplish a goal on behalf of your business, and then take a break to do something else. Encourage your team members to do the same. Ultimately, achieving work/life integration is about defining what success looks like – for YOU. If you set a good example for your team, you can then encourage them to do the same. By embracing flexibility with a little grace, you can create a workplace where your team feels they are building a holistically meaningful life. And you can too.

How to Increase Productivity without Burning Out

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 16:39:02 +0000

One of the biggest challenges as a business leader is motivating your team. That means providing the right vision, but it also means calibrating the pressure you and your team feel to succeed. Too much pressure, and you all feel frazzled and burned out. Too little pressure, and your team becomes apathetic and bored. It’s a careful balance, but with some practice and guidance, you can hit the sweet spot of productive pressure.

What is productive pressure? (And why is it so important that I named my company after it?)

It should come as no surprise that productive pressure is important to me – after all, it’s the name of my company! But what exactly is it? Productive pressure represents the magical convergence of urgency and capability that can lead your team to thrive. It’s just enough stress to encourage high performance without tipping over the edge into burnout and overwhelm. If you are or have ever been an athlete, you know there is a careful balancing act between applying enough pressure to improve fitness and reach maximal potential, without applying so much stress that you experience physical or psychological damage. It’s the same with your business. The sweet spot is right in the middle: sufficient pressure to crush your big business goals – but not so much that you or your team burn out.

How to know when you’re in the productive pressure zone (and when you’re not)

Here are some signs that you and your team need some productive pressure:

Everyone is burning the candle at both ends. Your team feels stressed and overworked, putting in crazy hours and headed down the road to burnout.
No one can see the big picture anymore. They’re too busy to even understand why their work matters – or why they’re doing what they’re doing.
You and your team are phoning in your performance: letting goals slide and failing to meet potential – either because you’re all fried, or you’re just plain bored.
You don't feel energized about your business and your future vision. Instead, you’re going through the motions, just trying to make it through your days.
You’re delaying big decisions and high-level business planning or strategy because you just feel too tired to think.

If any of this sounds familiar, it’s in your best interests to get yourself – and your team – into a state of flow so that your business and your customers can thrive.

Tips for maintaining productive pressure

Here are a few suggestions for making sure your team is experiencing productive pressure:

Work in 90-day sprints

You’ll find that 90 days is long enough to accomplish a lot, while also being short enough to create a healthy sense of urgency. When you and your team work in 90-day sprints, it’s important first to create a clear goal. What will you accomplish during those 90 days – and why does it matter? Then, you can move forward with short, daily check-ins that keep your team focused on short-term wins that move them toward the ultimate goal.

Make stress your friend

A certain amount of stress is good for you! To further energize your team, encourage them to use time-management hacks like the pomodoro technique – breaking up the work day into intense 25-minute bursts of productivity, followed by five-minute breaks. Longer breaks are built in after the completion of four productivity intervals. Practices like this provide a healthy amount of stress to keep your team focused and help discourage both procrastinating and multi-tasking.

Take time to reassess your goals

Sometimes, if you’re not engaged in meeting a goal, it’s because it just doesn’t fit anymore. It doesn’t match your values, your skill set or what’s important to you. The same is often true for your team. Taking the time to assess your business goals and make sure they’re still relevant is a productive use of your time. In other words, you should VET your goals before you SET your goals. Here how it all breaks down: Values – do your business goals align with your personal and professional values? If the answer is that things have gotten out of alignment, it’s time to put them back. Ask your team to help you – chances are, their taking ownership in the process will help energize them too. Energy – are your business goals things that you and your team feel passionate about? If your goals drain your energy instead of fueling your energy, then those aren’t good goals for you anymore. Talent – do you and your team have the skills and competencies to make your true and aligned goals a reality? You must have team members with the right skills and in the right roles to meet your business needs. A shift in goal alignment can make a huge difference in making sure your team stays in – or gets back to – the productive pressure zone. As the leader of your business, it’s up to you to evaluate your team’s level of pressure and course-correct where necessary.

Unlocking Business Freedom: The Role of Choices in Escaping Owner Overload

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 16:32:05 +0000

Every business owner will, at some point, find themselves at a crossroads. On one side lies the familiar terrain of relentless work—a place where success is synonymous with sacrifice. On the other, a promise of a balanced life where the business thrives without consuming every waking hour. The bridge between these worlds? Choices. In our journey as business owners, understanding the pivotal role choices play can reshape our paths and redefine success. Let’s dive in and look at how choices can liberate you from the confinements of owner overload .

1. When you recognize your choices, you take your power back

We've all been there. So engrossed in our work, so tired, that it feels like there's not a minute left to dream about a brighter future. It’s really easy to get into the trap of feeling like you HAVE TO do all things that you are doing – that you have no CHOICE. (Or as I used to say: “I have responsibilities, dammit!”) Yet here’s the thing: you are never truly out of options. You ALWAYS have choices. It might sound tough but realizing that you have choices—even when it feels like you don’t—is what can pull you out of that cycle of exhaustion and hopelessness. The belief that "I’m the only one who can do this" is a heavy chain that many business owners wear with pride, but it can be a self-fulfilling prophecy. When we think we’re the sole force propelling our business forward, we become just that.

2. When you’re in Owner Overload, it’s hard to see your choices

When you're knee-deep in the everyday grind, feeling like you're the only one who can handle everything, it's hard to see the bigger picture. This situation, what I call "Owner Overload," can cloud your perception of the choices available to you. Successful practitioners often have the resources—they just haven’t considered the various ways they can invest in easing their burdens. Why be consumed by tasks that aren't your strength when you can delegate them? The path to escaping owner overload is recognizing where your energy is best spent and understanding that there are tasks that others could do, freeing your time for some executive-level daydreaming. Consider this: isn’t your time better used in areas where you add the most value?

3. When you plan your exit, you open up more choices

Most business owners don’t stop to consider their exit until they’re ready to retire. (Which is a huge mistake!) It can be hard to think about “exiting” because it feels like an end. Yet, thinking about your eventual exit isn’t just about an end—it’s about a beginning. A beginning where you grant yourself more choices, more freedom, and an outlook that extends beyond the immediate. When you build your business strategy by considering your eventual exit, you give Future You more options. This frame of mind will also help you approach your business with an owner’s mindset, as opposed to an employee’s. Instead of being bogged down by minor tasks, you find solutions. You delegate. You grow. You lead. The challenges don’t disappear, but your approach to them transforms.

The Choices are Yours

It might sting a little to hear, but the power to change, to step out of Owner Overload lies within you. It’s about choices—recognizing them, embracing them, and using them to forge a brighter path. If any of this resonates, remember, you don’t have to navigate these choices alone.

Time vs. Energy: Discovering the Real Key to Business Freedom

Tue, 16 May 2023 17:22:37 +0000

Many of the clients I work with are in a place I call “Owner Overload.” They’re running a successful business and making good money – but they feel trapped. They’re overworked, overwhelmed, and unable to take a break. The question on their minds is often: “How do I manage my time better?” There are 10,000 time management gurus who will answer that question by suggesting an app or a time management system or a new way to slice and dice your day so that you can productively do even more than you’re taking on right now. That whole thought makes me tired. When I hear someone ask, “How do I manage my time better?” what I hear is “How do I do even MORE work?” To me, that’s a recipe for burnout. Let’s look at this another way.

The reality is that for most of us, time is not the challenge. Energy is the challenge.

Energy is the real problem when:

You no longer feel excited about your business and future vision, you’re just going through the motions trying to get through your days.
You “waste” time on social media or with unproductive (and even unenjoyable) activities like watching TV (because you feel too tired to do anything else.)
You put off big decisions and high-level business planning and strategy because you feel too tired to think.

If you can relate to any of that, here’s a prescription for 5 things you can do to escape the “I have no time” trap. Known side effects include feeling excited about your business again, enjoying real rest and relaxation, and yes…having more time.

1. Recognize when you need a break…and take it.

Take a week off. Take a day off. Start with an hour off if you have to. This can be hard to do in the moment. As owners, we often feel like we must make sacrifices because we are ultimately the responsible party. But…if you don’t stop and put on your own oxygen mask first, you won’t be able to help anybody. And burnout is no joke.

2. Arrange your schedule around energy, not time.

We all have certain times of the day when we feel more energetic. For most people it’s in the morning, but for some it’s later in the day. Identify when YOU are at your best energy-wise and schedule that time for working “ON” your business instead of “IN” it. Use that time to take on the tasks that only you can do – like visioning, planning, and executing on projects that will eliminate problems and move your business forward.

3. Stop doing low-value work.

Running a successful business and making good money? Are you spending a lot of time doing things that someone else could do (for a whole lot less money than YOU are worth?) You can pay to buy back some time. If you’re in this situation and resisting the advice, you may find that you’ve gotten attached to making a certain income and you like it, so you’re reluctant to pay other people to do things. Especially if you also believe that you’re the only person who can do these things (or that they are “no big deal.”) Which is closely related to the next item.

4. Start thinking like a business owner.

I’m working with a client right now who recently lost their business partner and now feels like ALL of the work falls on their shoulders. My advice was that they needed to start thinking like an owner instead of an employee. An owner thinks: how can I delegate tasks so that I have more bandwidth to focus on the most important things? They know they can’t focus on growing the business or developing systems to improve customer service if they’re trying to figure out how to pay a bill (a simple task that a bookkeeper could easily look after.) And ultimately, it all comes down to this.

5. Make better choices.

We often think that we don’t have the time, or we don’t have the energy, but we’re really just dealing with the fallout from making poor choices. I recognize that this news can be hard to hear. It’s hard to hear because it’s the truth. The upside is that when you embrace this truth, you leave the place of feeling trapped and like a victim of circumstances – and move into a place of empowerment. From there, you can take command of your business and decide to do things differently. Until you do, nothing will change.

It's time to break free from the belief that you don't have enough time or energy.

Instead, focus on using your strengths and passions. Invest the majority of your time in tasks that truly move the needle forward and bring back the excitement for your business.

The Control Freak's Guide to Delegation

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 16:24:45 +0000

As a control freak, the thought of delegating important tasks to others can be panic inducing. (Ask me how I know!) But the need to have complete control can lead to burnout and feeling overwhelmed. And the consequences of not delegating can be even worse. The stress of trying to do everything yourself can result in sacrificing your personal life and the potential for growth and success. It keeps you trapped in an inefficient business and causes you to miss opportunities. The good news is that delegation is a skill you can learn that unlocks many benefits. By delegating tasks in a meaningful way and creating a plan for accountability, you can free up your time and allow others to step into their zone of genius. With the proper training and support, delegation can lead to better outcomes and more efficient use of resources. How can you master the art of delegation? Here are four key steps to follow:

1. Delegate, but don't abdicate.

Delegation is not about giving up control entirely. It's about trusting your team to take on tasks that are within their skill set and giving them the support and guidance they need to succeed. When delegating tasks, make sure you are still overseeing the process and available to offer support and guidance when needed.

2. Assign tasks in a meaningful way.

Before delegating tasks, take the time to understand your team's strengths and weaknesses. Then, assign tasks that align with their skills and interests to increase the likelihood of success. This will also help your team members feel valued and invested in the success of the project.

3. Focus on teaching desired outcomes and encourage creativity.

Instead of micromanaging every aspect of the task, focus on teaching the desired outcomes and encouraging creativity. Give your team members the freedom to approach the task in their own way while still ensuring that the end result aligns with your goals.

4. Check back often but with a supportive approach.

Finally, it's important to check back often to ensure that the task is progressing as planned. Instead of being critical, take a supportive approach. Offer feedback and guidance to help your team members improve, while still acknowledging their efforts and accomplishments. By making delegation a priority, you can unlock the full potential of your team and achieve more success without sacrificing your personal life. So, it's time to let go of the fear of delegation and take control of your growth and happiness. Take a big step towards Business Freedom by mastering the art of delegation today.