Anyone out there feel like there’s enough hours in the day to get everything done? That’s a hard NO from me. And probably a hard NO from you too. Between running a business, building your career + brand, juggling clients, maintaining a social life, personal grooming (ladies, you hear me on this one), getting in our own workouts... there’s just not enough hours in the day. I get it.
But that doesn’t mean that it’s not possible to create a balanced system to make sure the most important things get handled. And most important - that your needs are addressed too.
A few years ago, a very wise woman shared with me her secret for time management. It changed my life. To be honest, she changed my life. Her name is Lesley Logan, the mastermind behind Profitable Pilates, and you should do yourself a favor to get some Lesley in your life.
I took Lesley’s methods to time management and added my own flavor to it. If you’re ready to feel organized and in control of your time + life, keep on reading!
First either print a blank weekly calendar, or have some paper handy. There’s a great one right HERE. You’re also going to want a permanent marker and a pencil. Ready?!
1. Schedule the non-negotiables of your life in permanent marker. Whether it’s class times you’re committed to teach, hours you have to be at work, pick-up + drop-off at school or daycare, dinner with your family, whatever you absolutely cannot move, put it in first.
2. Now it’s time to take charge of your life. Ask yourself - when do YOU want to train clients? When do YOU want to shoot pictures + videos for clients? What type of events do you as a blogger or influencer want to attend? When do you do your best writing and creating for your blog? Block off your preferred work times - these times are when you will strive to get most of your work done. If you can, make it a whole block of time instead of breaking it up every few hours.
When and where you have control over your schedule, OWN that control. If you only like teaching/training/shooting/writing in the morning, only accept clients then! If dinner with your partner is a priority three times a week, claim those nights. I do my best legal drafting and contract writing in the morning, so I reserve certain mornings to do just that.
Don’t be afraid to ask clients to move to those preferred times. And don’t be scared to turn down clients when their schedules don’t align with yours. If you always say yes to people on their schedule, you’ve now made your time less important. It may seem crazy at first, but I promise it will get easier once you realize how amazing it is to own control of your schedule.
3. Look at what’s left. When can you work out? What nights can be saved for your partner or friends? When can you sit down for 10 mins (or an hour) and catch-up on emails, mentally re-group, eat, shower, do laundry, or just scroll social media? Take that pencil (or marker if you’re feeling bold) and save time for YOU.
4. Lastly, have flex times every day. When are you willing to be flexible and possibly offer that time to a client? When will you have time to regroup, or loop back on something. My hubs and I have made dinner together (almost) every night non-negotiable, but we’re always open to work more after. I wake up around the same time every morning, but I’d get up earlier to accommodate a client on occasion.
Take a moment to be honest with yourself as your work through these steps. It may seem silly at first, but checking in on ourselves and our time-management will help you accomplish so much more in the long run. And help maintain your sanity while building that empire of yours :)
If you’re struggling to manage and maximize your time, schedule a quick 15-minute call with me and we can get you organized, focused and thriving.
Xx, D
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