Time. Do you feel like you never have enough?

I hear you! Life is busy and starting a business is time consuming. From choosing a business name and logo, to creating content for social media and figuring out what on earth CRM, lead magnet and ‘above the fold’ mean anyway, it’s a full-time job.

But what if you already have a job so you’re left only with nights when your brain is already fried?

What if you have kids so you’re trying to start your business in the cracks of time when no little people are demanding your attention?

What if you’re just busy?

Well, you’re probably spending way too much time choosing your brand colour and tweaking your website. Maybe you’re signing up for every freebie and getting lost in Facebook groups trying to absorb all the information you can. I have most certainly been there myself!

Between two young kids at home, chronic fatigue and a determination to protect time with my husband and kids above all else, I wasted months doing tasks that made me feel productive but never actually earned any money.

So, I created a system. A system that allowed me to get my act together and start moving my business forward in just 40 minutes a day. Of course, some days I worked more if I had the margin for it and some days I didn’t work at all, but the system saved my business and my sanity.

All it took was a detailed plan and a commitment to protecting my priorities.

You see, anything is possible, even when you only have 40 minutes a day, but you absolutely must know exactly what you’re going to work on each day. Without a detailed plan you’ll waste time flitting between tasks and wondering what you should be working on next.

Here’s how it works:

1. Choose a goal

   
   

2. Write down every single task / step involved in achieving that goal. Be specific and include details.

   
   

3. Write down any resources or learning necessary before accomplishing a task is possible

   For example: creating a course not only requires the creation of content but also choosing and learning how to use a course hosting platform.

   
   

4. Estimate the time commitment for each task.

   
   

5. Break tasks into 30 minute steps (or whatever interval works for your time availability). For example: brainstorming blog topics might take 1 x 30 minute session but writing a whole blog post may take 3 x 30 minute sessions.

   
   

6. Put all your steps in order so you know exactly what to work on each day. This way you don’t waste any time and you’re always making progress.

   
   

7. Put it in your calendar. I know this can seem like a waste of precious time but it’s such a simple way to keep yourself accountable and on track. Don’t skip this step!

Now, this is where a flexible timeline comes in…

Sometimes it’s difficult to know (especially when you’re just starting out) exactly how long a task will take. Maybe you allocated 30 minutes to create Pinterest graphics for 4 blog posts but the internet was slow so everything took way longer than expected. Don’t beat yourself up! Be flexible and go with the flow, knowing that as long as you keep following your plan in order you’re going to achieve your goal. Even if it takes a little longer than anticipated.

This allows you to prioritise your peace of mind instead of becoming stressed and overwhelmed. You can truly do anything if you have realistic expectations for both your to-do list and your time availability.

Cheering you on always,

Michelle